Linux i915 driver (dkms module) with SR-IOV support for linux 6.8-6.12

This repo is a code snapshot of the i915 module from https://github.com/intel/mainline-tracking/tree/linux/v6.12 and will randomly merge patches from the linux-stable tree.

Warning

This package is highly experimental, you should only use it when you know what you are doing.

You need to install this dkms module in both host and guest!

For Arch Linux users, it is available in AUR. i915-sriov-dkms

Tested kernel versions: 6.12.6-zen1/6.11.9-arch1/6.10.9-arch1/6.9.10-arch1/6.8.9-arch1 with ArchLinux

Required Kernel Parameters

intel_iommu=on i915.enable_guc=3 i915.max_vfs=7 module_blacklist=xe

Creating Virtual Functions (VF)

echo 2 > /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/sriov_numvfs

You can create up to 7 VFs on Intel UHD Graphics

PVE Host Installation Steps (Tested Kernel 6.5 and 6.8)

1. Clone this repo
2. Install build tools: apt install build-* dkms
3. Install the kernel and headers for desired version: apt install proxmox-headers-6.8.8-2-pve proxmox-kernel-6.8.8-2-pve (for unsigned kernel).
4. Change into the root of the cloned repository and run dkms add ..
5. Execute the command dkms install -m i915-sriov-dkms -v 2024.12.30 --force or dkms install -m i915-sriov-dkms -v $(cat VERSION) --force for a version-independent command.
6. Once finished, the kernel commandline needs to be adjusted: nano /etc/default/grub and change GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to intel_iommu=on i915.enable_guc=3 i915.max_vfs=7, or add to it if you have other arguments there already.
7. Optionally pin the kernel version and update the boot config via proxmox-boot-tool.
8. In order to enable the VFs, a sysfs attribute must be set. Install sysfsutils, then do echo "devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/sriov_numvfs = 7" > /etc/sysfs.conf, assuming your iGPU is on 00:02 bus. If not, use lspci | grep VGA to find the PCIe bus your iGPU is on.
9. Reboot the system.
10. When the system is back up again, you should see the number of VFs under 02:00.1 - 02:00.7. Again, assuming your iGPU is on 00:02 bus.
11. You can passthrough the VFs to LXCs or VMs. However, never touch the PF which is 02:00.0 under any circumstances.

PVE Host Installation Steps (Tested Kernel 6.1 and 6.2)

1. Clone this repo
2. Install some tools. apt install build-* dkms
3. Go inside the repo, edit the dkms.conffile, change the PACKAGE_NAME to i915-sriov-dkms, and change the PACKAGE_VERSION to 6.1. Save the file.
4. Move the entire content of the repository to /usr/src/i915-sriov-dkms-6.1. The folder name will be the DKMS package name.
5. Execute command dkms install -m i915-sriov-dkms -v 6.1 --force. -m argument denotes the package name, and it should be the same as the folder name which contains the package content. -v argument denotes the package version, which we have specified in the dkms.conf as 6.1. --force argument will reinstall the module even if a module with same name has been already installed.
6. The kernel module should begin building.
7. Once finished, we need to make a few changes to the kernel commandline. nano /etc/default/grub and change GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT to 'intel_iommu=on i915.enable_guc=3 i915.max_vfs=7`, or add to it if you have other arguments there already.
8. Update grub and initramfs by executing update-grub and update-initramfs -u
9. In order to enable the VFs, we need to modify some variables in the sysfs. Install sysfsutils, then do echo "devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/sriov_numvfs = 7" > /etc/sysfs.conf, assuming your iGPU is on 00:02 bus. If not, use lspci | grep VGA to find the PCIe bus your iGPU is on.
10. Reboot the system.
11. When the system is back up again, you should see the number of VFs you specified show up under 02:00.1 - 02:00.7. Again, assuming your iGPU is on 00:02 bus.
12. You can passthrough the VFs to LXCs or VMs. However, never touch the PF which is 02:00.0 under any circumstances.

Linux Guest Installation Steps (Tested Kernel 6.2)

We will need to run the same driver under Linux guests. We can repeat the steps for installing the driver. However, when modifying command line defaults, we use i915.enable_guc=3 instead of i915.enable_guc=3 i915.max_vfs=7. Furthermore, we don't need to use sysfsutils to create any more VFs since we ARE using a VF. Once that's done, update grub and initramfs, then reboot. Once the VM is back up again, do dmesg | grep i915 to see if your VF is recognized by the kernel. Optionally, install vainfo, then do vainfo to see if the iGPU has been picked up by the VAAPI.

Windows Guest

It is required to set the host CPU type in Proxmox to "host". I was able to get it working without further fiddling in the config files but your mileage may vary (i5-12500T with UHD 770). I've used Intel gfx version 4316 to get it working. Here's a link to download it. (https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/741626/780560/intel-arc-pro-graphics-windows.html)

See also: #8 (comment)

Credits

Major contributors to this repository are listed below.

• @strongtz  Create the initial dkms module
• @zhtengw  Rebase on the linux-intel-lts (v5.15, v6.1) , support for v6.1~v6.4, participation in 15+ issues
• @bbaa-bbaa  Rebase on the mainline-tracking linux/v6.12 branch, support for v6.8~v6.13, participation in 10+ issues
• @pasbec  Major refactor to the repo, support for (v6.2, v6.5, v6.8), participation in 20+ issues
• @shenwii  Support for (v6.7, v6.9)
• @MotherOfTheGracchi  Support for v6.5.3
• @michael-pptf  Several updates to README.md, participation in 20+ issues