Performance?

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
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Steveiwonder
Posts: 3
Joined: 4. Feb 2016, 10:47

Performance?

Post by Steveiwonder »

Hi all,

This may sound like a dumb question, however.

I've read up about Hyper-V and some people state they still loose performance on the host machine even when VM's are saved/turned off, simply having Hyper-V enabled slows a machine down. Others argue this.

So, with virtualbox I accept that when a VM is running there would be a performance hit but does just having it installed cause performance to drop?

Has anyone tested this out?

Please bare in mind, my hosts primary focus is gaming.

Thank You

S
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39134
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Performance?

Post by mpack »

Are you asking about Hyper-v, or are you asking about VirtualBox? If the former then you need to go elsewhere.

As to VirtualBox - bull. How can software possibly occupy CPU or I/O bandwidth when it isn't even running?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20945
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Performance?

Post by scottgus1 »

Likely the apparent performance drop when hyper-v is installed is that it's built into the Windows OS and so starts as a service when the host boots.

Virtualbox does have drivers for the host OS that load at bootup, ready for running, maybe a couple nanoseconds extra boot time. But VB is not built into the host OS, so it needs to be started via some manual or scripted method. Therefore, the VB performance hit when not running a guest is practically if not completely non-existent.
Steveiwonder
Posts: 3
Joined: 4. Feb 2016, 10:47

Re: Performance?

Post by Steveiwonder »

scottgus1 wrote:Likely the apparent performance drop when hyper-v is installed is that it's built into the Windows OS and so starts as a service when the host boots.

Virtualbox does have drivers for the host OS that load at bootup, ready for running, maybe a couple nanoseconds extra boot time. But VB is not built into the host OS, so it needs to be started via some manual or scripted method. Therefore, the VB performance hit when not running a guest is practically if not completely non-existent.
I am referring to VirtualBox
mpack wrote:Are you asking about Hyper-v, or are you asking about VirtualBox? If the former then you need to go elsewhere.

As to VirtualBox - bull. How can software possibly occupy CPU or I/O bandwidth when it isn't even running?

Thank you
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20945
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Performance?

Post by scottgus1 »

Steveiwonder wrote:I am referring to VirtualBox
I gathered that.

You must not have gathered that I was telling you why hyper-v would have a performance hit and Virtualbox would not.
Steveiwonder
Posts: 3
Joined: 4. Feb 2016, 10:47

Re: Performance?

Post by Steveiwonder »

scottgus1 wrote:
Steveiwonder wrote:I am referring to VirtualBox
I gathered that.

You must not have gathered that I was telling you why hyper-v would have a performance hit and Virtualbox would not.
Sorry i was meant to quote mpack's comment.

My fault.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20945
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: VirtualBox+Oracle ExtPack
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Performance?

Post by scottgus1 »

No problem, I miss plenty myself.

You will definitely be OK performance-wise with Virtualbox installed on your gaming PC but not running a guest while you're gaming. Virtualbox will be happy to sit silently in the corner while you're blasting the alien hordes... :lol:
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