CPU goes to 100% on client machine (Launch Programs)

[isogashii]

Hello,

I will try to describe my problem as well as possible.

My mac (2015) is currently in Sierra 10.12.4 (But I have this problem since the first installation of VirtualBox, about 8 months ago.)
I use VirtualBox to virtualize my Windows / Linux.

I encounter a problem with certain programs such as Packet Tracer, when I run it on a Windows or Ubuntu machine, it takes 100% CPU on the client machine and raises the mac to about 100° / 6000rpm.

Already realised :

- I have disabled the Windows Update service that are also causing problems with cpu on my windows virtualised machines.

- Thinking of a memory leak or a bad installation of Windows, I decided to reinstall a Windows 7 / 10 / Linux from an official ISO. Same problem

- Tested version 6.3, 7.0 of packet tracer on Windows 7 / 10 and Ubuntu distrib.

- Fixed the resources allocated to the virtual machine related to the processor at 60%.

Remark :

For example witch packet tracer :

- I observed that when I run Packet Tracer the processor does not go above 5% in use.
Same when I add switches, machines.

- The processor rises to 100% only when I connect two routers together with a serial cable. The problem appears to only occur on packet tracer used on a virtual machine.

My mac does not heat abnormally when I don't use VirtualBox.
I try with the same configuration (Same OS, VirtualBox version) on another mac form 2013 and the problem seem to not appear.

Attach you can find an example of my issue with packet tracer.

PacketTracerRouterSerial.jpeg (120.19 KiB) Viewed 4249 times

Thank you in advance for your help

[socratis]

it takes 100% CPU on the client machine and raises the mac to about 100° / 6000rpm.

If your computer is using its CPU, it's going to get hot, the fans are going to kick in. That part is absolutely normal behavior.

- I have disabled the Windows Update service that are also causing problems with cpu on my windows virtualised machines.

Until it updates. Otherwise, search for "WSUS offline" and use that to bypass the CPU hungry native Windows Update.

Thinking of a memory leak or a bad installation of Windows, I decided to reinstall a Windows 7 / 10 / Linux from an official ISO. Same problem

Why would you think that a memory leak would a) force a program to 100% CPU, and b) a re-installation would fix the memory leak.

Fixed the resources allocated to the virtual machine related to the processor at 60%.

That's a workaround that can make your host being less utilized, it's not the solution. Your guest still utilizes the 100% of the available resources.

The processor rises to 100% only when I connect two routers together with a serial cable.

Do you have a serial port in your VM? Where does it go to?

I try with the same configuration (Same OS, VirtualBox version) on another mac form 2013 and the problem seem to not appear.

Each Mac will have its own configuration for the VM. So, for each of your two Macs, grab a "VBox.log.zip" and the "<VM>.vbox". Specifically for the VM log file ("VBox.log.zip"), here's what you do:

1. Start the VM. Not from a saved or paused state. Clean start.
2. Take the steps required to generate/observe the error.
3. Shut down the VM. Not saved, not paused. Completely shut down.
4. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show Log..."
5. Save it (just the first log), ZIP it and attach it to your response (see the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form).

I would also like to see the "recipe" of the VM, the ".vbox" file:

1. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager. Select "Show in Finder".
2. ZIP the selected ".vbox" file and attach it to your response.

[isogashii]

Thank you for your answer.

Until it updates. Otherwise, search for "WSUS offline" and use that to bypass the CPU hungry native Windows Update.

I didn't know this possibility, thank's I will check.

Why would you think that a memory leak would a) force a program to 100% CPU, and b) a re-installation would fix the memory leak.

At first, when I saw the PC heater I had not checked from where could come the problem. You're right, no reason...

Do you have a serial port in your VM? Where does it go to?

No, on every VM I tested I don't have serial port.
Even the VM who I do not encounter the problem.

Each Mac will have its own configuration for the VM. So, for each of your two Macs, grab a "VBox.log.zip" and the "<VM>.vbox". Specifically for the VM log file ("VBox.log.zip")

Ok, you can find all that files attach to this response.

Thank's

[isogashii]

I have virtualized a new windows 10 for tests on the mac where I do not encounter the problem.

Here you can find the log file and the .vbox

[socratis]

The settings and the logs from the two VMs are like two drops of water. I can't see anything weirdly different, either between the "recipe" of the VM (the .vbox file), or during run time (VBox.log). Of course these are two different Mac models; the good is a 2013 15" Retina MBP, the bad one is a 2015 15" Retina MBP. I have no clue why it's working on one and not the other.

Maybe there is something different in the Windows guest? Something like that wouldn't show in the recipe or the log.

[isogashii]

Ok, thank you for your time socratis.

I really do not understand why I'm having this problem ...
If I move the VM from the 2015' to 2013', it works on 2013.

I don't really want to format my mac because it is very clean.

Do you think it can change anything if I format ?

[socratis]

I really do not understand why I'm having this problem ...

Me neither, it doesn't compute. I mean the two MBPs have differences for sure, I simply can't figure out if the underlying hardware is the "problem".

Do you think it can change anything if I format ?

I don't think so. I can't think of anything interfering with that setup.

A couple of things I would try:

1. Instead of creating a new VM in the 2013 MBP, copy the existing one. See Moving a VM. They have different names, so you could have both VMs in both MBPs.
2. Enable 2D and 3D acceleration in both VM instances and update the Guest Additions (GAs).

[steveoracle]

Besides the resolution issues (viewtopic.php?f=2&t=82800), I am now also getting CPU hogging from the VM using a Mac. After running for over 20 minutes, the fan starts going and the CPU sits at 100%, eventually the mouse even stops working on the Host OS.

I updated to Windows 10 Creator and this is when all hell broke loose.

[socratis]

@steveoracle
Do you have a specific program in the guest that hogs the CPU? Have you checked your guest for what process is responsible for this behavior? If VirtualBox is taking a lot of CPU on the host, then the guest is doing something very, very specific. In the case of 'isogashii', the culprit was identified, but not the source of the problem. We're working on it.

Can you do the same? And in fact, since this thread was about a very specific problem, could you open a new thread? And please pick a more appropriate title. As much good work as 'isogashii' has done, the title of the thread was unfortunately not specific enough, and it's going to attract all sorts of "me too" posts (until I lock it)

EDIT: Fix this first:

00:00:01.103578 Host RAM: 16384MB (16.0GB) total, 1819MB available
00:00:01.199587 RamSize <integer> = 0x00000000c0000000 (3 221 225 472, 3 072 MB, 3 GB)

You are assigning memory to your guest, that you do not have available. Either close some applications on the host, buy more RAM for the host, or reduce the amount of RAM assigned to the guest.

[mpack]

To me the issue seems plain: you're running a Win10 OS on one core. Certainly that's going to easily max out what with Defender and Cortana etc etc running all the time. You'll notice this on the host if the host would like to use that same core.