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Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 14. Nov 2017, 00:07
by Buzzington
Hi :) My apologies if this has been covered, or isn't even a VirtualBox-related issue. I've read the rules and several other similar looking threads to no avail...

I'm running Windows 7 Ultimate x64, with VirtualBox 5.2.0 - I have 6 virtual machines with many variations in settings. I run Manjaro, Mint and Solus VMs, plus a clone of my host OS, W8.1 and an ancient single-core XP machine (not all at once!)
I'm running my setup on an AMD A8-7600 with 8GB of DDR3-2133 RAM, using the iGPU on the processor. I noticed that when I start and run a virtual machine, the host and guest task managers will show little or no load at idle, as I would expect. However, unlike other posts I've read, there's virtually no load apparent on any process, despite HWMonitor showing that both compute modules (A8 not really so much a quad core as a dual-dual core) are running almost flat out, in my case, around 16-18w apiece. Utilitisation on HWMonitor shows the same as both guest and host task managers.

I thought maybe it was a bug in HWMonitor, since Process Explorer, Task Manager and generally looking at every available setting yielded no help. I also thought perhaps that the package output power was a mistake, going from about 25w idle to over 50w when a virtual machine was running, however, I know something is definitely going on since the cpu temperature is definitely rising, as well as the cpu fan speed.

Am I right in thinking that virtualisation seems to have two power states - full on or off - or is this some odd bug with my hardware or software? Beyond this, VirtualBox works like a dream - all the VMs bar XP are running on 2 cores, with 2GB of memory and using different settings for sound/usb/network. As it stands, installing a test OS onto my old laptop and running it next to my PC would use less power but this isn't a viable solution where space is at a premium. :)

Re: Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 30. Jan 2018, 11:20
by PeterPiper
I have absolutely the same issue.
First I noticed that my laptop (HP Probook 450G1) is abnormally hot (very unusual picture for it).
I checked CPU usage: Idle Host/Guest CPUs (checked through Process explorer and Task manager).

Host CPU is Intel Haswell i7-4702MQ (it's laptop), 16GB of RAM on host.
Host VM: Windows 7 Ultimate; guest VM: Windows 7 Professional.

When guest VM was started I saw (by means of HWMonitor) that:
* CPU temperature was ~90-95 degrees by Celcius,
* Package power consumption was ~20W.
When I closed guest VM, the situation changed:
* CPU temperature reduced to common ~55-60 degrees by Celcius.
* Package power consumption was ~7-8W

Re: Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 30. Jan 2018, 11:26
by socratis
VirtualBox cannot affect the climate, the weather, or the temperature of your CPU. Your CPU usage affects the temperature of your CPU (and the rest of the components).

So, something is actually being used in your computer, and that elevates the temperature. I'm not sitting in front of your computer, so you got to do the dirty work and figure out what that something is. But it's not magic.

Re: Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 30. Jan 2018, 17:20
by PeterPiper
I don't believe in magic either :D .
But I do have the reproducible fact:
* turned off guest machine -> everything is OK.
* turned on guest machine, idle CPU on guest machine and idle CPU on host machine -> big power consumption and rapidly increasing CPU temperature.

VirtualBox is 5.1.30 with guest add-ons installed.

Probably there are some problems with monitoring, but it's rather strange that both guest and host machines are bugged. Or some recent patches for recent security vulnerabilities were not so useful :D .

I will try to run the problematic VM on another host machine. Nearly the same VM (the problematic one was cloned from it ~1.5 months ago) runs without any problems on the desktop with much weaker CPU (old Intel i3) without any problems.

Re: Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 30. Jan 2018, 17:29
by Martin
Well, as soon as you start the VM your CPU is practically running two PCs.
So it is no wonder it is consuming twice as much power and is running hotter.

Re: Host/guest processes at idle, cpu usage zero, CPU power output high

Posted: 30. Jan 2018, 18:15
by mpack
Look in the guest task list to find out what processes are using lots of CPU or doing a lot of I/O.