Win7 host - 4.2.* - any x64 guest OS runs very slow

[fiatpandas]

Hi All,

I'm having some performance issues with using x64 guests on my Win7 machine. Any VBox 4.2.* install has performance issues with x64 guests (they run around 4x-8x, maybe even 10x, slower than normal). I've tried Windows 7 x64, Ubuntu Server x64, and Linux Mint x64 guests, all running multiple times slower than 4.1.* install. PAE, VT extensions, paging all enabled. These performance issues do not occur when using at least version 4.1.22.

If it makes a difference, my processor is an i7-3612QM.

Anyone experiencing similar issues?

Edit: host is Windows 7 Professional 64 bit. 1 core enabled on the VM.

[mpack]

If it makes a difference, my processor is an i7-3612QM.

No, that shouldn't make much difference. What may make a difference is whether your host OS is 32bit or 64bit. 64bit guests tend to run slower on a 32bit host. You should try assigning only one core.

[fiatpandas]

If it makes a difference, my processor is an i7-3612QM.

No, that shouldn't make much difference. What may make a difference is whether your host OS is 32bit or 64bit. 64bit guests tend to run slower on a 32bit host. You should try assigning only one core.

Should have said, my host is 64 bit, Windows 7 Professional. All the above tests I performed were with a single core, 100% execution cap.

[gigalith]

Sorry that I don't have any solution, but I am also experiencing the same or similar problem. I have Windows 7 Pro 64 bit running on a gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R motherboard with an Intel Core i7 930 processor, 12 gigs ram. After updating Virtualbox from 4.1.22 to 4.2.2 and now to 4.2.4, my linux guests (xubuntu 12.04, LinuxMint 12 kde, and Archlinux kde (latest update) all run extremely slow. Also, tranferring files to shared folders on the host is also very slow - maybe a megabyte per minute or less. Curiously, a Windows 2000 guest does not seem to be affected; it may be a little slower, but nothing like the linux guests. The extension pack for each upgrade was installed and the guest additions for each guest also installed. I have not yet tried removing 4.2.4 and re-installing 4.1.22. Hardware virtualization is enabled in the host bios. So far, I am stumped. Thought perhaps the update from 4.2.2 to 4.2.4 would help, but didn't notice much, if any improvement. The Archlinux guest does seem to be better than the Mint guest, however, if that means anything.

Should have mentioned, all the linux guests are 64 bit. All worked great prior to the update. I have noticed no change in the performance of the Windows host system.

[Perryg]

Post the guests log file (as an attachment)
See Online Users Manual for the location of the file.

[gigalith]

My virtualbox log from the Linux Mint 12 guest is attached. The guest was shut down, started, and then shut down again, if it matters.

[Perryg]

IOAPIC <integer> = 0x0000000000000000 (0)
What happens if you enable ioapic on this guest?

[fiatpandas]

Curiously, a Windows 2000 guest does not seem to be affected; it may be a little slower, but nothing like the linux guests.

Was it 32 or 64 bit? If 32bit, I wouldn't be surprised that it ran much faster than 64bit OSes. The dramatic speed reduction issue in 4.2.x seems to only affect 64bit OSes.

I have not yet tried removing 4.2.4 and re-installing 4.1.22.

I think that if you did downgrade to 4.1.x, you will experience normal speed with both 32 and 64bit OSes, speaking from experience. The problem seems to happen with any release in the 4.2.x series.

Also, for the record I've attached a log of Ubuntu Server 64 bit guest with 4.2.0 (I don't have one from the latest version because I was trying various 4.2.x releases to see if I could find where the issue originated). In any event, all 4.2 versions experience the same speed issues.

[gigalith]

[/quote]

IOAPIC <integer> = 0x0000000000000000 (0)
What happens if you enable ioapic on this guest?

That solved the problem! All three linux guest vms are back to normal, maybe even faster than before. Can't thank you enough.

[mpack]

I'm surprised that a 64bit guest ran at all, without an IO APIC. Machines without an IO APIC have not been common AFAIK since 64bit started being pushed.

[fiatpandas]

What happens if you enable ioapic on this guest?

Cool, just enabled this with 4.2.4 and the x64 guests are back to normal.

[gigalith]

I'm surprised that a 64bit guest ran at all, without an IO APIC. Machines without an IO APIC have not been common AFAIK since 64bit started being pushed.

All three of my linux x64 guests worked great under Virtualbox 4.1.22. I assume that IO APIC must have been enabled before. Strange that an upgrade to 4.2.* would change that setting. Nevertheless, I am very grateful for the advice that allowed me to get it all working again.

[michaln]

I assume that IO APIC must have been enabled before. Strange that an upgrade to 4.2.* would change that setting.

It wouldn't.

If it did change in either direction, we'd be getting tons of complaints from people whose Windows XP VMs suddenly stopped working.