Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

Hello this is my first post on the forum and yes I did read other posts like this but if there was a solution given it didn't work.
I am running a Windows 10 pro x64 guest VM on a Windows 10 Pro x64 host and my gest OS seems to freeze after some time.
The only thing running on the guest vm are some simple python scripts so nothing to taxing. I also disabled windows defender and windows update on the guest OS because I thought the problem had to do with high cpu usage but it is still doing it.
My host pc is a i7-8700K with 32GB of ram and the guest virtual disk is on a 1tb sata SSD.
The guest settings are 4GB of ram, 3 Processors (I have tried with 1 and 2 and also get crashing), the storage is a 100GB vdi (not pre allocated) and default display. I also run the guest in detachable start and normally have the display closed and the gust running in the background and I have the VBox Guest Additions installed on the guest. I have attached the last log file when it locked up. I hope there is a solution to this problem.
Logs.zip
VBox.log VBoxHardening.log VBox.log.1 VBox.log.2
(125.71 KiB) Downloaded 13 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: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by mpack »

Disabling Windows Defender is never necessary.

However the log shows that you also have Kaspersky AV installed. Why?

Also, I would reduce the VM CPU allocation to 2 cores. Leave it there until you have a need for more cores in the VM. Idle cores in a VM are pure overhead, though performance can be improved by making sure that the appropriate paravirtualization API is enabled for the VM, allowing it to communicate its needs to VirtualBox. For a recent Windows OS you should enable the Hyper-v API in the guest (not the host).

Also, why is this VM using the ICH9 chipset? That is not the template setting for a Win10 VM.
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

I have Kasperky AV installed on my host OS only not on the guests. But I should mention it has been disabled for a bit as I read that some AV could cause problems.
I will also change it back to 2 cores as well.
How do I enable Hyper-V API in the guest? Do you mean in the enable and disable windows features?
How do I change the chip set? I don't believe I ever changed anything like that when setting up the guest.
Thank you for response.
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 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by mpack »

JoeMama wrote:I have Kasperky AV installed on my host OS only not on the guests.
Well of course. On the host is the only place the discussion of hardening problems is relevant. It doesn't matter at all what AV you install inside the guest OS - that obviously can't have stopped the guest OS from starting.
scottgus1
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Posts: 20965
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Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

JoeMama wrote:How do I enable Hyper-V API in the guest?
Check the VM's System settings, Acceleration tab, Paravirtualization Interface, dropdown should be Default or Hyper-V. Once this is enabled properly, the line in your VM's vbox.log that says "GIM: Using provider" will mention Hyper-V.
JoeMama wrote:How do I change the chip set?
Check the VM's System settings, Motherboard tab, Chipset dropdown. The default is "PIIX3". If you did not change this, did someone else set up this VM for you? or did it come from someone else's computer?
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

Strange because under acceleration it was set to default and and under motherboard chipset was set to PIIX3. I don't know why the log is saying something different for the chipset at least. :?
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

Even after setting hyper-v and the chip set to PIIX3 it still crashes. The log file is attached.
logs.zip
(155.82 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

Looks like you might still be using ICH9:
Windows 10 Pro Clone-2021-03-30-16-09-39.log wrote:00:00:01.185842 IOAPIC: Using implementation 2.0! Chipset type ICH9
Please send just the far left tab's vbox.log.
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

That's really weird because It definitely says the chipset is PIIX3 in the settings. Here's a new log file and a screen shot of the settings.
New folder.zip
(51.96 KiB) Downloaded 12 times
scottgus1
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

Sure enough, you're right! Either there's a bug or that line doesn't mean what I thought it meant... :?
fth0
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by fth0 »

scottgus1 wrote:Sure enough, you're right! Either there's a bug or that line doesn't mean what I thought it meant... :?
It's the latter, and you're not the first one confused by it. For some details, please see the short discussion between socratis and me in viewtopic.php?f=6&t=94179&hilit=ICH9#p455292.

TL;DR: Search for "[/Devices/ich9pci/]" (ICH9) vs. "[/Devices/pci/]" (PIIX3)
scottgus1
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

fth0, you are correct, sir! I see the same now: a VM that is on PIIX3 has "[/Devices/pci/]", and on ICH9 it reads "[/Devices/ich9pci/]".

JoeMama's first log does contain "[/Devices/pci/]", not "[/Devices/ich9pci/]". So it appears to be on PIIX3.

That's going in my log reader...
scottgus1
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

I see the VM flatlining and staying that way for 2 hours, then getting shut down.
02:34:57.412818 VMMDev: vmmDevHeartbeatFlatlinedTimer: Guest seems to be unresponsive. Last heartbeat received 4 seconds ago
04:30:15.183062 Changing the VM state from 'RUNNING' to 'SUSPENDING'
The Virtualbox 'hardware' seems to keep running.

The VM is being run Detachable. Does it do the same seize-up/crash when running it normal? Is there anything in the VM's OS Event Viewer?
JoeMama
Posts: 10
Joined: 30. Mar 2021, 01:08

Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by JoeMama »

I will try launching in normal mode and put it on a second virtual desktop and report back if it crashes. I'm not really sure what the OS event viewer is but I did check session information one time and Guest Load was stuck at like 98% and none of the graphs were showing anything. I had also tried saving the current state of the machine and re launching it but that did nothing.
scottgus1
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Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
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Re: Windows 10 Pro Guest Freezes at Random

Post by scottgus1 »

JoeMama wrote:I'm not really sure what the OS event viewer is
web-search Windows 10's Event Viewer.
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