virtualbox.org

Hey all, I'm a newb to the forum and I will look around to check for similar problems, but I wanted to post first in hopes of some advice.

I'm having the same problem with both Virtual PC and Virtualbox:

I just installed Vista Business x64 because I was offered it free with my school account etc... Anyway, I loaded Virtualbox just fine and set it up to load XP Pro x64. Everything is fine until it gets to the "Windows is Starting" portion and then everything freezes up. I can't do anything but move the mouse at that point and have to shut down the computer. I cannot get past this point and it does the same thing with Virtual PC.

Something with my hardware perhaps? I did enable the Virtual Hardware option in BIOS as recommended.

I have a DELL Studio 1536 Laptop with Vista Busniess x64 installed. I really want to run XP Pro virtually on the desktop but it's not look promising.

Would appreciate any help.

Steve

Hi Steve,

I don't have an answer for your problem, but I have gotten guest x64 Linux OS's running well on Vista x64 (Home Premium). BTW, Vista x64 would freeze often prior to VB installation .

In VB 2.1.4, without USB, Serial, or Audio functionality try installing a x64 Linux guest. Post results when available.

Mirror for Fedora 10 x64. Select the NetInst (Network Installation) to reduce ISO download time.
http://mirror.hmc.edu/fedora/linux/rele ... 86_64/iso/

Mirror for Ubuntu 8.10 x64 (Desktop)
http://ftp.ucsb.edu/pub/mirrors/linux/u ... -amd64.iso

I'm afraid I have some bad news for you [and me].

I have a Dell Studio 1536 also. It appears the functionality for virtualization is broken in the BIOS (A05 at the moment for me).

I can run any 32 bit OS within VirtualBox and/or VMWare, as they don't require virtualization support in the CPU.

I have tried running both 32bit/64bit Linux, and 64bit Vista inside VMWare Workstation, and VirtualBox, I've also tried all that while using 32bit Vista, 32bit and 64bit Linux as a host system.

Considering no combination of host,guest, or virtualization platform works, it seems to be these machines don't really support it. I get an entire system freeze up no matter what with AMD-v enabled.

Probably also worth mentioning that it doesn't matter whether or not I have the CPU assisted virtualization turned on in the BIOS or not, I still have the option to use it in virtualbox, and vmware, and it still freezes just the same.

Problems with DELL STUDIO 1536 and Virtualization.

I too have an AMD based DELL Studio 1536 Laptop. that is experiencing similar issues.

The host OS is Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty) [as updated, Kernel 2.6.28.13].

Guest OSs act strangely. Some times they will install fine, other times they will freeze mid way though installation. Some times the guest OS can run for hours or just a few minuets before locking . Most notably Sol10 and XPPro. I have confirmed that the the VM is enabled in my bios and my bios is at version A05.

I see from another poster that they are also experiencing he same issue. I did an IM session with dell hardware support and they were a waste of an hour of time (Shades of Monty Pythons dead parrot skit).

So lets trouble shoot this, or Kepner-Trego this for DELL or SUN (Does SUN Monitor this sight?)

What is the specific device with this issue?

Dell Studio 1536 Laptop.

What similar systems could have the issue but do not?

I have an IBM T60p work laptop that runs Ubuntu 9.04,(32) xppro, 2000 server, RHEL 4.6(32) with out issue. I have a desktop (Athalon 64 w/o AMD-V) that runs Vbox with XP Pro, and Sol10 guests fine. I have a work Dell 755 using Intel-VT that runs gues OSs correctly (in vmware and vbox)

What is the specific issue?

Guest OSs do not shut down properly, Do not install properly, will freeze the HOST OS and/or GUI.

Do the laptops exhibit any other issues?

No. If you do not use Virtual box or VMWare the laptops perform flawlessly.

Are the laptops close in proximity?

No. They are separated by a double blind amount of distance.

Are there any other owners of the Delll Studio 1536 that are reporting this issue?

Only two to date.

Could others with this laptop not be experiencing this issue?

Yes, unreported.

What is the issue on the object.

When the AMD hardware virtualization is disabled in the bios, the problem does not happen.

I will skip the when and extent questions as they are unanswerable in this context.

NON KT trouble shooting:

Since two different HOST OSs have experienced this issue (Vista 64 pro and Ubuntu 9.04 64) it is not likely to be an OS issue. (DO YOU HEAR ME DELL!)

Evidence that points to BIOS:
I do not get the misbehavior with guest OSs when the AMD-v is disabled in the bios. Two independent people are reporting that DELL Studio 1536 Laptops Using AMD Turon X2 dual core processors with the AMD-v enabled in the bios is giving non-expected behavior with respect to VBox. This gives a strong indication that the CPU is not the issue with the deviation. Though it does not rule it out 100%. If the problem does not manifest when the AMD-v is disabled in the bios, then this strongly points to the BIOS.

Evidence that points away from the bios:
Using VMWare 2.0.1, I can run XPPro with out issue for quite some time, however the "support VMI paravirtualization" is not checked in this VM, which may indicate why it is stable. I will check on enabling this later.

So the question(s) come down to:
1) Who else has this model of laptop that is also experiencing this issue?
2) Are there people who are not experiencing issues when using VBox with the AMD-v enabled in the bios.
3) Are there older versions of the bios that do not have issues with VBox and the AMD-v?
4) Can SUN/OSE program around the issues with the broken bios on these DELL systems?

NOTE: I do not hold out hope that DELL will fix this BIOS. This model of laptop is being replaced by INTEL based ones with the same model number. So owners of this DELL may be SOL.

Vista x64 freezes up during Guest Windows 7 x64 RC 1 version 7100.0.090421-1700

Hardware
Dell Studio XPS, BIOS A08, 4GB RAM,
VT-x virtualization in BIOS activated
also activated in Vitualbox settings
Note: until I updated the Bios from A05 to A08, things happened.

Freezes in the installation, it seems nothing happens, but an hour later, it seems that it is installed. (several attemps made, but because a period of inactivity I forced to shotdown, several times and reinstalled again, until I left the computer unnatended, so an hour later exactly, the guest os win 7 ultimate was installed.

it ask user account and it is Windows 7 Ultimate, it takes a lot to make it housekeeping, but finally starts

Every time I start this guest OS, it takes 3 minutes toi boot, anly I have a problem trying to connect to a network, using bridged connection, with miniport.
All the other Guest oses I use, use this connetion without a problem, Linux, XP pro using this Dell Studio XPS, even I use thise images in a MacBook Pro, Core Duo, Tiger oS, change some settings of hardware and they have network connetions.

These are my 2 cents.

Gustavo

Sorry The hardware of the last comment is Dell Studio XPS 1640, Bios A08.
cheers

DELL

may be it helps... here is a Dell thread with a solution http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=19961

So I have spent the weekend running down the issue. The Dell Laptop Liaison person on the dell forums tells me if it is a bios issue he has had zero luck in escalating bios issues to get them fixed.
I have s traces to the point at which it freezes. I have VBox logs and configurations. The questions are: 1) Who is the person on the Vbox side that is supposed to care so I can send these traces to them. 2) Can a work around be found for this problem? (including blue wire and a soldering iron solutions). 3) Are there any stand alone utilities that I can run to check virtualization? It would be nice to have a utility that is small and light weight so I don't need to do a full install of Ubuntu 64 or XP32 just to watch my PC freeze. 4) It does seem a bit odd that a 'guest vm' can freeze a host. It's like I am running Coherent on a 286 again.

Use bugtracker to create a ticket and attach logfiles. if the cpu is a AMD it might be a amd-v bug thats been recently solved in svn, vb 3.04 will have this solution, release date is unknown.

Im experiencing the very same problems on my Ubuntu Jaunty x64 Host on my Dell Studio 1536 laptop.

I think that the guests tend to HANG a bit more when im using CDs from them. I can note this specially when trying to install a new guest OS from a CD. But maybe im wrong.

For install purposes its best to make an ISO from the CD and mount the ISO.

I spent some time with Dell telling me it of course had to be software related, or AMD. I contacted AMD who told me their hyper-v checking utility should definitely not say the machine is compatible if virt is turned off in the BIOS.

It doesn't matter whether it's on or off in the BIOS, linux and any utility I've tried in windows, as well as VirtualBox and VMWare tell me it's on.

After they insisted it was software, I challenged them to tell me what virtualization product it worked with, name one, for if you can say with any level of certainty that it's not an issue with the machine you must have tested it with something - otherwise you're flat out lying to me.

The conversation ended there, and I keep getting the run-around from then on, everyone wants to start from square 1 instead of just answering my question as to what it will work with.

See my posting: http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic. ... 76#p102176

If you own a Studio 1536 your bios lies to you. Though you think that you enable AMD-v in the bios, it is a dead switch.

There are known problems with BIOSes in certain Dell models that may cause the system to hang when using AMD-V. See http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4988