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

[Ransom]

I have a powerful gaming notebook with 32 GB Ram and Win 10 Pro (1803) installed, with which my windows guests in VirtualBox ran fastly resp. perfect (also if three guests run parallel). From time to time one windows guest runs suddenly in slow motion, although I did not change anything in the features.

The only thing which changes is: If I make a new clean install every half year (Windows 10 – „fall“-/„spring“-Update), I install the newest VirtualBox (actually 5.2.8.12) so I update also the Virtual Box Guest Additions in all my guests.

All search results only explain how to tweak the features of VirtualBox, but my features are perfect. The problem is, that suddenly a windows guest (equal if XP, Vista or 8.1) runs in slow motion. If I import an elder *.ova of such a slow guest, the guest runs normal.

Has anyone some idea?

Greetings,
Ransom

[andyp73]

The problem is, that suddenly a windows guest (equal if XP, Vista or 8.1) runs in slow motion.

"Slow" is a very subjective term and your definition of slow might be very different to mine. Could you quantify exactly what is happening i.e. application X usually takes y seconds to perform a task but it now takes z?

When this situation occurs, have you looked at the task manager on both the host and guests to see if there is something hogging either CPU or IO cycles?

Also, it will make life easier if we can see the VBox.log file from one of the guests in question. Boot the guest, make sure the problem occurs then shut the guest down (by force if necessary). zip the log file and post it.

-Andy.

[Ransom]

Hello Andi,

thank you for your fast answer.

First: „Slow“ is exactly like I tried to describe: „slow motion“. That means, If I click a program or anything, the reaction to this click is like a video which would run in slow motion by contrast to normal speed. Normally, if I click anything the reaction runs in milliseconds. Now the reactions takes minimum two seconds and then the reaction runs also in slow motion.

In the task manager (host), the virtualBox Manager uses about 20% (CPU), in the task manager (guest) about 0,4% (CPU).

I have attached a zip-file named „Vbox-logs-Win8.1x32.zip“.

Ransom

[socratis]

Can you do me a favor and completely uninstall/wipe/purge/nuke Avast? Not disable it, uninstall it. Your Windows Defender is more than adequate for your system protection, there's absolutely no need for a 3rd party, overzealous antivirus. Those things turn out to be hogging the system beyond what's acceptable. They're becoming a "virus" on their own.

I have the suspicion that Avast is scanning your VM. And the fact that your virtual hard disk is in VMDK format, further strengthens my suspicion...

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

thank you, that you have hooked up.

Ok, it’s not a problem for me to uninstall avast completely (I know, how to do it). I will give you a response after uninstallation.

Note: I have uninstalled Defender completely, so Avast is my only virus scanner.

Until later,
Ransom

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

now I have Avast completely uninstalled – and the slowly windows-guest runs fastly like before.

Thank you very much for your perfect tip!!!

But which virus-scanner do you recommend me in relation to VirtualBox? I have no trust into Defender…

Many greetings,
Ransom

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

Little update:

And the fact that your virtual hard disk is in VMDK format, further strengthens my suspicion...

It’s very curious: Every time I create a new Windows-machine (WinXP, Vista, 8.1 or 10) and select in the beginning of the process "VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)", the finished disk has always the file extension *.vdmk.

Ransom

[socratis]

now I have Avast completely uninstalled – and the slowly windows-guest runs fastly like before.

\o/
That's good to hear! But, I will wait for a couple of days before I close this as [Resolved].

But which virus-scanner do you recommend me in relation to VirtualBox? I have no trust into Defender…

Well, I do and several from the moderators around here do. For my VMs at least, I'm on OSX and I don't have an antivirus, at all. In fact the last antivirus I had was in my NT4 workstation, but it was slowing things so much, that I decided I didn't need one. That was 20 years ago! Never looked back...

Of course, I'm avoiding like the plague doing what you do:

00:00:02.873104 File system of 'C:\Users\Administrator\VirtualBox VMs\Win8.1x32-Home-Pro_1\Win8.1x32-Home-Pro-disk001.vmdk' is ntfs

and never log in as admin, on any of my computers, physical or virtual. Even the updates are downloaded from my non-privileged user in a common directory, and I log in as admin just to apply them. Safe practices coupled with a non-intrusive antivirus (like Defender) have proven more than adequate. So far... zero viruses.

Every time I create a new Windows-machine (WinXP, Vista, 8.1 or 10) and select in the beginning of the process "VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)", the finished disk has always the file extension *.vdmk.

That's got to be one of the strangest things that I've heard. Can you describe step-by-step what you're doing? Exactly!!! Don't even leave a "click" out from your description.

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

it seems, that I can learn much about VirtualBox (and more) in this thread.

I will come back to your comments (esp. an exactly step-by-step description how I initiate a new guest), but now it’s 11pm at my time so I will postpone it on tomorrow.

Good night,
Ransom

[phdsurvival]

If it happens only in virtualbox, i don't know. But if whole pc/os became slow, it must be virus miner. Those that use cpu power to earn money online. One such had ability to turn itself off when i open task manager, and automatically resume itself when i close task manager. I detected it using procmon by sysinternals and using proxifier, it made connection to minergate. It's name was wuapp.exe. Even if you had supercomputer it would slow it down, LOL. Interfered with my games, like various GTA. I had to kill another process which ran that process. Forgot now was it in startup or somewhere else... And, LOL, i do not use antivirus, but i am antivirus, detect and remove viruses by myself! Of course remove their causes (downloaded files) too.

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

now I’m back and will try to „describe step-by-step“, how I’m generating a new guest in VB.

1. click on the button "New".
2. select the desired operating system (and give a name for it).
3. memory size: WinXP: 3.326 MB – Win8.1-x32: 3.584 MB – Win10-x64: 8.192 MB → Generate.
4. Select the first item as "File type of the hard disk": "VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)" and "dynamically allocated", file size: 40,00 GB → Generate.

Properties:
5. General: extended: bidirectional
6. System: Boot: Disk, DVD; Chipset: ICH9, USB-Tablet, activate „IO-APIC“, 2 CPUs, activate „PAE/NX“, „VT-x/AMD-V“, „Nested Paging“.
7. display: graphics memory: full (256 MB), number monitors: 1, scaling: 100%, activate: 2D, 3D.
8. Controller: SATA (AHCI), Optical: Windows-Setup-ISO-file.
9. Audio: Activate, Windows DirectSound, Intel HD Audio, activate: in and out.
10. Network: activate, NAT, select the following adapter types: WinXP: PCnet-FAST III (Am79C973) – Win8.1-x32 + Win10-x64: Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop (82540EM). MAC-Adress: 080027514806 (e.g.), activate: cable connected.
11. Serial devices: nothing
12. USB activate 2.0
13. Shared folders: all my partitions except Swap-Drive (C,E,F,G,H,J,K,L).
14. User interface: both checkmarks.
15. Ok, then run.

Two questions: Why did the guests run in normal time for a long time (1–2 years), where Avast was installed?

How (resp. with wich) can I protect my host system (Win10) now, if I have uninstalled Avast?

@ phdsurvival:

Thank you for the tip with sysinternals. I have downloaded some of them (e.g. Autoruns, ProcessMonitor), so that I can have a better overview of my system. Nearly the same question to you (like question 2 before): How (resp. with wich) you protect your system?

Greetings,
Ransom

[socratis]

4. Select the first item as "File type of the hard disk": "VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)" and "dynamically allocated", file size: 40,00 GB → Generate.

And this procedure generated a VMDK?
Something's not right here...

Two questions: Why did the guests run in normal time for a long time (1–2 years), where Avast was installed?

Because Avast in its latest update (you have it to auto-update, don't you?) got the capability of scanning VMDKs. Next, VDIs...

How (resp. with wich) can I protect my host system (Win10) now, if I have uninstalled Avast?

I already told you, Windows Defender, create a simple user and use that, don't log in as Admin.

[mpack]

4. Select the first item as "File type of the hard disk": "VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)" and "dynamically allocated", file size: 40,00 GB → Generate.

And this procedure generated a VMDK?

There's no way that procedure caused a VMDK to be created. IMHO, this kind of conversation usually ends in the realization of a huge error, such as looking in the wrong folder for the VM (e.g. looking in C:\Users\Ransom instead of C:\Users\Administrator - or vice versa).

[Ransom]

Hello socratis,

thank you again for your answers.

And this procedure generated a VMDK?

No, this procedure generates effectively VDI – but: If I export this guest as an OVA, then delete it (to smaller the C-Partition for the weekly image) and then import it again, there are only VMDKs. As I have seen this effect for the first time, I was very surprised, but so it is every time after generating a new guest, then export, then reimport.

Because Avast in its latest update (you have it to auto-update, don't you?) got the capability of scanning VMDKs.

No, I do not have auto-update and I try to use every time older versions. Since one, two years I use version 11.2.2738 from 27th April 2016 (actual version is 18.4.3895.0).

I already told you, Windows Defender, …

Ok, I have understand.

…create a simple user and use that, don't log in as Admin.

I know, in the Internet it’s often advised not to log in as Admin, but I like to have „fully“ control to my OS and it „seemed“ to me, that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. But if you see it different, I’m open to hear why (resp. on you).

Greetings,
Ransom

[socratis]

but: If I export this guest as an OVA

I'm afraid that's NOT what you said earlier. No mention of export/import. So, please get your facts straight, don't let us on a wild goose hunt.

An export will ALWAYS export the hard drive as a VMDK. That's the OVA specification. The question is why do you export/import? I don't get it.

As for the Admin thing, just look at how MS now forces you to create a different Admin account vs. a standard user. Then you decide. This is not a VirtualBox issue, and I'm afraid we're going to deviate from the main issue...