High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

[dave1]

Guest and host are Windows 10 Version 1803 64-bit. Running the guest causes CPU to go to about 35% and stay there. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Virtualbox and I set up a new guest install of Windows 10 Version 1803 using Virtual box defaults. I still get the CPU spike.

I have run other versions of Windows 10 and other Operating systems. I have run 2 guests at the same time but I have never seen what is going on now. I have another Windows guest which I run now without a problem.

I am running VirtualBox 5.2.12 and my extension pack is 5.2.12.

I have attached the Virtualbox log file.

Don't have a clue so I thought I'd join up and ask here. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[socratis]

I set up a new guest install of Windows 10 Version 1803 using Virtual box defaults. I still get the CPU spike.

You got to look in the Task Manager of both your host and your guest, who's consuming those CPU cycles. BTW, this is normal for a new installation, until the indexing and the updating are all settled in. Give it a day or two...

[dave1]

CPU cycles are being consumed by the host. The guest is normal, about 1% at idle.

I have not seen high CPU cycles at idle for the host on any virtualbox install. This problem began after the guest updated to version 1803 using Windows automatic updates. It has been more than a week since then. I installed version 1803 again just to be sure that the problem was the guest and version 1803. As I mentioned previously, it was. I am now running 2 versions of 1803 and both have the same problem. Just to be sure, I have now installed another virtualbox vm that I have used before. It is a Linux and runs with no host CPU spike.

If you want to try this for yourself you can install 10 without a key legally. See here:

https://www.howtogeek.com/244678/you-do ... indows-10/

[folj]

Hello. I noticed the same thing: on my Win10 1803 host, the Win10 1803 guest takes 31-35% CPU on the host after the guest has settled down to idle (1% CPU in guest Task Manager), while another non-Win10 VM scales as is should down to very small host CPU utilization values (Virtualbox <5% CPU on host when guest reaches idle). Attached logs for both VMs.

[ed10k]

I have the same problem.
My windows guest have run on the windows 10 1709 host smoothly.
After update the host to windows 10 1803, my windows guest runs slow.
The CPU usage in windows guest is little, but the CPU usage in windows 10 1803 host is about 29% (i5 CPU, thus 100% CPU hog on one thread).

I tried to create a new windows guest.
1. Started VirtualBox Manager -> CPU usage is OK.
2. Started Windows Setup from ISO-file. CPU usage went immediately up to 25-30%. Even if I did nothing, only the first windows setup form was there.

My ubuntu guest does not have this problem. It runs smoothly, just like with windows 10 1709 host.

[socratis]

Just out of curiosity, did you try to reinstall VirtualBox on the host and/or the GAs in the guest? An "update" such as what MS is doing is a pretty drastic one, borderline on reinstalling the whole OS, so it is recommended that you reinstall VirtualBox on the host and update the GAs if a Windows guest VM is involved.

[dave1]

Yes, I reinstalled VirtualBox on the host. See my original post.

I don't see anyone on this thread named MS.

I don't know what you are referring to when you talk about updating the GAs. Could you please explain.

Thank you.

[andyp73]

I don't know what you are referring to when you talk about updating the GAs. Could you please explain.

You need to reinstall the Guest Additions using the process described in the user manual: Ch 4.2. Installing and Maintaining Guest Additions

-Andy.

[socratis]

@dave1
I'm sorry about that, I should be explaining some of the TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms) before using them.

MS: Microsoft
GAs: Guest Additions

BTW, any of you running a 3rd party antivirus?

[mpack]

CPU cycles are being consumed by the host.

VirtualBox is an application running on your host. Everything VirtualBox does consumes resources on your host. You need to learn how to read the tea leaves.

If a guest is CPU hungry then that will be evident in the guest AND the host. If the guest seem idle but VirtualBox seems to be consuming a lot of host CPU then it means that it is simulating I/O, which the guest is waiting for in an idle loop. A lot of I/O probably means Windows Update, and/or disk indexing.

[dave1]

I have now installed Windows 10 Version 1709 as a guest. There is no high CPU usage on the host with Version 1709. Seems to me this means the problem is Version 1803 running as a guest. I'll keep guest Version 1803 to see if future Windows updates or new VirtualBox versions correct the problem.

Thanks all for the suggestions and help.

[socratis]

Seems to me this means the problem is Version 1803 running as a guest.

Just another data point but I didn't notice any higher than normal CPU usage with Win10 1803, but I'm on OSX 10.11.6...

[sessionzero]

I'm experiencing the same issue: a Windows 10 guest on 1803 pegs a core on the host, despite the guest showing minimal usage (~1% CPU).

I did a little troubleshooting:

• removed and reinstalled Guest Additions with no change
• rolled the VM back to a much earlier snapshot pre-1803 and confirmed it did not have this issue
• I then let the guest fully update, and observed the same issue (high CPU host despite nil use on the guest)

I'm not sure if there's something strange about the OP and my setups? I assumed there would be a lot more comments here if it was widespread ... unless people haven't noticed?

My host is a recent Ryzen build with Windows 10 and VirtualBox 5.2.12 if that makes any difference.

[BillG]

I am not sure what is causing this but it is certainly not universal. My version 1803 host and guest behave normally.

Version1803Host.PNG

Version1803Guest.PNG

[Simple07]

I also have Windows 10 1803 and VirtualBox 5.2.12 and my system also suffers from high CPU utilization even though the guest system is has nothing running.

P.S. This is happening on 64 bit clients only !!

Update 1:
Installed a new Windows 10 17692.1000 x64 on the same VirtualBox 5.2.12 as a guest on Windows 10 17134.112 , the CPU is averaging 3% when the system is idle..

Update 2:
Installed a new Windows 7 x64 guest using the same ISO image as the existing installations with high utilization, and all is fine..

Ran anti-spyware utility on the high CPU utilization and found this: RiskWare.BitCoinMiner, C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\QV7HM4UZUJN3.EXE, Quarantined, [919], [504219],1.0.5641,

I guess I was making somebody rich..