Blank screen when trying to install Windows 10 Guest

[squarefour]

Hello

Linux Mint 20 host, running VirtualBox 6.1. I'm trying to install Windows 10 64 bit from an ISO image file. But, a few seconds after the Windows 10 setup logo appears, and the spinning "busy" wheel, the screen just goes blank, and nothing else happens. I've tried all different permutations of graphics adapter, acceleration etc, but to no avail.

Can anyone help? See attached zip file containing details of the host machine and the last two Virtual Box logs.

Thanks

[mpack]

Please try again with a genuine build of VirtualBox (we don't support forks and self builds here, and you are running the Ubuntu fork). Alternatively, get support on the Ubuntu forums.

I can tell you however that running Windows 10 on one core requires a certain patience... (especially with a fresh install). You could also speed up graphics by enabling 3D acceleration.

And why on earth are you using the VHD disk format on a Linux host?? What part of Linux likes VHD? It certainly isn't a good choice with VirtualBox.

I also see this warning in the log. I assume "TSC" is a host timer/counter. Perhaps it indicates that your host CPU is maxed out?

00:00:05.696228 GIM: Warning!!! Host TSC is unstable. The guest may behave unpredictably with a paravirtualized clock.

[fth0]

In the VM configuration, please set System > Acceleration > Paravirtualization Interface to Hyper-V, this will get rid of the TSC-related warning. See if the problem persists.

[squarefour]

Genuine build of VirtualBox installed in place of Ubuntu version. VDI disk format used, 3D graphics acceleration enabled. However none of this has made any difference. See latest log file attached. Things stopped happening and screen went blank after this message, which always seems to be the case:

00:00:28.694275 Display::i_handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=00007f5164a68000 w=1024 h=768 bpp=32 cbLine=0x1000 flags=0x0 origin=0,0

I left it running for over an hour but no change so shut it down. No warning in latest log about TSC.

Thanks

[fth0]

Things stopped happening and screen went blank after this message, which always seems to be the case:

00:00:28.694275 Display::i_handleDisplayResize: uScreenId=0 pvVRAM=00007f5164a68000 w=1024 h=768 bpp=32 cbLine=0x1000 flags=0x0 origin=0,0

That behavior is expected:

When I start my Windows 10 VM with a Windows 10 setup ISO image inserted, the same last log message indicates the display change to 1024x768x32, right before the first setup screen is displayed, and approximately 500 MB have been read from my ISO image by then. In your case, approximately 400 MB have been read from your ISO image, so this sounds reasonable, but the display is missing.

Being in this situation, you could try to blindly operate the setup program: Pressing ESC, Left and Enter one after each other abort the Windows 10 setup program and reboot the VM in my case. If this also happens in your case, you're experiencing a display-only problem, otherwise the setup program is probably hanging ...

... this could still be related to the TSC BTW. You don't get the previous warning because the Paravirtualization Interface is set correctly this time. But your CPU seems to be quite old and doesn't provide an invariant TSC, which is common nowadays and probably distinguishes your setup from the majority of VirtualBox setups.

[squarefour]

Thanks fth0

I did what you suggested, and tried to exit Win10 blind, with Esc, Left, Enter. Nothing happened so it must be hanging.

I've tried it again twice today. First attempt got a little further. The initial Win10 setup screen appeared, I then clicked on "install now". It then went to the "Setup is starting" blue screen with the hourglass, but that's as far as it got: it just hung. Second run was back to normal: blank screen after a few seconds. Latest log files attached.

BTW I have successfully installed two other guest machines without any problems: Manjaro Linux and Windows 7. I tried upgrading Win7 to Win10 using an ISO image, but got the same blank screen issue. I have downloaded several Win10 ISO files from the official Microsoft site, but get the blank screen with all of them, so it can't be a corrupt ISO. I've also used the Win10 ISO file to successfully install a standalone Win10 on another hard disk in this PC, and it works fine.

Still stuck!

Thanks

[fth0]

Two more suggestions to try: Provide 2 vCPUs, and use a SATA controller instead of the IDE controller.

The SATA controller is automatically selected when creating a new VM with the "Windows 10 (64-bit)" profile. Why did you switch to the IDE controller?

[squarefour]

I was originally using the default SATA controller. I changed it to IDE simply because that what the default for the Manjaro Linux guest was, and that build works fine. It has made no difference with either the SATA or IDE controller. Same behaviour: blank screen after a few seconds.

How to I get it to use 2 CPUs? It's an AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual core, but I can't see any way to select one or both cores.

[fth0]

In the VM settings under System > Processor > Processor(s).

[squarefour]

CPUs increased to 2. Made no difference. Changed controller from IDE to SATA. Made no difference. Latest logs attached.

Thanks

[mpack]

There is no need to keep providing two copies of the log. The log of the most recent session is in VBox.log. We don't need the .1 log (from the session before that) unless someone asks for it.

[fth0]

There is no need to keep providing two copies of the log. The log of the most recent session is in VBox.log. We don't need the .1 log (from the session before that) unless someone asks for it.

Well, I asked for two changes, and the two log files show two different combinations, so you maybe could turn a blind eye (if that's the appropriate English language term).

CPUs increased to 2. Made no difference. Changed controller from IDE to SATA. Made no difference.

Yes, the VBox.log files also show no unexpected differences. In all cases, the same amount of data is read from the ISO file, so I still suspect the execution of the Windows setup program hanging, and it may have to do with your host CPU.

I'm running out of ideas, only one is left: VirtualBox doesn't recognize the layout of your keyboard. For a test, please change the keyboard layout in your host or try another keyboard.

[squarefour]

I've changed the host keyboard to a standard UK board. Not showing as unsupported in latest log, attached, but has made no difference: still blank screen after usual few seconds

[multiOS]

Has the ISO been successfully used at any earlier time; and was the checksum verified when it was downloaded. If not, then it may be a corrupted ISO either during or after the original download. I'd suggest re-downloading directly from from Microsoft's download site.

[squarefour]

See my earlier post of 5. Jan 2021, 11:15. The same Win10 ISO file has been used to sucesfully install Win10 standalone on another hard disk in the same host PC, and it works fine.