[Resolved] Vista x64 extremely slow with W7Pro x64 host

[kemperhills]

I am running Windows 7 Pro x64 on my computer. In VirtualBox I have six legacy Windows OS's running that work great. However, I installed Vista in VB and it is extremely slow. I have extensions and guest additions installed. Anyone have any idea why Vista is running so slow.

My desktop is self-built with an Asus F2A55M-LK Plus motherboard. Thanks.

[socratis]

We're going to need a complete VBox.log, from a complete VM run:

• Gathering the necessary information:
  1. Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state).
  2. Observe the error, i.e. open up Task Manager in Vista and see how the CPU, memory, I/O, and networking are doing. Is there anything running full speed there? If yes, identify the process.
  3. 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.

[kemperhills]

I have the following information you asked for: C
CPU usage: Low single digits to low 20's[mostly mid-teens]
Memory: Low 70's
Networking: 0%


On thing, you asked for I/O and this is new to me. Would you explain to me what to do concerning this info. Hope I did this right. Thanks.

Maybe I did it right this time. Don't know.

[mpack]

I used WinZip to zip the log.

That's nice. It would have been even better if you had then uploaded the zip instead of the uncompressed log.

Is this a fresh install of Vista? If yes then in fact it is commonplace that new Windows installs are very slow, as new Windows installs are scanning the disk, searching online for updates (on servers which some have suspected that MS deliberately cripples for old Windows versions) etc. Since your VM only has one core - and the additions don't seem to be installed (only the CD is mounted) - then I'd expect it to be slow. Kill off any unwanted guest processes, leave it running all night, and it should improve.

[kemperhills]

That's nice. It would have been even better if you had then uploaded the zip instead of the uncompressed log.

Sorry, don't know what I did wrong, but the file I thought I uploaded had the WinZip yellow bookend? look.

Is this a fresh install of Vista? If yes then in fact it is commonplace that new Windows installs are very slow,

Well, I installed it once and it was slow so I removed the Vista VM and re-installed a new VM with Vista. Will follow you advice and see what happens.

As far as the GA's In storage, SATA Port 1: [Optical Drive] VBoxGuestAdditions.iso(55.29 MB) if this is not the GA's installed would you tell me what I have done wrong and what I need to do to get the GA's installed. Thanks.

[socratis]

Sorry, don't know what I did wrong, but the file I thought I uploaded had the WinZip

You can always correct it. Just edit your message, remove the ".log" and upload the ".log.zip" file...

f this is not the GA's installed would you tell me what I have done wrong and what I need to do to get the GA's installed

You just inserted a CD in your guest. That's all you did. You didn't actually run the installer. Go to your guest's CD drive (with the GAs CD) and run "VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe".

After the proper installation of the GAs, always eject the CD from the CD drive. Don't delete the drive itself, just eject the CD.

[kemperhills]

Thanks guys, W2000 and XP, no hitch. But I can't get the GA's to install in Vista. When I click Devices, Insert Guest Additions CD image the installer opens for me to install or run the VBoxWindowsAdditions.exe. When I click on that I get a dialogue box?? that says

Error opening file for writing
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Temp\nsa5297.tmp\modem-wizard.bmp

Click Abort to stop the installation
Retry to try again, or
Ignore to skip this file

If I open Computer and click on the CD Drive with GA"s I get the same message. Thanks.

[mpack]

That file doesn't sound like it has anything at all to do with VirtualBox. I suspect that your Vista guest has something wrong with it.

[socratis]

That file doesn't sound like it has anything at all to do with VirtualBox.

True, very true! There is not a single file in the VirtualBox source code tree that goes by the name "modem-wizard.*", or "modem*.*" for that matter. And the only "*wizard*" are the source files for "clonevd", "clonevm", "exportappliance", "firstrun", "importappliance", "newvd" and "newvm", i.e. all parts of the main VirtualBox program, nothing to do with the Guest Additions (GAs). "Modem"? In VirtualBox? No.

Plus this sounds like a permissions error. No write access in a temp-like looking directory? A temp-like looking directory under %SYSTEM32% ? This sounds like a botched WinVista installation...

As far as some remarks regarding your VM:

• 2D/3D acceleration is not enabled under the VM Settings » Display » Acceleration.
• Your VRAM is set too low at 18 MB. I would take it to 64 or 128 MB.
• You have not yet installed the GAs, as you already know ...
• You have 1 CPU allocated to the guest, but with 2 available on the host, you can't afford any more. But still, a WinVista-64 is going to "struggle" a little bit more than usual...

[mpack]

The Windows 10 host that I'm sitting at now also has that "C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData" folder, though no temp folder inside it (just Local, LocalLow and Roaming). It seems to be related to Internet Explorer, which I rarely use.

Do the GAs do any kind of online check when they are installed? E.g. to check for updates? If so then perhaps the error is related to Internet Explorer - the mention of modem certainly fits that idea, as does a first run connection wizard trying to appear.

It would imply a non functional internet connection in the guest which perhaps should be fixed before returning to the GAs.

[socratis]

Do the GAs do any kind of online check when they are installed?

Not AFAIK. The GAs only check whether the host is running the same version as the guest. That's it. The GAs don't go looking for upgrades/updates on the net, only the main VirtualBox program does that. The GAs simply want to be in sync with the host, not the latest and greatest...

[kemperhills]

It would imply a non functional internet connection in the guest which perhaps should be fixed before returning to the GAs.

Thanks mpack, socratis, for the replies. The internet connection is functional. The network icon in the notification area shows access and I even opened the Opera browser and it opened the Opera start page. Well, from what you guys say maybe I need to re-install Vista and start over.

[kemperhills]

You have 1 CPU allocated to the guest, but with 2 available on the host

Well, the AMD A6400 APU has four cores. Does VB not use all the cores, or is there another problem.

[mpack]

Your CPU does not have four cores.

00:00:33.909022 CPUM: Logical host processors: 4 present, 4 max, 4 online, online mask: 000000000000000f
00:00:33.909024 CPUM: Physical host cores: 2

See also Tutorial: CPU Cores versus threads.

[mpack]

I even opened the Opera browser and it opened the Opera start page

You need to try it with Internet Explorer, not Opera. The point is that I suspect that something (not VirtualBox apparantly) is trying to launch Internet Explorer, but IEx is not working, hence the error.