Can't run VB and Parallels simultaneously

[jtru]

Running both causes a reboot. I found this article at the parallels website with absolutely no help for VB users, big surprise: kb article 115966 (sorry, new member can't post link!)

Anyone else encountered this issue and found a workaround? Obviously I could migrate my Parallels VM to VB, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

OSX 10.8.4
Parallels 8.0
VirtualBox 4.2.16

Thanks.

[mpack]

The details matter. If the VM requires VT-x then you can't run another VM platform (or any other software for that matter) if the other platform also needs VT-x.

Anyway, given the resource conflicts that could happen, I don't see the devteam ever being willing to guarantee that running at the same time as another VM platform will ever be possible, even if they don't conflict over VT-x.

[SRAJeff]

I'm having the same problem, and it just recently started happening. Before the problem, I was able to run Windows in Parallels, and simultaneously run one or more Vagrant instances utilizing VirtualBox as the VM host. Something has changed recently such that if Parallels will crash OSX if VirtualBox starts a guest, or if Parallels starts a guest while VirtualBox is running. It's not clear which is causing the crash.

Here's the relevant info from my kernel panic:

Code: Select all   Expand viewCollapse view

Thu Jul 25 10:38:10 2013
panic(cpu 2 caller 0xffffff802629e53b): "TLB invalidation IPI timeout: " "CPU(s) failed to respond to interrupts, unresponsive CPU bitmap: 0x1, NMIPI acks: orig: 0x0, now: 0x0"@/SourceCache/xnu/xnu-2050.24.15/osfmk/x86_64/pmap.c:2337
Backtrace (CPU 2), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff81fafebae0 : 0xffffff802621d626
0xffffff81fafebb50 : 0xffffff802629e53b
0xffffff81fafebbd0 : 0xffffff80262a2d50
0xffffff81fafebc90 : 0xffffff80262a3585
0xffffff81fafebce0 : 0xffffff802626720c
0xffffff81fafebdd0 : 0xffffff802626b0e0
0xffffff81fafebe00 : 0xffffff8026664ec9
0xffffff81fafebe50 : 0xffffff8026295c4c
0xffffff81fafebe80 : 0xffffff8026220b3d
0xffffff81fafebeb0 : 0xffffff8026210448
0xffffff81fafebf00 : 0xffffff802621961b
0xffffff81fafebf70 : 0xffffff80262a6536
0xffffff81fafebfb0 : 0xffffff80262ce9e3

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: hidd

Mac OS version:
12E55

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 12.4.0: Wed May  1 17:57:12 PDT 2013; root:xnu-2050.24.15~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 896CB1E3-AB79-3DF1-B595-549DFFDF3D36
Kernel slide:     0x0000000026000000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff8026200000
System model name: MacBookPro10,1 (Mac-C3EC7CD22292981F)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 801192856988
last loaded kext at 788117076921: com.parallels.kext.vnic   8.0 18608.898384 (addr 0xffffff7fa8579000, size 20480)
last unloaded kext at 191783629157: org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv   4.2.10 (addr 0xffffff7fa854f000, size 270336)
loaded kexts:
com.parallels.kext.vnic   8.0 18608.898384
com.parallels.kext.netbridge   8.0 18608.898384
com.parallels.kext.hidhook   8.0 18608.898384
com.parallels.kext.hypervisor   8.0 18608.898384
com.parallels.kext.usbconnect   8.0 18608.898384
org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetAdp   4.2.16
org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxNetFlt   4.2.16
org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxUSB   4.2.16
org.virtualbox.kext.VBoxDrv   4.2.16
com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor   1.9.5d0
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC   1.60
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager   4.1.4f2
com.apple.filesystems.autofs   3.0
com.apple.driver.AGPM   100.12.87
com.apple.driver.ApplePlatformEnabler   2.0.6d1
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim   1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver   122
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA   2.3.7fc4
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient   3.5.10
com.apple.GeForce   8.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver   2.3.7fc4
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet   1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics   8.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl   1.1.11
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X   7.0.0
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport   4.1.4f2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU   2.0.3d0
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC   1.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl   3.4.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC   1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelFramebufferCapri   8.1.2
com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl   3.4.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons   237.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard   237.1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless   1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib   1.0.0d1
com.apple.BootCache   34
com.apple.driver.XsanFilter   404
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub   5.5.5
com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC   1.4.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage   2.3.1
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331   615.20.17
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort   2.5.2
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBXHCI   5.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI   5.5.0
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient   196.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM   1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager   161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons   1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC   1.5
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET   1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS   1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC   1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC   1.6
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall   4.0.39
com.apple.security.quarantine   2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement   196.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily   10.0.6
com.apple.kext.triggers   1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily   3.5.5
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib   2.3.7fc4
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily   1.8.9fc11
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib   1.6
com.apple.nvidia.gk100hal   8.1.2
com.apple.NVDAResman   8.1.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface   86.0.4
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController   2.3.7fc4
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily   2.3.7fc4
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily   74.5.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController   1.0.11d0
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily   4.1.4f2
com.apple.iokit.AppleBluetoothHCIControllerUSBTransport   4.1.4f2
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert   1.0.4
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin   1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC   3.1.4d2
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI   1.0.11d0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily   5.3.0d51
com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl   3.4.5
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport   2.3.7
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily   2.3.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter   1.8.9
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily   1.8.9
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter   1.2.6
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch   237.3
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver   5.2.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub   5.5.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite   5.2.5
com.apple.driver.CoreStorage   296.16.1
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI   1.7.8
com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily   2.4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient   5.5.5
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family   530.4
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily   3.0
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily   2.3.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily   5.6.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime   1.7
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily   1.8.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily   1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox   220.3
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch   1.0.0d1
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet   7
com.apple.driver.DiskImages   345
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily   1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore   28.21
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform   1.7
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily   2.7.3
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily   1.4
com.apple.kec.corecrypto   1.0
System Profile:
Model: MacBookPro10,1, BootROM MBP101.00EE.B03, 4 processors, Intel Core i7, 2.7 GHz, 16 GB, SMC 2.3f35
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Built-In, 512 MB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M, PCIe, 1024 MB
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D5434314753364D465238432D50422020
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 8 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x80AD, 0x484D5434314753364D465238432D50422020
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xEF), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (5.106.98.100.17)
Bluetooth: Version 4.1.4f2 12041, 2 service, 18 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en0
Serial ATA Device: APPLE SSD SD512E, 500.28 GB
USB Device: hub_device, 0x8087  (Intel Corporation), 0x0024, 0x1d100000 / 2
USB Device: hub_device, 0x0424  (SMSC), 0x2512, 0x1d180000 / 3
USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub, 0x0a5c  (Broadcom Corp.), 0x4500, 0x1d181000 / 5
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller, apple_vendor_id, 0x8286, 0x1d181300 / 7
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad, apple_vendor_id, 0x0262, 0x1d182000 / 4
USB Device: hub_device, 0x8087  (Intel Corporation), 0x0024, 0x1a100000 / 2
USB Device: 802.11 n WLAN, 0x148f, 0x5370, 0x1a120000 / 4
USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in), apple_vendor_id, 0x8510, 0x1a110000 / 3


[michaln]

The details matter. If the VM requires VT-x then you can't run another VM platform (or any other software for that matter) if the other platform also needs VT-x.

That's actually not true. It is possible for two hypervisors to share VT-x, but both have to "play nice". VirtualBox tries to. I believe (not 100% sure) VMware does too.

[Perryg]

michaln,

Can you provide a case where this actually works? I can't seem to find any, and believe me I have tried. So far I can't find any combination that this actually works.
Theory is great but real world is what I have to deal with.

[michaln]

Can you provide a case where this actually works? I can't seem to find any, and believe me I have tried. So far I can't find any combination that this actually works.
Theory is great but real world is what I have to deal with.

If your real world is Linux, then it won't work. If it's Windows, it ought to, as long as the other hypervisor plays nicely. At least it worked for me with Virtual PC and VirtualBox running simlutaneously last time I tried.

[Perryg]

Can you provide a case where this actually works? I can't seem to find any, and believe me I have tried. So far I can't find any combination that this actually works.
Theory is great but real world is what I have to deal with.

If your real world is Linux, then it won't work. If it's Windows, it ought to, as long as the other hypervisor plays nicely. At least it worked for me with Virtual PC and VirtualBox running simlutaneously last time I tried.

OK now this is starting to make sense. I have tried to run VBox and VPC 2007 at the same time and they both worked because VPC 2007 was not VMX aware. The new version of VPC (XP mode) that has VMX aware would not run at the same time, so at least for me there does not seem to be a real world combination that works.

Comment: When was the last time you saw MS worry about other uses than their own. Playing nice does not seem to equate to them or very many others for that matter (VBox excluded of course) .

[mpack]

Ok, so what's the answer to the users question? Is this a supported combination or not? Is any other combination supported on any host?

[michaln]

Ok, so what's the answer to the users question? Is this a supported combination or not?

We can't exactly support 3rd party products, so...

On OS X, VirtualBox tries to "play nice" and should work with other products which utilize VT-x as long as those products also play nice. We can't make them, and we can't fix them.

[loukingjr]

of course there's no way to tell if VirtualBox is successfully "playing nice" on Mac hosts. or if third party apps' versions of "playing nice" collide with VirtualBox.

[SRAJeff]

Here's what Parallels has to say: http://kb.parallels.com/en/115966

Article ID: 115966
Created On: Apr 15, 2013
Last Review: May 2, 2013
Views:
APPLIES TO:

Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac
Parallels Server Bare Metal

Mac reboots when you attempt to launch Parallels Desktop 8 and Virtual Box simultaneously

Symptoms
Your Mac may experience occassional crashes while running Parallels Desktop 8 or Parallels Service Bare Metal at the same time as KVM or Virtual Box.

Cause
This issue is caused by incorrectly working third-party virtualization engines that do not ensure that the virtualization state remains consistent with the state of the actual CPU.

Resolution

For KVM:
Set the KVM module variable "vmm_exclusive" to 0.

for Virtual Box:
No workaround is available. Please try not to use Parallels Desktop and Virtual Box at the same time.

[noteirak]

I guess everyone is taking the easy way out eh

[mpack]

I think I'll stick with the advice I gave in my first post, which judging by the number of "VMX locked or unavailable" reports we get every week, is the only sensible advice.

[SRAJeff]

michaln,

Can you provide a case where this actually works? I can't seem to find any, and believe me I have tried. So far I can't find any combination that this actually works.
Theory is great but real world is what I have to deal with.

It is possible, and in heavy usage in the wild. I've attached a screen shot of my process manager showing three active guests -- two VirtualBox and one Parallels. I do this every single day as do, say, a dozen of my coworkers. Sometimes I have up 5 guests, mixed between Parallels and Virtualbox. Until week before last it worked on my main computer at work flawlessly. It still works today on my computer at home, no problem.

I can't figure out what changed on the work computer, but I'm now worried that it's going to hit my coworkers and home computer and impact our workflow signicantly.

[jgeorge]

Just to chip in with my 2c worth and findings here...

I run a combination of VirtualBox, VMWare Fusion and Parallels - often at the same time - on my Macbook Pro for work. As of VBox 4.2.14, trying to have both Parallels and VBox running results in a reboot kernel panic. Parallels + VMWare is fine and I think (I should probably check again) that VBox and VMWare is fine. VBox 4.2.14 and 4.2.16 both exhibit this problem. Rolling back to 4.2.12 allows me to run VMWare, Parallels and VBox at the same time. It definitely is related to VBox 4.2.14 and above. Unfortunately I need 4.2.14+ to get my USB pass through devices working properly in my VMs.

Work around - use VBox 4.2.12 and live without USB pass through when using >1 CPU

I hope that helps.

Update: Yes, I can run VMWare Fusion and VBox 4.2.16 at the same time.