[Solved] Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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quartz
Posts: 4
Joined: 24. Feb 2017, 08:44

[Solved] Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by quartz »

HostOS: Windows 7 64-bit
RAM: 6GB
GuestOS: Debian 8.6 amd64
RAM: 1.5GB (1536MB)
The error first occurred when I was reinstalling Guest Additions, by running VBoxLinuxAdditions.run with the same version (5.1.8) of the Guest Additions I had installed. Then I got a "host memory low" error :"Unable to allocate and lock memory. The virtual machine will be paused. Please close applications to free up memory or close the VM".

I restored the backup I had made before the operation, but the error continues to happen since then while there is enough memory (>2GB) available. It also happens on other virtual machines.

Uninstalling VBox and Installing the 5.1.14 version don't help.

Closing programs helps to resume the VM, but the virtual machine had worked well in the same environment as when it now crashes. Additionally it sometimes crashes without any other program running at the same time.

It's happenning again at 17/2/23. Any help will be appreciated.
Attachments
Logs.rar
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Last edited by quartz on 4. Jul 2017, 16:40, edited 2 times in total.
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: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by socratis »

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=66166#p313255

Do you have Chrome installed?
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.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by mpack »

Please in future post only one (relevant) log. I don't enjoy wading through five logs to find what someone is talking about.
VBox.log wrote: 00:10:28.032464 PGM: Failed to procure handy pages; rc=VERR_NO_MEMORY rcAlloc=VINF_SUCCESS rcSeed=VINF_SUCCESS cHandyPages=0x8
00:10:28.032480 cAllPages=0x62447 cPrivatePages=0x3d7c2 cSharedPages=0x0 cZeroPages=0x24c60
00:10:28.032529 GMM: Statistics:
00:10:28.032531 Allocated pages: 3b3c6
00:10:28.032534 Maximum pages: 6009e
00:10:28.032536 Ballooned pages: 0
00:10:28.032552 Host RAM: 1908MB available
00:10:28.033619 PGM: Failed to procure handy pages; rc=VERR_NO_MEMORY rcAlloc=VINF_SUCCESS rcSeed=VINF_SUCCESS cHandyPages=0x7
00:10:28.033624 cAllPages=0x62447 cPrivatePages=0x3d7c3 cSharedPages=0x0 cZeroPages=0x24c5f
00:10:28.033642 GMM: Statistics:
00:10:28.033643 Allocated pages: 3b3c6
00:10:28.033645 Maximum pages: 6009e
00:10:28.033646 Ballooned pages: 0
00:10:28.033656 Host RAM: 1910MB available
00:10:28.033746 VM: Raising runtime error 'HostMemoryLow' (fFlags=0x2)
Since this happens 10 minutes in, and the host seems to have plenty of normal RAM, I assume that the problem is that something is hogging memory in the low 4GB region (kernel RAM). It would be something resident but not native to Windows (otherwise every user of that Windows version would have the same problem). VirtualBox needs kernel RAM to run guest OS device drivers, I expect that would include drivers that are part of the GAs.

Alternatively, host AV may be actively blocking allocation of memory in that area. It would be worthwhile to test the effect of disabling host AV.
quartz
Posts: 4
Joined: 24. Feb 2017, 08:44

Re: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by quartz »

socratis wrote:Do you have Chrome installed?
Yes, I have it installed both in the host and guest.
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: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by socratis »

Google's Chrome Crash Handler

Take a look at https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Fo ... 7itprovirt and see if the solution there helps in your case.

To summarize, Google's Chrome Crash Handler (GooglecrashHandler.exe or GoogleCrashHandler64.exe) might be responsible for this. Disabling it from running might remedy the situation.
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.
quartz
Posts: 4
Joined: 24. Feb 2017, 08:44

Re: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by quartz »

socratis wrote:Google's Chrome Crash Handler

Take a look at https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Fo ... 7itprovirt and see if the solution there helps in your case.

To summarize, Google's Chrome Crash Handler (GooglecrashHandler.exe or GoogleCrashHandler64.exe) might be responsible for this. Disabling it from running might remedy the situation.
I haven't enabled crash report in host Chrome, nor did I find GooglecrashHandler.exe in TaskManager. :(
quartz
Posts: 4
Joined: 24. Feb 2017, 08:44

Re: Frequent "Host Memory Low" error after trying reinstalling Guest Additions

Post by quartz »

The problem disappeared in Virtualbox 5.1.22.
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