High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
ckorh
Posts: 1
Joined: 21. Jul 2018, 17:12

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by ckorh »

I'm having the same issue, Windows 10 Host and guest, both 1803, 18% CPU idle.

The weird thing is that if I start a second VM (Ubuntu 32 bits), the CPU goes down to normal. :-)

As soon as I power it down, CPU back yo 18%..
ardatun
Posts: 3
Joined: 7. Jul 2018, 10:22

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by ardatun »

@Simple07,

It's been 2 days and it seems ok with drag&drop disabled.
If it solves the problem I 'll keep these settings.
Thanks anyway
CoreDima
Posts: 1
Joined: 25. Jul 2018, 03:33

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by CoreDima »

In my case, the problem was fixed by randomly switching to the ICH9 chipset.
ed10k
Posts: 2
Joined: 17. May 2018, 21:36

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by ed10k »

At long last the problem is gone.
The solution is: PIIX3 -> ICH9 !!!
steveoracle
Posts: 3
Joined: 12. May 2017, 00:21

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by steveoracle »

Changing the CPU type worked for me too! I had a constant 25% to 30% being used on the host with the guest idling at about 5%.

Settings -> System -> Chipset: ICH9
Host OS: Mac High Sierra 10.13.6
Guest: Windows 10

The guest has GA installed with 2D and 3D acceleration on in case this helps anyone else out there.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
Primary OS: Mac OS X other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Win(*>98), Linux*, OSX>10.5
Location: Greece

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by socratis »

Please do NOT use the ICH9 chipset, something that is:
  1. For OSX-guests only,
  2. Clearly labelled as experimental,
  3. Most probably going to create more problems down the line to other PCI peripherals, and
  4. Going to be the first thing that a developer, administrator, moderator or volunteer is going to tell you to change.
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michal.kozal
Posts: 1
Joined: 29. Aug 2018, 12:39

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by michal.kozal »

PIIX3 chipset, WIn10 64 host & guest
1 CPU assigned - constant 25-30% CPU usage (I have 4t/8c CPU) on host
2 CPUs assigned - 0.7-63.6% depending on the load, but mostly idling

So instead of changing chipset to unsupported which is terrible idea just assign one core more
mhanor
Volunteer
Posts: 321
Joined: 7. Oct 2009, 12:40
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: various

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by mhanor »

You can also start a paused VM, it's enough to lower the CPU usage of the first VM.
SFtec
Posts: 1
Joined: 24. Dec 2018, 09:49

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by SFtec »

Hello everyone,
Just for information, I had exactly the same problem.
My host is running Windows 10 Pro 1809 and my guest too.
My CPU was always over 40% ...

After reading this topic, I decided to test the solution of the switch from Chipset parameter PIIX3 to ICH9 even if some people do not recommend it.
(A little fearful snapshot done beforehand.)

Result: All my problems are solved!
Well, that's just me.
maxchen
Posts: 25
Joined: 27. Oct 2010, 15:57
Primary OS: Ubuntu other
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by maxchen »

PIIX3 -> ICH9, the right answer!

It cost me 2 full days. In a new computer, I use VB 6.0.0 and Windows 10 LTSC 2019 as guest. I try a few test, say, down-graded VB to version 5; down to win 10 LTSB 2016, etc
folj
Posts: 11
Joined: 3. May 2017, 20:47

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by folj »

Hello.
The problem remained after upgrading the guest to v1809, but following the suggestion posted a few posts above, I was able to solve my problem by increasing the number of virtual CPU's from 1 to 2.
Host CPU draw went from 30% minimum to idling at 2% (and 65% maximum).
cb20777
Posts: 4
Joined: 21. Aug 2011, 05:47
Primary OS: Fedora other
VBox Version: OSE Fedora
Guest OSses: linux

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by cb20777 »

I too have encountered this problem (although with Windows 1809). It seems that there are 3 workarounds listed in this thread:
  1. Disable Drag and Drop - Already disabled on my system, so not useful for me.
  2. Ensure more than one virtual core always running - I only have two cores to begin with.
  3. Change PIX3 -> ICH9 - the moderator really hates this
This leave me with two bad options: allocate lots of virtual cores when I have precious few physical cores OR make a change that the moderator predicts will end badly.

This dilemma raises the following questions
  1. Has a formal Oracle problem ticket been generated for this issue? (For it clearly is a problem)
  2. Has the root cause been identified?
  3. Is it considered a VirtualBox bug, or is VIrtualBox just emulating something that a recent change in Win10 has made very CPU intensive to emulate? If the later, are there plans to improve the emulator performance?
socratis
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Location: Greece

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by socratis »

cb20777 wrote:This dilemma raises the following questions
And here are my answers to your questions:
  1. This is just the query for "High CPU", you could think of a bunch of other similar queries: https://www.virtualbox.org/query?status ... r=priority
  2. Hardly. It's not reproducible easily, there's got to be something that triggers this, only that "something" seems to be elusive... I can't reproduce it for example.
  3. Can't tell without the previous point being clearly identified.
Specifically for your last question, my freshly installed physical Win10 goes crazy every time I boot it, and whenever it gets a chance. Mostly it's .NET optimization, whatever the heck they're optimizing in there...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
mhanor
Volunteer
Posts: 321
Joined: 7. Oct 2009, 12:40
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: various

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by mhanor »

The issue reported here is easily reproducible and refers to high CPU usage on the host, while the guest is idling.
socratis
Site Moderator
Posts: 27330
Joined: 22. Oct 2010, 11:03
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Location: Greece

Re: High CPU using Windows 10 Version 1803 as host and guest

Post by socratis »

mhanor wrote:The issue reported here is easily reproducible
I'd love to reproduce it, honestly to $DEITY. Tell me how, seriously. I can't. I have a Win7-32, Win7-64 and Win10-64 host (one of each, same computer really), but it doesn't do anything like that for me.

I can see the guest going crazy sometimes, but I know what's causing that; optimizations of .NET mostly when left idling. As soon as I get the focus on the VM, CPU drops.

But nothing that shows idle guest, 100% host.

And I don't think the title of the thread is "Idle guest, High CPU host" to begin with...
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
Do NOT reply with the "QUOTE" button, please use the "POST REPLY", at the bottom of the form.
If you obfuscate any information requested, I will obfuscate my response. These are virtual UUIDs, not real ones.
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