[WorksForMe] Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Mac OS X hosts.
ln_vm
Posts: 2
Joined: 24. Jan 2018, 20:26

[WorksForMe] Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by ln_vm »

Hi everyone, i'm running various s.o. on virtual box over macOs 10.13 but whatever the system is (kali linux, windows 7, windows server 2016) the operation to start and stop take quite a bit from 2 to 5 minutes (just to appear the virtualbox splashscreen, the boot of the s.o. it's lighting fast) but the operation to pause and resume the virtual machine can take up to 15 minutes. The addition tools are installed in every machine, how can I improve it?
Last edited by socratis on 31. Jan 2018, 17:58, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Marked as [WorksForMe].
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

What's an "s.o."? I'm not familiar with that acronym and searching doesn't necessarily help...
We're going to need to see a VM log from a complete VM run:
  • Start the VM from cold-boot (not from a paused or saved state) / Observe error / Shutdown the VM (force close it if you have to).
  • With the VM completely shut down (not paused or saved), right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager and select "Show Log".
  • Save only the first "VBox.log", ZIP it and attach it to your response (see the "Upload attachment" tab below the reply form).
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.
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Martin
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by Martin »

socratis wrote:What's an "s.o."?
Probably "OS" in english... ;)
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

Oh, you mean like "ΛΣ" in Greek, right? :D
You might be right on the money, s.o. could be "sistema operativo"...


PS. If you want proof, switch to the Greek language, go to Shared Folders, add a new folder and look at the tooltips. Yes, it's not that common. And I hope you don't get lost in the settings, you got to go with the pictures... :D
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.
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GerardvW
Posts: 6
Joined: 25. Jan 2018, 20:55

Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

I am seeing this also and it is very frustrating indeed. It happen before you see the 'virtualbox splash screen'

Also when shutting down there is a few minutes (!) delay in going from shutdown --> poweroff...

I have attached the logs of a good boot and a bad boot. For me this started happening around september last year incidentally, but by now (since last version) EVERY boot...

It also happens with a linux guest. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling virtualbox...

Bad boot, note the gap of 4 minutes @ 00:00:50.369839!

Code: Select all

VirtualBox VM 5.2.6 r120293 darwin.amd64 (Jan 15 2018 16:23:36) release log
00:00:01.715310 Log opened 2018-01-17T14:28:04.769476000Z
00:00:01.715311 Build Type: release
00:00:01.715323 OS Product: Darwin
00:00:01.715328 OS Release: 15.6.0
00:00:01.715332 OS Version: Darwin Kernel Version 15.6.0: Mon Nov 13 21:58:35 PST 2017; root:xnu-3248.72.11~1/RELEASE_X86_64
00:00:01.715419 DMI Product Name: MacBookPro11,3
00:00:01.715454 DMI Product Version: 1.0
00:00:01.715461 Host RAM: 16384MB (16.0GB) total, 7804MB (7.6GB) available
00:00:01.715463 Executable: /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBoxVM
00:00:01.715464 Process ID: 96622
00:00:01.715464 Package type: DARWIN_64BITS_GENERIC
00:00:01.717803 Installed Extension Packs:
00:00:01.717810   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (Version: 5.2.6 r120293; VRDE Module: VBoxVRDP)
00:00:01.718926 Console: Machine state changed to 'Starting'
00:00:01.719148 Qt version: 5.6.3
00:00:01.827864 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x831
00:00:12.306582 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x830
00:00:21.158312 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x829
00:00:50.369839 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x830
00:04:01.109579 GUI: UIMediumEnumerator: Medium-enumeration finished!
00:04:01.114948 SUP: Loaded VMMR0.r0 (/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VMMR0.r0) at 0xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - ModuleInit at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and ModuleTerm at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
00:04:01.114960 SUP: VMMR0EntryEx located at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and VMMR0EntryFast at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
00:04:01.117080 Guest OS type: 'Windows7_64'
00:04:01.119756 fHMForced=true - No raw-mode support in this build!
00:04:01.127280 File system of '/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso' (DVD) is hfs
00:04:01.132440 File system of '/Users/gerardvw/VMs/Win_7/Snapshots' (snapshots) is hfs
00:04:01.132445 File system of '/Users/gerardvw/VMs/Win_7/Win7_2016_03_07-disk1.vmdk' is hfs
00:04:01.158898 Shared clipboard service loaded
Good boot

Code: Select all

VirtualBox VM 5.2.6 r120293 darwin.amd64 (Jan 15 2018 16:23:36) release log
00:00:00.917276 Log opened 2018-01-17T12:59:20.571207000Z
00:00:00.917277 Build Type: release
00:00:00.917289 OS Product: Darwin
00:00:00.917294 OS Release: 15.6.0
00:00:00.917299 OS Version: Darwin Kernel Version 15.6.0: Mon Nov 13 21:58:35 PST 2017; root:xnu-3248.72.11~1/RELEASE_X86_64
00:00:00.917386 DMI Product Name: MacBookPro11,3
00:00:00.917427 DMI Product Version: 1.0
00:00:00.917434 Host RAM: 16384MB (16.0GB) total, 8102MB (7.9GB) available
00:00:00.917436 Executable: /Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VirtualBoxVM
00:00:00.917437 Process ID: 91875
00:00:00.917438 Package type: DARWIN_64BITS_GENERIC
00:00:00.919518 Installed Extension Packs:
00:00:00.919526   Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (Version: 5.2.6 r120293; VRDE Module: VBoxVRDP)
00:00:00.921539 Console: Machine state changed to 'Starting'
00:00:00.921994 Qt version: 5.6.3
00:00:00.938581 SUP: Loaded VMMR0.r0 (/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VMMR0.r0) at 0xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX - ModuleInit at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and ModuleTerm at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
00:00:00.938595 SUP: VMMR0EntryEx located at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and VMMR0EntryFast at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
00:00:00.942671 Guest OS type: 'Windows7_64'
00:00:00.948080 fHMForced=true - No raw-mode support in this build!
00:00:00.959793 File system of '/Applications/VirtualBox.app/Contents/MacOS/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso' (DVD) is hfs
00:00:00.966148 File system of '/Users/gerardvw/VMs/Win_7/Snapshots' (snapshots) is hfs
00:00:00.966156 File system of '/Users/gerardvw/VMs/Win_7/Win7_2016_03_07-disk1.vmdk' is hfs
00:00:00.982787 GUI: UIMediumEnumerator: Medium-enumeration finished!
00:00:00.988957 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x829
00:00:01.011680 Shared clipboard service loaded
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

GerardvW wrote:I am seeing this also and it is very frustrating indeed.
Since that makes the second person to report that (with the OP 'ln_vm' being the first), you got to start checking what's different in your setup.

First of all, I noticed that the differences in the two partial VBox.log excerpts that you provided can be trimmed down to these extra messages for the slow start:
00:00:01.827864 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x831
00:00:12.306582 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x830
00:00:21.158312 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x829
00:00:50.369839 GUI: UIDesktopWidgetWatchdog::sltHandleHostScreenWorkAreaResized: Screen 0 work area is formally resized to: 0x23 x 1440x830
00:04:01.109579 GUI: UIMediumEnumerator: Medium-enumeration finished!
Can you please tell me if you have additional monitors/connections/peripherals/hard drives? What happens if you disconnect them?

I don't particularly like the fact that it takes 3 min to enumerate the attached media. Plus as I said, I want to see a ZIPPED VBox.log. If you have two logs, one from a normal and one from a slow start, even better.

@ln_vm
That goes for you too...
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GerardvW
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

Dear Socratis,

Thanks! Yes I have a dock with additional screen and ethernet, and a separate additional monitor over HDMI.

Just tried and:
  1. indeed without any other connected peripherals I got a fast boot (still, also before the upgrade with screen I would also occasionally receive a fast boot).
  2. With the HDMI monitor disconnected but thunderbolt 2 dock connected, slow boot.
Please find a zipfile with 5 logs below. I noticed that in the 2 examples of a slow boot in both cases a lengthy media enumeration step is present. In the 3 fast boots this step is absent...

Cheers!

Update: unfortunately just now without any attached peripherals there was again a very long delay...
Attachments
boot_logs.zip
5_example_boot_logs
(144.11 KiB) Downloaded 7 times
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

I can't easily (as you can imagine) reproduce your problem. I too have several monitors, but not a Thunderbolt dock. Maybe that's the problem? Your dock?
GerardvW wrote:Update: unfortunately just now without any attached peripherals there was again a very long delay...
Then please add a log from a session with a standalone computer, nothing attached.

Not even the power cable, the keyboard or the mouse!!!
(just kidding ;) )
Do NOT send me Personal Messages (PMs) for troubleshooting, they are simply deleted.
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GerardvW
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Joined: 25. Jan 2018, 20:55

Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

Yes please find it attached (the machine had to run overnight, so I just relaunched and shut down again no peripherals).

Thanks for your help in this again. I should also point out my PhD student (also on a mac) has the same issue... One thing that could be the cause is that we have not yet upgraded to the latest os x (now @ 10.11.6)...

What I also tried:
-filesystem check and fix permissions (figured maybe this might be slowing down).

however having reinstalled virtualbox and the fact the problem also occurs on the linux machine already point in another direction...
 Edit: I did, but missed that a log was not allowed, so again zipped it and uploaded.. 
Attachments
VBox.log.1.zip
log
(28.19 KiB) Downloaded 8 times
Last edited by GerardvW on 29. Jan 2018, 20:57, edited 5 times in total.
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

It seems you didn't add the attachment... ;)
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.
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GerardvW
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

It appears AVIRA is the culprit. I noticed this process performing lot's of I/O during the lag phase (both turn on and poweroff). I have now placed my VMs on the ignore list in : /Applications/Avira.app/Contents/config/avguard.conf

It appears to fix it.
socratis
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Re: Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

Oh, boy... Today it's seems to be the "all of your problems get fixed if you purge your antivirus" day...
Glad you got it going. Marking as [WorksForMe].
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.
GerardvW
Posts: 6
Joined: 25. Jan 2018, 20:55

Re: [WorksForMe] Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

yeah, well the same AVIRA install and virtual box have been living together for > 3 years. It's strange that this now becomes a problem. Ah well...
socratis
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Re: [WorksForMe] Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by socratis »

Unless you had your computer unplugged for the last three years, unless you didn't update anything in the last three years, unless you haven't heard of Spectre/Meltdown, the above statement is not that valid...
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.
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GerardvW
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Joined: 25. Jan 2018, 20:55

Re: [WorksForMe] Virtual Machine START - STOP - RESUME Very Very Slow

Post by GerardvW »

True, the obvious cause is an update. My point was more, as I said this problem has been around since way before any spectre update... One can only imagine that the update causing this was to the virus scanner, leading me to believe that these files were simply not scanned prior to this update.

For whatever reason, that seems poor for a virus scanner ;) Anyway... thanks for your assistance :)
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