virtualbox.org

I recently started noticing a problem with VirtualBox and high CPU usage.

I'm running Ubuntu 9.04 as the host and have Virtualbox 3.0.2. The guest is Windows XP SP3 with the 3.0.2 Guest Additions.

When I don't have any programs open, the CPU usage of both the guest and the host are minimal (as you would expect.) When I open Firefox 3.5.1 on the guest the CPU usage of the Virtualbox process jumps to about 50% (Dual Core - 1 core = 100%) The odd thing is that the CPU usage of the guest OS doesn't spike but stays around 2-7%.

Does anyone have any idea why this might be? I've uninstalled FF on the guest and it still is the same.

Ryan

Make another VM and let it run idle next to your xp vm.

hmm, so I did that and it seems to have solved the problem. Any idea why?

Ryan

Known bug in the scheduler, still needs to be fixed.

Thanks, any chance you could share the bug ID. I did a little searching and can't seem to find it.

Can't find it either at the moment, I've seen a comment from Sun about this but can't locate it.

i can confirm the issue and solution

Host: Windows 2003 on Athlon X2 cpu

Guest: Also Windows 2003, 1 CPU, APIC-IO

Host is almost maxing out one core while guest is idle with a couple of open programs.

Adding a second do-nothing guest (Windows 2000, 1 CPU, APIC-IO) and running both at the same time solves the problem.

Regards

/M

Confirming issue with 3.0.2.

Host: Ubuntu 9.04
VM: Win Xp|Win7

Problem recreated when Firefox (3.5+) is opened to a page with heavy JS (gmail, evite, etc).

Trying 3.0.4 and fix.

_____________________
Update: Upgraded to 3.0.4 problem persists. Installed Ubuntu server on the side, and running idle. Confirm temporary workaround.

What's the bug/case # so we can make noise about it?

_____________________
Update: Opened up a new ticket for this issue under 3.0.4:
http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4762

Bump? Thoughts?