One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
Ransom
Posts: 37
Joined: 3. Mar 2017, 13:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: WinXP-SP3, Vista_x32, Win7_Pro_x64, Win8.1_x32_Home, Win8.1_x64_Pro, Win10_Pro
Location: Germany

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by Ransom »

socratis wrote:I'm afraid that's NOT what you said earlier.
You are right. As I wrote yesterday, that „the finished disk has always the file extension *.vdmk“, I forgot the „intermediate step“ with export/import ova. Just today, after describing exactly the generating of a guest, I remembered to the forgotten „intermediate step“. Please condone me.
socratis wrote:The question is why do you export/import? I don't get it.
First: to save the guest generally (I don’t know another possibility), second: every friday I make an Image only of the C-Partition. Without guests, the partition is about 20 GB big (after a cleaninstall), with guests it can be 50, 60, 70 GB which takes much time (and many ressources), so it’s easier to delete the guests before the image and import only these in the next week, which I really need.
socratis wrote:This is not a VirtualBox issue, and I'm afraid we're going to deviate from the main issue...
You are fully right. For my announced failure, the solution was found through your very good help, the „rest“ lies to me.
Last edited by socratis on 14. May 2018, 19:59, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Fixed formatting.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by socratis »

Ransom wrote:Please condone me.
Absolutely, your first three five sins are always forgiven! Even more if they're small, innocuous ones! :D
Ransom wrote:First: to save the guest generally (I don’t know another possibility)
Well, funny you should ask, there's a FAQ for that: "Moving a VM". To put is simply: copy the whole VM folder.

Importing/Exporting has its own unique challenges, mainly because the UUID of the VM and the hard disk(s) changes. This could lead to problems with Windows Activation, or GRUB booting (among other minor ones). It is *not* the recommended way to backup a VM, only to exchange VMs with other virtualization programs.

Finally, for the security aspect of a host or a guest, I would start by searching for "Windows 10 best security practices" or "Windows 10 security guidelines". NSA used to publish some HowTos and tips, but
  1. That was way before Snowden,
  2. I can't seem to be able to find them anymore, and
  3. Their secure website is rejected by every browser due to "unknown certificate authority"!!! :o
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
Ransom
Posts: 37
Joined: 3. Mar 2017, 13:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: WinXP-SP3, Vista_x32, Win7_Pro_x64, Win8.1_x32_Home, Win8.1_x64_Pro, Win10_Pro
Location: Germany

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by Ransom »

socratis wrote:Absolutely, your first three five sins are always forgiven! Even more if they're small, innocuous ones! :D
I’m very relieved to hear this. Thank you.
socratis wrote:Well, funny you should ask, there's a FAQ for that: "Moving a VM". To put is simply: copy the whole VM folder.
After generating my first guest in VB I searched how to save and I found (first?) the ova solution.
socratis wrote:Importing/Exporting has its own unique challenges, mainly because the UUID of the VM and the hard disk(s) changes. This could lead to problems with Windows Activation, ...
I know. I know also how to export the UUID and to import it, but sometimes I have forgotten it and – lost a Windows Activation. So I will try it in future with your referenced instruction: „Moving a VM“.
socratis wrote:Finally, for the security aspect of a host or a guest, I would start by searching for "Windows 10 best security practices" or "Windows 10 security guidelines".
That I will do it immediately.

Best greetings and many, many thanks,
Ransom
Last edited by socratis on 14. May 2018, 21:14, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Fixed formatting.
phdsurvival
Posts: 18
Joined: 13. May 2018, 23:01

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by phdsurvival »

I also forgot to mention something else related to speed in windows 10. When I install that small game Icy Tower, it is slow, and sometimes it's not. I could not find out when was it slow and when not. There's no reason for such old and small game to be slow ever. It's always fast on windows xp. Hope i will detect in at a later time once.

Well, you protect your system just like you would protect house from spiders. You keep it clean, watch it, control it, lear what is where... Just like in a house or while cooking something or bathing yourself you have to monitor temperature so you don't get burned, you can monitor temperature and cpu and disk and ram usage using task manager or various apps. When you install fresh os you learn what files are os related. Then when you install apps you know what file is of what app. By checking startup for example using msconfig or 3rd party app like ccleaner. I would also recommend everybody to use sysinternalssuite and nirsoftpackage. They contain various utilities for everything you will definitely use.

After all, it's not about virus, but about problems viruses make. For example it's a problem when cpu is slow, or when files are damaged... Learn what are hashes, then hash each important download using nirsoft hashmyfiles or total commander (sha512, sha1...), then compare them if you ever believe files are damaged. That's what viruses do, slow down pc, destroy/change/damage files, use resources...

Usually they are brought with downloads, and activated by opening exe or bat or cmd file... You have to learn to put control into pc, just like into life. If you download too much too fast, it's more likely to get out of control. Sometimes whole domain contains viruses. Such as popular domains for cracks/keygens... You notice that files don't make any sense.

But using procmon it's easy to monitor everything, meaning each process, all registry, disk, and other activities. You can filter by path, process name, command line. Filter is best feature of procmon. You can monitor even what each game is doing with files. And with such knowledge it's so easy to detect anything, not only viruses. Then detect differences, are some files changed, is disk space used, is number of files increased or decreased... That is general rule to success, not only in software, but in whole life.

I detected my virus because i see my fan blowing heat when i don't do anything. Then i open procmon and see taht most of entries appearing before my eyes are coming from one weird app. Then i find more weird stuff. Another process from temp folder is running that process.

So it's not about viruses, but learning to mantain control and watch vital parameters of pc or anything in life. Know what is lie and truth. Knowing how to detect, notice, compare... Such knowledge is important for troubleshooting and programming and forensics...
Ransom
Posts: 37
Joined: 3. Mar 2017, 13:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: WinXP-SP3, Vista_x32, Win7_Pro_x64, Win8.1_x32_Home, Win8.1_x64_Pro, Win10_Pro
Location: Germany

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by Ransom »

Hello phdsurvival,

thank you very much, that you have taken time for me to explain in great detail how you manage your system (and not only viruses).

Your statements are very helpful (and very descriptive). I think, it was naive of me after all only to trust in Virus Software. After many years, in which I invested much time to learn how to build (and how to backup) a system which does really that what I want, it is very annoying for me to realize, that this effort won’t quite cut it and that I also have invest time into learn how to hold it „clean“.

Best greetings,
Ransom
micado
Posts: 4
Joined: 15. Mar 2012, 21:14

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by micado »

Refering to your original problem:

Avast allows two settings:
"Enable hardware-assisted virtualization" and "Use nested virtualization where available"

You can play with these. I think best is to switch them off.
Ransom
Posts: 37
Joined: 3. Mar 2017, 13:38
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: WinXP-SP3, Vista_x32, Win7_Pro_x64, Win8.1_x32_Home, Win8.1_x64_Pro, Win10_Pro
Location: Germany

Re: One at a time my windows guests (XP, Vista, 8.1) run suddenly in slow motion (Host: Win10-Pro)

Post by Ransom »

Hello micado,

Thank you for your hint. I think you are right to play with your named settings. But I have deleted Avast completely and „trust“ now only in Defender. Not only my guests but also my host runs („feeled“) faster since that time. With the tips of phdsurvival additional, I think, I’m on a good way.

Many greetings,
Ransom
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