Windows 8.1 64 bit VM frequently crashes on OS X host

[davyyd]

Good afternoon

EDIT - I had incorrectly stated that the VM is Windows 7 in my original post and subject line. This has been corrected.

I run virtualbox version 4.3.26 on Mac OS X 10.9.5. The host has 16 GB RAM. The only VM I typically run is Windows 8.1 64 bit (fully patched), with 2 vCPUs and 4 GB RAM allocated. The VM frequently crashes with a critical error. I have attached a recent copy of vbox.log for the VM. I believe that the beginning of the condition is at line 1283 (timestamp 04:23:19.449689). Here is an excerpt:

Code: Select all

04:23:19.449689 
04:23:19.449692 !!R0-Assertion Failed!!
04:23:19.449693 Expression: <NULL>
04:23:19.449693 Location  : /Users/vbox/tinderbox/4.3-mac-rel/src/VBox/VMM/VMMAll/PGMAllPool.cpp(3024) void pgmPoolTrackFreeUser(PGMPOOL*, PGMPOOLPAGE*, uint16_t, uint32_t)
04:23:19.449727 Didn't find the user entry! iUser=1593 iUserTable=0x200 GCPhys=00000000b427c000
04:23:19.449763 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
04:23:19.449764 !!
04:23:19.449764 !!                 Guru Meditation -2701 (VERR_VMM_RING0_ASSERTION)
04:23:19.449785 !!

I have attempted to reduce the RAM allocation of the VM to 3 GB, but this has not fixed the problem. I can't reliably reproduce the error condition, but the crashes happen several times per day, sometimes seconds after booting the VM and logging in. The only application that starts automatically is Lync (Skype for Business).

Thank you for any assistance in diagnosing this!

David

[loukingjr]

You have Windows 8.1 selected as the guest type. Try using Windows 7. Also you have no extension pack or guest additions installed. You may want to update to 4.3.28 while you are at it.

[brycesteiner]

I second loukingjr with the exception of 4.3.28. There are keyboard/mouse issues that have been introduced that will cause the ctrl and spacebar and clicking to engage a right click instead of other options intended. Hopefully a patch will be issued for those problems. The guest additions make a huge difference. Be sure to install them in safe mode.

[loukingjr]

There are keyboard/mouse issues that have been introduced that will cause the ctrl and spacebar and clicking to engage a right click instead of other options intended.

I don't have those issues.

[davyyd]

Weird that the logs indicate no guest additions installed. The tray icon is there, and it appears in "Programs and Features" (Add / Remove programs). It says it is version 4.3.26. I apologize for the Windows 7 confusion - it is indeed a Windows 8.1 OS on the VM. After I post this reply I'll see if I can change the subject.

Shortly after posting, I made a minor change to the VM settings. Under System -> Acceleration, I disabled "Nested Paging". I haven't experienced a crash since then, so "mission accomplished" (which of course means the transient error simply has yet to occur again). The next thing I will try is uninstalling and then installing the guest additions in Safe Mode.

Thank you both for taking the time to read my logs and think about solutions.

David Summers

[loukingjr]

You don't want to install the GAs in safe mode, That's only for XP.

[davyyd]

I experienced a few more crashes. After the first two, I booted into normal mode (not safe mode) and uninstalled the GAs. I rebooted, (again, not safe mode), stopped Skype (the only running program) and started to install the GAs. During the GA install, the same crash occurred. I'll attach logs, but here is an excerpt that I think is relevant.

Code: Select all

00:09:13.458628 !!R0-Assertion Failed!!
00:09:13.458629 Expression: <NULL>
00:09:13.458629 Location  : /Users/vbox/tinderbox/4.3-mac-rel/src/VBox/VMM/VMMAll/PGMAllPool.cpp(3024) void pgmPoolTrackFreeUser(PGMPOOL*, PGMPOOLPAGE*, uint16_t, uint32_t)
00:09:13.458657 Didn't find the user entry! iUser=1173 iUserTable=0x200 GCPhys=00000000169e4000
00:09:13.458698 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
00:09:13.458698 !!
00:09:13.458699 !!                 Guru Meditation -2701 (VERR_VMM_RING0_ASSERTION)

So here is the current state:
virtualbox version 4.3.26
OS X version 10.9.5

VM Version: "Windows 8.1 (64 bit)"
4096 MB Base Memory allocated.
Chipset: PIIX3
Extended feature, Enable I/O APIC enabled.
2 vCPUs, 100% execution cap
System -> Acceleration: VT-x/AMD-V enabled, Nested Paging disabled.

Next I will be enabling nested paging (since that was the default and disabling did not resolve the issue), and attempting to complete the GA install.
--EDIT-- I'll probably move on to updating to 4.3.28 after that.

[davyyd]

I have upgraded VirtualBox to 4.3.28 and the GAs on my VM to match, and still experience the crashes. I've attached the latest log file.

Any further advice is appreciated.

[loukingjr]

Running out of ideas myself. You can try repairing your Macs disk permissions with Disk Utility. I noticed your guest is using .vmdk instead of .vdi. Where did the Windows 8.1 guest come from you are trying to run?

[davyyd]

It was a Fusion VM, before I got tired of VMWare's forced upgrade model. It was stable for quite some time. I'll repair permissions. I've also deployed a new Windows instance from scratch (all within VirtualBox), and it has been stable so far.

[loukingjr]

If you still had VMWare Tools installed that would explain your previous problem.

[davyyd]

Vmware tools is long gone.