Host (Windows 8) crash problem

[MD]

I have recently installed Vbox latest version (4.2.16) on my host (Windows8) system and have installed Fedora as guest.

First of all the internet connection speed is very slow in guest system and after a while when yum begins to install any application, my host system crashes and this occurred several time. The Blue Screen of Death appeared and reported error with network adapter (ndis.sys, nwifi.sys). The best part is this particular problem I encounter only when I am using Vbox with my workplace wifi and not when I use VBox in home wifi connection as at home everything works fine i.e. with good speed of internet and no crashes!

All the setting preferences are same for both the network but I get this crash problem only with my workplace connection.

Interestingly one of my colleague has the same unit like Win-8 host and Fedora as guest and Vbox settings are same as well and on his system he doesn't have any crash problem except that his Vbox version is 4.2.12!

If somebody could figure out the problem for me it will be great!

Thanks

[mpack]

Have you considered upgrading to 4.2.16 like your colleague?

I assume your colleague is not using a clone of the same VM, i.e. with the same MAC address?

A VM log file may be useful: see Minimum information needed for assistance. One from your colleague as well would be even better. In both cases we would need a single log of a session where the problem was encountered.

[MD]

I already have a very latest version (4.2.16) of Vbox while my colleague has a slightly older version (4.2.12).

No he is not using the clone of same machine.

I am sorry that I didn't post the log file. Unfortunately while trying to troubleshoot I have installed and uninstalled the vitual machine couple of times and even have tried installing fedora64 and centos64 and now have went a step back from my earlier state of errors. Now I am not able to isntall the linux guest completely at the time of final reboot to configure all the installations the virtual machine crahses saying it has stopped working. So with the post have attached the log file of new problem along with my colleague's log file for initial referencing. So eventually this error has to be fixed before actually clearing the later one i guess!

[MD]

Well I could resolve the fedora reboot crash problem. I have attached the log file for the same.
Thanks to the forum and particular you since that was your solution!

Now i will try to get my usual error so that I could post my log file.

[MD]

Finally could get back to the earlier error!!

One more thing I have noticed is when for the first time I was updating my guest system using yum host didn't crash but the host's wifi network got disconnected (and somehow couldn't connect it back)!. Then I restarted my host system after powering off (obviously) guest and tried updating guest again and eventually ended up with the BSoD!!

I am enclosing three log file - my workplace wifi (problematic), my home wifi (normal) and my colleagues (wokplace-working fine).

Please let me know with the possible issue.

[mpack]

Neither of your logs is complete - please make sure the session is over (i.e. VM is shut down) before capturing a log of that session.

From what is there, if anything your colleague's setup looks the more likely to cause problems. He has far less host memory and of 1440MB available on the host he's assigning 1024MB to the VM as RAM and another 128MB as VRAM. He has 3D acceleration enabled (this often exposes host driver bugs), and though it looks like he only has a quad core CPU he's assigning 8 cores to the guest (i.e. treats threads as cores, also leaves nothing for the host).

Incidentally, I'm puzzled by one thing: I had the impression that of your own two cases, that these were of the same VM, perhaps running on a laptop though you don't say, in which the only change was that one was on your work wifi, the other was at home. However I also see that one of your VMs has 3D acceleration enabled, the other doesn't: which implies different VMs, possibly different though similar hosts?

[MD]

Oh I am sorry about the log files (this was for the first time I saved the log file) and not mentioning clearly about one laptop and two problem thing! Yes I am using the same virtual machine on one laptop in two different network one working (home wifi) and other not (work group), which indeed is very annoying !

Well I actually did not check other setting of my colleague, it was just that he was able to use the internet in work group wifi (in virtual machine) without any hassle and with the same Os in host and guest I was not unable to do so.

I am now enclosing complete log files from work group and home wifi network.

[mpack]

Nope. I'm still not getting anything useful from the logs: and I'm still getting the confusing result that 3D acceleration is enabled in only one of the two logs, and how can that be if the are both the same VM? However the two seem identical otherwise.

How about trying to get the BSOD error reported exactly: turn off the hosts "Automatic reset" on error feature in My Computer | Properties, and when the error happens again, record the exact words.

I'm leaning towards some kind of NIC driver bug on your host.

Or you could try uninstalling VirtualBox and install 4.2.12 like you colleague has, which would isolate that as the cause. Don't worry, you will not lose your VMs by uninstalling the software.

[MD]

Well about the 3D acceleration in only either of them might be due to several of the attempts (trial and error) made by me to figure out possible cause of the host crash problem.

Following are the crash reports that were generated earlier:
1. DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL after reading the dump file i learnt that it caused by VBoxNetFlt.sys!!
2. DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (ndis.sys) caused by netr28x.sys
3. DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (nwifi.sys) and NDIS6.0

Unfortunately about reinstalling the older version like that of my colleague can only take place on monday only !! (although very curious about installing and checking).

And if the problem is with NIC driver then can it be fixed?

[mpack]

According to your logs, you seem to be using NAT networking mode. Can you confirm that?

And if the problem is with NIC driver then can it be fixed?

Not by VirtualBox. You would have to check for updated NIC drivers from your NIC or PC/motherboard manufacturer.

It might be worthwhile for you to raise a formal BugTracker ticket for this. Include a link to this discussion, and if possible attach a zipped minidump of the crash. BugTracker uses your OSSO login but it's a separate system.

[MD]

Yes indeed I am using the NAT adapter for network. Is there anything you reckon might contribute to the problem in consideration?

Also will definitely try installing the older version once I am in work group network and check whether win8 crash.

I will try to contact the HP regarding NIC update and will also browse to find something about it.

Regarding the Bug tracker ticket I will try to get an official ticket.

[Wiktor]

I had the same problem - or at least it sounds familiar - Windows 8 blue screen with a message about ndis.sys file. I'm not 100% sure if it was caused by VirtualBox because I wasn't using VB when the crash happened (it was installed but not running) but I had two bluescreen crashes when I had VirtualBox installed (for one week) and no crashes when VirtualBox was not present (for 8 months). As I didn't need VirtualBox after that I uninstalled it.

I used VirtualBox 4.2.16 via vagrant on Dell computer. The ndis.sys file is responsible for network communication so I suspect VirtualBox driver may be causing it but as I've said I used it only for one week and I don't have any hard evidence and/or logs. I didn't change the build-in Intel Advanced-N 6235 network card drivers.

I think there is a ticket for this issue already: virtualbox . org / ticket / 11464

[MD]

Oh got somebody with atleast similar problem!! Thanks for the information.

Well my case is slightly different in the sense that Win8 crashes only when I begin to use internet in the guest otherwise remains stable for whatever amount of time i left it idle!! Although i am using the same version of Vbox 4.2.16

I am using a Ralink RT3290 802.11bgn Wi-Fi Adapter on my HP envy sleekbook with intel core i5, 8gb ram, 2gb Radeon graphics card.

I was just thinking that is the problem of very random nature or is there a kind of pattern that Vbox follows to crash the host. Well I am still to try out installation of an slightly older version of Vbox very soon (as that appears to work fine on mate's laptop)!

[noteirak]

I am using a Ralink RT3290 802.11bgn Wi-Fi Adapter

Is your colleague also using Wifi?
What happens if you use your cable connection instead?

[MD]

Yes he is also using wifi, although same network but different network adapter - Qualcomm Atheros AR8161 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Contro.
In office we don't have any provision for wired network.