Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

The Windows NT 4.0 installation crashes with random characters on the screen and a VirtualBox guru error as soon as I start the virtual machine.
Attachments
Logs.7z
(58.37 KiB) Downloaded 22 times
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I wasn't sure whether or not to create a bug ticket for this. I might create one.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by scottgus1 »

00:00:06.719954 VMMDev: Guest Log: BIOS: Booting from CD-ROM...
00:00:06.736914 VMMDev: Guest Log: int13_harddisk: function 15, unmapped device for ELDL=81
00:00:06.738569 Display::i_handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=0000000000000000 w=720 h=400 bpp=0 cbLine=0x0 flags=0x0 origin=0,0
00:00:07.074027 GUI: UIMediumEnumerator: Medium-enumeration finished!
00:00:10.109511 Changing the VM state from 'RUNNING' to 'GURU_MEDITATION'
00:00:10.109543 Console: Machine state changed to 'Stuck'
00:00:10.109727 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
00:00:10.109727 !!
00:00:10.109727 !! VCPU0: Guru Meditation 1155 (VINF_EM_TRIPLE_FAULT)
The VM triple faults less than 4 seconds after booting from the ISO. A triple fault is Virtualbox's "Beats me what I was told to do".

Check that your ISO is good. It may be corrupted.
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I checksum all my ISOs and I'm verifying them now after reading this. I used the original ISO of Windows NT Workstation 4.0 (with SP1 I believe). I also tried this with an original ISO of Windows NT Server 4.0 (with SP1 as well) and I got the same result.
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

The ISO images don't appear to be corrupted and the checksum hasn't changed. I'll check it some more.
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

A screenshot of the Virtual Machine before VirtualBox crashes.
Attachments
Screen.jpg
Screen.jpg (10.85 KiB) Viewed 7775 times
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I downgraded VirtualBox to version 6.0.24 and the problem does not occur. Windows NT 4.0 installs perfectly with the same ISO. This crash only happens on newer versions of VirtualBox.
Attachments
Logs.7z
(62.63 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I verified my ISO against the original CD and it passed as OK. I'll check to see whether or not Windows NT 4.0 installs on VirtualBox version 6.1.42
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I tested Windows NT 4.0 on VirtualBox 6.1.44 and VirtualBox 7.0.8. In VirtualBox 6.1, I get an error during the start of GUI part of the installation that prevents the installation from continuing. In VirtualBox 7.0, I still get the same triple fault.

In VirtualBox 6.0.24, Windows NT 4.0 works perfectly. I assume that this is a bug and a regression in VirtualBox 6.1 and VirtualBox 7.0.
Attachments
VB6144Logs.7z
VirtualBox 6.1.44
(47.92 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
VB708Logs.7z
VirtualBox 7.0.8
(57.95 KiB) Downloaded 9 times
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by fth0 »

The VBoxHardening.log file shows that you have so-called security software (from McAfee and Malwarebytes) installed on your host. For a test, uninstall both, reboot the host and try if your issue persists.
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I removed malwarebytes and the mcafee service. I'm still getting the same results.

I attached the log file of the virtual machine.
Attachments
Logs.7z
(58.05 KiB) Downloaded 11 times
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by fth0 »

VBProblems wrote:I removed malwarebytes and the mcafee service.
VBoxHardening.log wrote:
410.199c: Found driver mfehidk (0x20)
410.199c: supR3HardenedWinFindAdversaries: 0x20
410.199c: \SystemRoot\System32\drivers\mfehidk.sys:
410.199c:     ProductName:     SYSCORE
410.199c:     ProductVersion:  15.6.0.1870
410.199c:     FileDescription: McAfee Link Driver
VirtualBox seems to disagree with you. ;)
VBProblems
Posts: 32
Joined: 1. Sep 2014, 17:33

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by VBProblems »

I ran the mcafee uninstaller tool to remove even more and that item no longer shows up. I'm still getting the same result. I'm rather skeptical that this problem is related to mcafee as all my other virtual machines work fine. It's just Windows NT 4.0 that has this problem with newer versions of VirtualBox.

I attached a new reset of the log for the blank virtual machine.
Attachments
Logs.7z
(57.83 KiB) Downloaded 19 times
fth0
Volunteer
Posts: 5668
Joined: 14. Feb 2019, 03:06
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Linux, Windows 10, ...
Location: Germany

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by fth0 »

VBProblems wrote:I'm rather skeptical that this problem is related to mcafee [...]
In general, it's often the case that so-called security software intercepts some Windows function calls and/or modifies their behavior, leading to unexpected consequences that are hard to find. Therefore, the first step is to temporarily get rid of this primary suspect. You've succeeded in doing that and you've proven that it didn't play a role.
VBProblems wrote:[...] as all my other virtual machines work fine.
Well, if you had mentioned that before (have I overlooked it?), we could have skipped the first step.

According to the VBox.log file, ~9 MB have been read from the ISO image, which could be the size of the Windows NT setup program. The vCPU had many page faults (~40.000), and the VM-exit history indicates a loop of nested page faults. You could try the following:

In the VM configuration, disable System > Acceleration > Nested Paging. This will make the VM considerably slower, but Windows NT should be very fast by today's standards anyway.

There are known issues running Windows 9x on newer Intel (11th gen+) and AMD (Zen 2+) CPUs, on the host and in a guest. Just in case that also holds true for Windows NT: Can you boot your host from the Windows NT installer and check that you don't run into a similar problem?
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Windows NT 4.0 virtual machine crashes at the beginning of the install

Post by mpack »

This may be similar to the problems that Win9x also has with the Ryzen 7 processor. Unfortunately I don't know if a patch exists for NT4.
Post Reply