How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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alfware
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Joined: 20. Feb 2019, 15:55

How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by alfware »

Hi I am new to the forum but using Virtualbox for some years, having different Linux/Windows guest machines on mostly Windows (7, 8, 10, 11) hosts but also in Linux hosts. Mostly it happens, my guests grow really big (30,40 up to 150 GB for the DVI file). Now it happens not regularly but mostly Murphy that the DVI files become corrupt, say hard or not readable by the host computer operating system. Just today I have such case. An Debian guest (30 GB) can really hard and slow be copied to another disk (for backup and need free space). I tried many times. Copy and copy back (both is terrible). All the other guests/DVI can be copied easy and quick (60..120.000 kbyte/s). But this one file makes my computer standing k.o. It kills the whole operating system, nothing goes. I stopped all other processes, checked out disk and RAM usage, all is normal and low. This file is unreadable/untouchable by eighter Explorer or my tool TotalCommander.

Why??? And how can I help myself? Try clone the guest? Compress only? I have no special knowlegde about it but my idea is Virtualbox is managing the space itself outsice the operating system. And sometimes it goes wrong. Or old. Right? No wonder with 30 GB file. But! How can I save copy/backup it?

I have remembered a time when I had similar problems with this PC. When I copied the VDI files, the PC just crashed with a blue screen. I checked all, RAM, harddisk, filesystem - all is fine and worked for years since then. Only that crazy VDI files. I found a workaround that time to first zip the VDI to parts of 1 GB and then copy and unzip. Copy and re-copy, all is fine, the guests run (as far as I can see from first sight). But copy VDI from one harddisk to another-> crash. Even simple calculate MD5 sum of the crazy VDI: my computer is standing, nothing goes anymore. Somebody has an idea?
mpack
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Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by mpack »

A VDI file cannot grow to be larger than you chose when you created it.

Dynamic VDIs have that same max size, but will only reach that size if you let them, i.e. by storing a lot of data.

The host OS is not relevant. The only thing that matters is the amount of writing done by the guest.

Performance will be dictated by the speed of the host drive.
scottgus1
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Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by scottgus1 »

Adding one thing: The size of the .vdi file does not determine if it will break over time. I had a VM with a 280GB .vdi that stayed stable, readable, and backupable for its entire several-year life.

The health of the host disk the .vdi is stored on determines the .vdi's sustainability. In other words, your host disk is bunged. Time for a Newegg order. :)

You could also be causing the host disk problems if you are turning off your host computer 'hard', that is, not by using the normal host OS Shutdown button or command. Or if you have power outages and no reliable UPS battery backup on the host PC set to hibernate the host quickly.
alfware
Posts: 6
Joined: 20. Feb 2019, 15:55

Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by alfware »

I have 2 "only" dynamic VDI files... They start at zero when installing the OS (Linux, Windows) and then mostly remain same size but not all cases. You mean, VB doesnt write all data new from own idea until I say clone or compress? But why that bugs? When dynamic reallocate, it should at least ask the Host operating system.

So my only chance is to clone or compress and hope even VB knows its own bytes?

My Host computer is old true and is much used even the HDD (actually > 1 TB of 2 is used by ca.20 Virtual machines plus many more applications).

BUT: please could you say sentences like that "The health of the host disk the .vdi is stored on determines the .vdi's sustainability. In other words, your host disk is bunged. Time for a Newegg order. :)" in easy words, senior unterstandable, for dummys whos language is not Denglisch? (my Google translate denied to tell me your joke)
alfware
Posts: 6
Joined: 20. Feb 2019, 15:55

Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by alfware »

By the way, for now I "fixed" the threath with this special VDI and VB guest by cloning it. It runs again normally (think so) and I can copy/backup without risk of system crash or brain damage for myself because of FEAR
scottgus1
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Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by scottgus1 »

alfware wrote: please could you say sentences like that "The health of the host disk the .vdi is stored on determines the .vdi's sustainability. In other words, your host disk is bunged. Time for a Newegg order. "
The size of the VM's disk file does not cause problems. The host PC's physical drive must be working correctly.

Apparently your host PC's hard drive is not working correctly. You need to check and repair the host disk (CHKDSK command, web-search how to do this). You may need to buy a new disk for the host PC.

Also, turn your computer off correctly, by shutting down the VMs first, then using the Shut Down option in the Start menu on the Windows host. Be sure your PC has a battery backup that hibernates the host PC correctly.
alfware
Posts: 6
Joined: 20. Feb 2019, 15:55

Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by alfware »

scottgus1 wrote:
alfware wrote: please could you say sentences like that "The health of the host disk the .vdi is stored on determines the .vdi's sustainability. In other words, your host disk is bunged. Time for a Newegg order. "
The size of the VM's disk file does not cause problems. The host PC's physical drive must be working correctly.

Apparently your host PC's hard drive is not working correctly. You need to check and repair the host disk (CHKDSK command, web-search how to do this). You may need to buy a new disk for the host PC.

Also, turn your computer off correctly, by shutting down the VMs first, then using the Shut Down option in the Start menu on the Windows host. Be sure your PC has a battery backup that hibernates the host PC correctly.
OMG you made my day. Real satire, sorry. My computer and system disk C is healthy and works fine, with VB or without VB and with all other programs. Only if I try to copy one of the 50 GB monster DVI files, it sometimes happens, my Windows could not read what the VB has created... I fixed it by cloning the machine. So any more prove? And please, I know how to shutdown a PC and I do so. And yes, first shutdown VB guest machine and VB interface, then host PC. Because it even don't work others, VB remains active, says I am King and slows or stops all other processes. Never mind.... :-)
scottgus1
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Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by scottgus1 »

alfware wrote:My computer and system disk C is healthy and works fine
How did you determine this?
alfware
Posts: 6
Joined: 20. Feb 2019, 15:55

Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by alfware »

scottgus1 wrote:
alfware wrote:My computer and system disk C is healthy and works fine
How did you determine this?
CrystalDiskInfo (program)
scottgus1
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Re: How to avoid big DVI files to self destroy or kill my PC

Post by scottgus1 »

OK. Well, as I said before, a VM's disk file does not self-destruct just because it is big. The file requires a good physical disk to be stored on. There is something about your computer's situation that is not yet revealed, which will explain why your VM's disk file is having problems. Did you run CHKDSK with the repair option?
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