After update to 6.1.34 virtualbox hang and freeezing if WLS enabled

[wesw]

i'm seeing the same issue so i took the posted suggestion to install the 6.1.35-151573 test build. now when trying to start a vm i get the following. looks like virtualbox is crashing.

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine windows.

The VM session was aborted.

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)
Component: SessionMachine
Interface: ISession {c0447716-ff5a-4795-b57a-ecd5fffa18a4}


---------------------------
VirtualBoxVM.exe - Application Error
---------------------------
The instruction at 0x00007FFC0F04A9E4 referenced memory at 0x0000000000000000. The memory could not be read.

Click on OK to terminate the program
Click on CANCEL to debug the program
---------------------------
OK Cancel
---------------------------

[wesw]

dropping back to 6.1.30 works nicely

[wesw]

i think i spoke too soon. using 6.1.30 i created a windows vm and installed windows 10. it seemed to be fine but then i ran windows update. the vm rebooted for windows to finish the update and it's been running to nearly 24hrs. it seems that the vm does not run at the correct speed. looks like the virtualization is really slow. my system is a windows 11 host with wsl (hyper-v services) enabled and a windows 10 guest with hyper-v paravirtualization enabled. is there something i need to do to fix the slowness??

[scottgus1]

First, try setting the VM to two processors.

If that doesn't help, try upgrading to the 6.1.35 test build. Save the test build installer until you update again later. You'll need it if your host's MSI installation database goes south (they do) and the installer will not be available for download after the next even-number version gets released.

If that doesn't help, check if Hyper-V is enabled. See HMR3Init: Attempting fall back to NEM (Hyper-V is active)

If even that doesn't work, Start the VM from full normal shutdown, not save-state. Run until you see the problem happen, then shut down the VM from within the VM's OS if possible. If not possible, close the Virtualbox window for the VM with the Power Off option set. Right-click the VM in the main Virtualbox window's VM list, choose Show Log. Save the far left tab's log, zip it, and post the zip file, using the forum's Upload Attachment tab.

[wesw]

the 6.1.35 test build does not even start the vm. it crashes immediately, so there's a bug in there somewhere. i'm already running with 2 processors.

[fth0]

I think I've seen a similar crash when trying to start a VM with the combination of VirtualBox 6.1.35r151573 and the VirtualBox Extension Pack (EP) 6.1.34. Did you also upgrade the EP?

[wesw]

ok this is looking this a complete non-starter. i can't make vbox work with wsl also enabled. the instructions at this page: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=99390, do in fact make vbox work but at the expense of wsl. the command on that page: "bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off" breaks wsl. for wsl to work you must have "bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype auto" set, but when you do that vbox goes right back to turtle mode -- slowness of death.

so here is my question: how can i get things setup such that wsl works and vbox works?

as to the previous question about upgrading the ep, you're right that i had the .34 version installed. i can try the test build again but with the .35 ep. but before i do can you tell me this will meet my requirements of wsl with vbox?

[wesw]

ok i just reinstalled the .35 test build with the matching ep. no more crash so thanks for that tip. however it is still in turtle mode.

is it possible to make this work?

[wesw]

i see this in the logs:

00:00:02.606385 HM: HMR3Init: Attempting fall back to NEM: VT-x is not available
00:00:02.659441 NEM: info: Found optional import WinHvPlatform.dll!WHvQueryGpaRangeDirtyBitmap.
00:00:02.663113 CPUM: No hardware-virtualization capability detected


so it seems that vbox is not using virtualization properly. why isn't vbox using the hype-v engine?

[scottgus1]

Those lines are the indication that Virtualbox is trying to run on top of Hyper-V.

Turtle mode is necessary for WSL, actually WSL2 (the original WSL didn't need Hyper-V). Some combination of host and VM OS's work OK, some don't. The devs are working on it, but it's not all there yet, especially since Microsoft keeps moving the goalposts. I seem to recall that Ubuntu was working well in a Virtualbox VM on Hyper-V. If your host and VM OS's can't pull it off, then you'll have to choose one or the other.

[wesw]

super disappointing. wsl2 was release a long time ago so this should be working by now. i guess i'll have fall back to using the crappy hyper-v.

[scottgus1]

this should be working by now.

Microsoft keeps moving the goalposts.

QED.

[wesw]

that's part of software development. goalposts always move. you deal with it. wsl runs on top of the same goal posts and continues to work. when the goal posts change there are notifications and time to react before the os is released. that is just a cop out.

[scottgus1]

The devs are continuing to work on it. A lot of goalpost-moving and counter-dev-ing have happened since WSL2. The devs certainly have not given up.

[wesw]

amazing that vmware has no problem with the "moving goal posts". just installed vmware player and it works perfectly with hyper-v & wsl2 installed. guest os runs at full speed without ANY issues.