# VMware: no 3d acceleration in non-root user [Solved]

## njcwotx

I use vmware workstation 10.  I have been running as root for some time, but switched to a non-root user today.  I have been fixing some permissions here and there but for the most part I am running as the non-root user at the moment.

One thing that has come up.  If I open vmware workstation as a regular user and open a vm with a need for the 3d support, I get the 'disabling 3d acceleration' pop up and aero on winblows does not function.  If I open up a shell, su - over as root and run vmware I get a perfectly working vm with 3d support without complaint.

I have an nvidia graphics card and its the latest driver.  3d effects work fine in KDE, no problems there, just when I open vmware as a regular user.

I probably have to add permission to some group or folder but I am at a loss as to where to look.

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## njcwotx

added regular user wheel group then uncommented %wheel in suoders.  Also, set sudoers defaults to keep the X11 environment and HOME.

edited vmware icon to have sudo in front of /usr/bin/vmware.

research indicated vmware needs to run as root for 3d, there is probably a better way but this worked for me.

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## Yamakuzure

vmware needs to be run as root if you want it to use your hybrid card. If I run vmware as a user, it uses the intel HD chip I have -> no 3D acceleration, but this is actually what I want if I am on battery. If I run it as root (using 'primusrun') it uses my nvidia card -> full 3D support.

Basically I followed this guide.

On my desktop, which runs nvidia-only, I get 3D acceleration with any user. No need to be root.

So what is your setting that you require root privileges for 3D?

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## njcwotx

in step 8 of the guide you linked to you use sudo to start vmware with root privleges, its the same thing I am doing here.  I am running as a regular user as well.

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