Xubuntu works dramatically slow - I can't get why

[Mirch]

Hey everybody
It's the first time I'm using vbox, and I'm having problems with xubuntu, that works really slow, expecially when graphic performance are needed (like internet browsing, not heavy stuff) and even with middle resolution. I did some research in the internet and I couldn't find anything I did wrong, so I don't get if this is just the performance you can get on a vm or if something is wrong with my settings. Hope you guys can help me.

Here some details:
-Host system: Windows 10 64bit
-Guest system: Xubuntu 16.04 32bit
-4 GB RAM (over 16), 1 CPU over 8 (vb won't allow me to assign more), 128MB graphic memory and 3d accelleration on
-Guest addition installed, apparently without problems
-Hardware have normal intel graphic card plus Nvidia geforce 960m; I just don't know if vb can use the second to improve performance or not.


Thanks to everybody.

[socratis]

sorry, the file where too big to attach it directly and the forum doesn't allow me to post link, so you need to copy and paste

Not really. People don't like to go to 3rd party sites. What you need to do is to ZIP and attach the log. And so that we're on the same page about what log, here's what you do:

• Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe error / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
• With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
• Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response (see the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form).

[Mirch]

@socratis
Ok you're right, I attached the log in a zip file. Anyway yes, I saved the log with the vm completely shut down.

[mpack]

I see no reason why you shouldn't be able to add an additional core. Don't go above 2 cores.

Naturally the VM needs to be powered down in order to change the core count. Modifying the motherboard of a PC while it's powered up is not a recommended practice.

I see you have an Intel graphics host, so you might also want to test what performance is like with 3D acceleration disabled.

[Mirch]

I don't know why but if I try to set more than 1 core the program tells me setting not valid.
Trying to disable 3d accelleration is a good idea. I tried, and it doesn't seem to get worse.

[mpack]

I don't know why but if I try to set more than 1 core the program tells me setting not valid.

IO-APIC needs to be enabled in a multi-core system. For some reason it seems to be turned off in the 32bit Ubuntu template, perhaps because of past Linux kernel bugs.

[socratis]

For some reason it seems to be turned off in the 32bit Ubuntu template

I/O APIC is not enabled by default for all 32 bit systems, except Win ≥ 8 and OSX (generic and 10.6) (from the template defaults). And it will automatically be enabled if you choose more than 1 CPUs in the VM. It certainly doesn't prevent you from increasing the number of CPUs.

Mirch, is that what you're referring to? A yellow triangle on the bottom of the settings when you increase the number of CPUs? If you hover over it, a tooltip will tell you exactly what's going on.

The I/O APIC feature is not currently enabled in the Motherboard section of the System page. This is needed in order to support more than one virtual processor you have chosen for this VM. It will be done automatically if you confirm your changes.

Your Nvidia drivers are being rejected due to hardening:

Code: Select all

00:00:02.354377 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedScreenImage/LdrLoadDll: rc=VERR_CR_PKCS7_KEY_USAGE_MISMATCH fImage=1 fProtect=0x0 fAccess=0x0 \Device\HarddiskVolume3\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvami.inf_amd64_07462d9384409609\nvinitx.dll: WinVerifyTrust failed with hrc=CERT_E_CHAINING on '\Device\HarddiskVolume3\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvami.inf_amd64_07462d9384409609\nvinitx.dll'

00:00:02.354458 supR3HardenedErrorV: supR3HardenedMonitor_LdrLoadDll: rejecting 'C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvami.inf_amd64_07462d9384409609\nvinitx.dll' (C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nvami.inf_amd64_07462d9384409609\nvinitx.dll): rcNt=0xc0000190

Please read really carefully the following FAQ: Diagnosing VirtualBox Hardening Issues for some guidelines/ideas.

00:00:01.920749 GUI:  Resize mini-toolbar for window #0 to 3840x2160

Can you start with a reasonable screen size? Like 1280x1024? About 6x less pixels to move around.

[Mirch]

Ok, thanks to both of you for the answer.
As you said I just needed to enable the I/O-APIC to assign more CPUs to the vm, and now it's working smoother.

About the resolution, you are talking about my host resolution or guest's? Because on my pc I'm using this setting, but on the VM I'm using a lower one.

And about the hardening problem, thanks fot noticing it, I'm gonna try to figure out how to fix it. Anyway, are the nvidia drivers going to improve the performance significantly?