[vbox-dev] Chipset support for Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI)

[Ananth Pallapothu]

MSI's came into existence after PIIX3.

Yes, if you need MSI you need to use ICH9.
PIIX3 doesn't support MSI
On Mar 21, 2016 6:43 PM, "Vilbig, Ric" <ric_vilbig at mentor.com> wrote:

> Hi Experts,
>
>
>
> I posted the following on the VIrtualBox forum, but Perry recommended I
> contact you by the email list.
>
> https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=76867
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> I am working on a custom PCI device model, plugged into VirtualBox via
> PDM. It's mostly working, lspci for example shows it's present. But I am
> having a problem with Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI).
>
>
>
> The following quote from Ch.3 of the VirtualBox User Manual implies that
> the ICP9 chipset must be used for MSI support, and I have seen supporting
> evidence in web searches and VBox source code (OSE 5.0.16 tarball).
>
>
>
> “...VirtualBox 4.0 introduced an emulation of the more modern ICH9
> chipset, which supports PCI express,
>
> three PCI buses, PCI-to-PCI bridges and Message Signaled Interrupts
> (MSI)...”
>
>
>
> *Can someone confirm or refute with certainty that the PIIX3 chipset does
> not support MSI and ICH9 is required for device models using MSI?*
>
>
>
> How worried should I be about this excerpt from the same paragraph? A
> quick test of ICH9 VM did not go well. I've actually tried with Fedora 23,
> Fedora 18 and Ubuntu 14 guests (all 64-bit) without success, but not yet
> dug into it because this quote worries me.
>
>
>
> “Note that the ICH9 support is experimental and not recommended for guest
> operating systems which do not require it.”
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>
>
> _____________________________________________
>
>
>
> *Ric Vilbig*
>
> Mentor Graphics, Emulation Division
>
> 46871 Bayside Parkway, Fremont CA, 94538
>
> Phone:  510-354-7360
>
> Mobile: 408-529-2365
>
> email:  ric_vilbig at mentor.com
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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