I'm not sure I can even describe the problem well enough, but I'll try.
I am running three VMs on a CentOS 6.9 host under VBox 5.1.38. They are all Windows 2012r2 servers in a three-node cluster. After I start them, everything works well, but if I leave the machine running unattended (without any activity) , when I come back to it, none of the VM windows are open, and there are no links, tabs or markers denoting they exist. I can open the VBox Manager and see that they are all listed as "Running," but I cannot get them to reveal their windows. Clicking the "Show" button does nothing.
In fact, the only thing I can do to regain access to them is to Stop them with the "save state" option and then start them normally again.
Is this normal behavior? I wouldn't think so. What can I do to keep my VMs running even when my host is unattended.
(N.B., I want use this setup to demonstrate a clustered environment of the software my company produces when I am conducting a training offsite and using remote desktop to connect. It's frustrating to find that none of my VMs is "available" when I do this. Not to mention embarrassing).
VMs "Disappear" After Idle Time
-
socratis
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 27329
- 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: VMs "Disappear" After Idle Time
Just to be clear; I believe your VMs are running, it's just that their windows are nowhere to be seen. I got to admit that I don't recall a symptom like that being reported in the past.RadiantFred wrote:What can I do to keep my VMs running even when my host is unattended.
Methinks that it's got to do more with your window manager rather than VirtualBox. When you leave the host running, are the VM windows minimized/maximized/hidden/full-screen/seamless? Do you have a multi-monitor setup? Is your monitor(s) a HiDPI one?
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.
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.
-
RadiantFred
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 25. Sep 2018, 15:03
Re: VMs "Disappear" After Idle Time
Oh yes, the VMs -are- running. I can see them in top, and if I open the VB Manager, they are shown as running.
My server sits in a rack, headless and keyboard-less. I use a remote desktop connection to connect, and I disconnect specifically to keep every process running (i.e., I don't log off, but just disconnect). Since I'm using RDP (via XRDP), I don't think it's my monitor.
My server sits in a rack, headless and keyboard-less. I use a remote desktop connection to connect, and I disconnect specifically to keep every process running (i.e., I don't log off, but just disconnect). Since I'm using RDP (via XRDP), I don't think it's my monitor.
-
socratis
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 27329
- 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: VMs "Disappear" After Idle Time
Can you try with a monitor attached to your host? I've seen all kinds of weird stuff with RDP. This weirdness that you're describing could definitely fit the profile.
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.
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.
-
RadiantFred
- Posts: 3
- Joined: 25. Sep 2018, 15:03
Re: VMs "Disappear" After Idle Time
This may require a bit of tweaking. I don't think I can do this right away.socratis wrote:Can you try with a monitor attached to your host? I've seen all kinds of weird stuff with RDP. This weirdness that you're describing could definitely fit the profile.