Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
Post Reply
FlexMcMurphy
Posts: 22
Joined: 18. Apr 2021, 01:07

Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by FlexMcMurphy »

Hello,

My System details:
Dell Inspiron 7520 laptop... Host and VM installed on a 1TB HDD
16GB Memory.

Host: Ubuntu-mate 20.04.1
ubuntu-mate-20.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso
Guest: Win 10 Pro.
Win10_20H2_v2_English_x64.iso

8GB memory given to the Guest
I have experimented with giving 2,3 and 4 processors to the Guest.

I downloaded Virtualbox and extension pack from virtualbox dot org slash wiki slash Downloads
Virtualbox-6.1_6.1.18-142142_Ubuntu_eoan_amd64.deb
Oracle_VM_VirtualBox_Extension_Pack-6.1.18.vbox-extpack

I built a Win 10 VM using the standard settings... It freezes after anything from a few mins to a few hours. When it does the whole computer is un-usable. The screen is totally frozen and nothing works so I have to press and hold the power button to force a restart. I attach the log file after the latest crash. I'm not sure how to read it but I'm also not sure it will be much help because I have a feeling everything just suddenly stops so maybe nothing helpful will be reported.

The VM can freeze when I am using the guest or when I switch out and am back using the host. It has happened a few times shortly after leaving the guest and going to the host that it freezes up and I have to force reboot.

It also once happened that the Virtualbox manager screen crashed on me even when I didn't have any guest running. I sent the error report... it gave advice about installing packages that were out of date... I did an apt update && apt upgrade. I just recently installed Ubuntu mate... I let it run for over 3 hrs this evening without Virtualbox running at all and no problems so far.. I was trying to rule out if the problem is with the Ubuntu mate and not Virtualbox.

Any ideas what I can try or how to debug further? Can someone share a Linux host/Windows 10 Pro guest/Virtualbox combination that works and doesn't crash or freeze all the time including exact software versions?

Cheers,

Flex
Attachments
VBox.log
(93.97 KiB) Downloaded 10 times
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by mpack »

FlexMcMurphy wrote: I downloaded Virtualbox and extension pack from virtualbox dot org slash wiki slash Downloads
Well, that isn't the version the log is from:-
VBox.log wrote: 00:00:01.474596 VirtualBox VM 6.1.16_Ubuntu r140961 linux.amd64 (Dec 17 2020 22:06:23) release log
...
00:00:01.534314 Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (Version: 6.1.18 r142142; VRDE Module: VBoxVRDP)
00:00:01.534323 VNC (Version: 6.1.16 r140961; VRDE Module: VBoxVNC)
That's a real mess in there. This shows you using a third party fork of 6.1.16, along with an unofficial (VNC) extension from that fork, plus an official extension pack for a different version.

You should also reduce cores to 2. You don't improve VM performance by starving the host of CPU.

You could also enable 3D acceleration.

p.s. Please zip logs in future.
FlexMcMurphy
Posts: 22
Joined: 18. Apr 2021, 01:07

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by FlexMcMurphy »

Thanks for the information.

I guess I should now completely uninstall Virtualbox and VNC as well.. Then try again?

Would I need to delete the Win 10 Guest VM I made?

Maybe I followed the wrong install instructions but I definitely downloaded the install files from virtualbox dot org

Flex
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by scottgus1 »

FlexMcMurphy wrote:Would I need to delete the Win 10 Guest VM I made?
No, that should be OK to keep. It should show up again when you get Virtualbox reinstalled. If you enable 3D acceleration as Mpack recommends, upgrade the Guest Additions in the VM to match the new Virtualbox version, and disable Settings > Personalization > Colors > Transparency Effects in your Windows 10 VM.
FlexMcMurphy wrote:I guess I should now completely uninstall Virtualbox and VNC as well.. Then try again?
Yes, this would be good. Remember to switch the Extension Pack too. The Virtualbox and EP versions should match exactly.

Linux hosts have prerequisites for official Virtualbox: https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch02. ... nux-prereq
FlexMcMurphy
Posts: 22
Joined: 18. Apr 2021, 01:07

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by FlexMcMurphy »

Thanks very much for your help.

Yes I remember now. I also installed Virtualbox-qt thinking I needed a graphical thing to run Virtualbox because after I installed it I could see it anywhere in my Ubuntu mate menus. In fact I just needed to reboot but by then it was too late and I may have been using the wrong front end for the right back end??

Anyway I uninstalled Virtualbox...

Code: Select all

sudo apt autoremove --purge virtualbox*
sudo su
apt update && apt upgrade
And re-installed from the .deb files I had and rebooted then it was there ready to run. So far so good. Well except I see that full screen doesn't work anymore... it was working at first but now the Guest VM doesn't fill up all the screen even though I have installed guest additions and clicked Auto Resize guest display. I can ask about that in another thread.

Flex
BillG
Volunteer
Posts: 5100
Joined: 19. Sep 2009, 04:44
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows 10,7 and earlier
Location: Sydney, Australia

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by BillG »

FlexMcMurphy wrote:Thanks very much for your help.

now the Guest VM doesn't fill up all the screen even though I have installed guest additions and clicked Auto Resize guest display. I can ask about that in another thread.

Flex
Just drag a corner of the window to make the guest window any shape and any size you want.
Bill
FlexMcMurphy
Posts: 22
Joined: 18. Apr 2021, 01:07

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by FlexMcMurphy »

I think the issue is with my Ubuntu mate host...

I'm having loads of hassle trying to get the resolution right. It boots up and is 1920x1080 and I'm using HiDPI but for some reason that resolution in mate makes everything tiny on my monitor.

I run the command

Code: Select all

xrandr --output LVDS-1 --scale 1.6x1.5
and that makes the resolution 3072x1620 which makes everything in mate fine but I think that's affecting the resolution in the Win 10 Guest?

I tried resetting the mate resolution to 1920x1080 just now using the command

Code: Select all

xrandr --output LVDS-1 --scale 1x1
and now I can do full screen just fine in the Win 10 Guest!

Flex
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Win 10 Pro Guest on Ubuntu-mate host keeps freezing/crashing

Post by scottgus1 »

Great! Glad you're up and running!
Post Reply