Restart sound from Win7 Guest

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi,

First of all, I searched for this issue at forum/Internet and I did not find a solution for it. If you have a link with the solution, I really appreciate it.

I have a Win8.1 Host System running a Win7, 32 bits VM. I have VirtualBox version 5.0.20.

When I start the system first time, the audio works properly.

If I suspend the host system, the audio does not back (sometimes it does) and I have to close the VM and start all over again (boring).

The audio always works fine at host system. I never had issues with the host system regarding audio.

I already checked the Audio service at guest and it is running properly.

I already tried to restart audio at host and guest with the following commands:
net stop audiosrv
net stop AudioEndpointBuilder
net start audiosrv
net start AudioEndpointBuilder

At VM log, the only thing I can see regarding an error are these lines (maybe they have nothing related with my issue):
DSound: Retrieving playback status failed with ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096
DSound: Starting playback failed with ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096
DSound: Stop playback stream 000000000774ada0 when closing ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096

I would like to know if there is a specific command that I can execute from prompt to force the audio to be enabled again at VM after a suspend mode.

Just to reinforce, sometimes, everything works great without doing anything.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Carlos

[socratis]

Try moving the audio slider in your guest.

[Carlos_Pit]

Thank you, socratis

I already read about this trick in other threats, but unfortunately, this does not work

Carlos

[socratis]

Hmm... I thought it was the same old "bug". I'll need to see the logs from when you hibernate your host (see below). Also here's a question. Does this happen if instead of hibernating you put your host to sleep as well?

Please read the following: Minimum information needed for assistance.

As far as the "VBox.log.zip" goes, here's what you do:

1. Start the VM. Not from a saved or suspended state. Clean start.
2. Take the steps required to generate/observe the error (as in hibernate, restore state).
3. Shut down the VM. Not suspended, not paused. Full shut down.
4. Right-click on the VM in the VirtualBox Manager.
5. Select "Show Log..."
6. Save it (just the first log, VBox.log), ZIP it and attach it in your response (see the "Upload attachment" at the bottom of the form).

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi socratis,

I have never hibernate my host. I always use the sleep mode. I will try the hibernation and I will let you know.

Attached is the VM.log as you requested.

Thank you

Carlos

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi socratis,

I made the test with hibernation mode and the VM backs properly with audio.

Since the problem is aleatory, I am not sure if this could be considered a consistent success (I need to test this many times. I did only one test).

I do not like the hibernation mode since it takes more time to turn the machine off/on compared with the sleep mode.

Anyway, I will use it from now on till I have the audio issue fixed.

Thank you again for your help!

Carlos

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi socratis,

Just to let you know that so far, I did about 3 shutdowns using hibernation and the system is working properly.

It seems the issue is related to the sleep mode.

I would like to have a "magic command" to link the host audio with VM when the issue happens, maybe something that is made at VM inicialization.

Carlos

[socratis]

Thanks for the updates, but I don't run Windows as my host so I can't actually test it. I would look for problems with my host computer and sleep issues.

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi socratis,

Did you have a chance to see my VM log?

Maybe you can find something there that could help.

Thank you

Carlos

[socratis]

Actually I hadn't looked at it, I did now. Here are my findings:

00:00:03.229439 Host RAM: 6546MB total, 5591MB available
00:00:03.876542   RamSize          <integer> = 0x0000000165900000 (5 998 903 296, 5 GB)
00:00:03.876847   VRamSize         <integer> = 0x0000000010000000 (268 435 456, 256 MB)

You allocated 5721MB+256MB+overhead >> 5591MB that you have available. Drop down the RAM allocation to a maximum of 4096MB and even that is pushing it. Your host needs RAM for its own use, including running applications (like VirtualBox).

00:00:03.876538   NumCPUs           <integer> = 0x0000000000000002 (2)
00:00:04.530345 CPUM: Physical host cores: 2

Again you're over-committing your host's resources. Your host has 2 cores (don't argue before searching it). You allocate both of them to the guest. You can't have the host run on ether. Reduce the CPUs allocated to your guest to 1.

Here's what you have in your log, that is sound related. You have two devices, one of them being a Bluetooth one. Are you by any chance outputting the sound from the Bluetooth device?

00:00:04.378418 DSound: Output: GUID: {0F6FD775-47EF-4707-96A6-A582FAFC1627} [Speakers (Bluetooth Audio Device)] (Module: {0.0.0.00000000}.{0f6fd775-47ef-4707-96a6-a582fafc1627})
00:00:04.378430 DSound: Output: GUID: {38115520-FF27-4288-BCE2-0BF529B40392} [SAMSUNG (Dispositivo de High Definition Audio)] (Module: {0.0.0.00000000}.{38115520-ff27-4288-bce2-0bf529b40392})
00:00:04.429394 DSound: Input: GUID: {7FF92EDE-C87D-4847-8564-45BAD07560C5} [Microfone (HD Webcam C270)] (Module: {0.0.1.00000000}.{7ff92ede-c87d-4847-8564-45bad07560c5})
00:00:04.464912 DSound: Found 2 host playback devices
00:00:04.464925 DSound: Found 1 host capturing devices
00:00:04.465408 DSound: Guest "Line In" is using host device with GUID: {Default device}

After about 3.5 hours, you suspended and you resumed the VM at 19.5 hours. At that point you had this in your log:

19:35:14.420146 DSound: Retrieving playback status failed with ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096
19:35:14.420235 DSound: Starting playback failed with ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096
19:35:14.420247 DSound: Stop playback stream 000000000774ada0 when closing ERROR_SYSTEM_TRACE 0x88780096

I don't know what that means and I couldn't find anything related, but it tells me that as soon as the system returns, it cannot find the audio output devices. Maybe the Bluetooth one that hasn't "connected" yet?

[Carlos_Pit]

Hi socratis,

I followed your recommendations changing the VM RAM to 4096 MB and to use only 1 core. I used the old configuration for so long, and I have never seen any problem with host performance. In fact, I use the VM 99% of the time, and the host has only the VM running. Anyway, I will maintain this config. I hope not to have a performance issue at VM. By the way, my physical memory is 8GB.

Regarding audio, yes, I use a Bluetooth device. I always turn on it before turning on the machine. So, I think it is always ready to receive audio.

Yesterday, I turn off the machine in sleep mode. Today, the machine turns on properly, with no audio issue. This is not still a victory since this happens time to time.

What I really need for now is the "magic command" to restart the audio and link it again with VM when the issue happens.

Another info:
When the audio issue happens, it only happens on the VM. The host machine has plenty of audio with no problem. The real problem is that the audio is not routed to VM for some reason.

Have a nice day!

Carlos

[socratis]

By the way, my physical memory is 8GB.

Not according to the logs. I tend to believe the logs.

What I really need for now is the "magic command" to restart the audio

I do not believe in magic in computers. And there is no such command that I know of.

yes, I use a Bluetooth device.

Try it without the Bluetooth device. Yes, you might turn it on but it may not be connected/discoverable immediately after the sleep/hibernation. The VM might start before the device is available, thus failing. So, try it without the Bluetooth device.

[Carlos_Pit]

I'm pretty sure the problem is related to the Bluetooth device. This device is relatively new (I think a couple of months) and I realized that the problem started after inserting the device on the system.

Anyway, when the issue happens, is almost impossible to recover. I have to turn the VM off to have the audio working again.

It should have something to execute to try to restart the audio link between VM and the host system.

When the issue happens, I can establish the Bluetooth connection between the device and the host system, but the VM not. Something is lost on the path.