[Solved] Virtualbox crashes sometimes

[BjoAce]

Edit: Solved it with your help.
Managed to downgrade the VirtualBox installation (including tools etc) to v5.0.32 r112930. Over the last 3 days, the problem didn't occur anymore. And I could run the installer I noticed below...

HI together,
can someone please check what chauses my VM to crash sometimes? Mosly afte I let it run over night.
I want it to host a (occationaly used) windows app as a server for a few months and therefor I let it run all time.
Would a upgrade to Win10 run better?

Host:
Mac Mini Mid 2010, macOS Sierra 10.12.2, Core 2 Duo 2,4Ghz, 16 GB DDR3 1067 RAM, 250 GB SSD, VirtualBox 5.1.14 r112924 (QT5.6.2), hibernate is disabled, connected to a Panasonic TV via HDMI which I power off if not needed
Guest:
Windows 7 Pro with latest updtes, 2 Cores, 4GB RAM, 64 MB Graphics Memory, Audio, bridget network, guest additions installed without Direct3D, guest folder on local hdd
A (cut down) log I exported after a crash is attached. If you miss a part, please let me know.

Sometimes I access it via TeamViewer.

Thank you.

[socratis]

A (cut down) log I exported after a crash is attached.

Next time do not chop the log. Zip it. You should delete this log and upload a new zipped one.

Some things that I noticed:

00:00:02.439734   CpuExecutionCap   <integer> = 0x000000000000005f (95)
00:00:02.439743   EnablePAE         <integer> = 0x0000000000000000 (0)

You should enable PAE/NX and take the CPU execution cap to 100%...

00:00:02.439750   NumCPUs           <integer> = 0x0000000000000002 (2)
00:00:02.704011 CPUM: Physical host cores: 2

... while at the same time lowering the CPUs assigned to the VM to 1.

05:01:32.911252 !!         VCPU0: Guru Meditation -5300 (VERR_IEM_INSTR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED)

For Guru Meditation errors, you should head to the bugtracker and either search for an appropriate bug, or open a new bug report where you'll attach your logs and other vital information.

[michaln]

I'm sure there are existing tickets for this.

The (known) problem is the combination of an old Mac (Core 2 CPU) with a new VirtuaBox. The fact that there aren't too many complaints probably says something about how many old Macs are still in service and updated to current software.

[socratis]

Yeap, I got two of them just searching for VERR_IEM_INSTR_NOT_IMPLEMENTED:

• https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/15790
  Proposed solution: change the Paravirtualization option to anything but None, Default, and Legacy.
• https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/15801
  Proposed solutions: disable the PAE/NX, reduce the CPUs from 2 to 1.

The actual cause maybe coming from an idea, from the user Mop that opened ticket 15801:

The issue appears to be that the stmxcsr instruction defined in the Intel 80/86 istruction set is not yet implemented in VirtualBox. I am also aware that this instruction is being used more often in windows 10 software so this issue may become worse over time.

[BjoAce]

OK thank you to all so far.

Now I try with the following changed settings:
CPU Cores 2 -> 1
CPU limit 95% -> 100%
Paravirtualization: preset -> legacy
PAE / NX on -> off
Attached new zipped log from tonight

If that doesn't work, I'll post my log to the bugs found by socratis.

So if the problem can occur more with WIn10, I'll leave it on Win7.

I'll report back in a few days. Tomorrow should it run because we introduce it to 2 more (3 with me)...

[BjoAce]

Hi guys.
The settings above didn't work.
Then I tried disabling Nested paging. Same error over night.

[socratis]

https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/15801

That ticket is still open, i.e. not solved for all cases. As I said, these were just settings that were working for some people. Go to that ticket and post your logs. That is a good case where a "me too" can help, because it can been seen in the logs if there are differences and what's responsible.

You'll also get a subscription so that you can follow its progress.

[BjoAce]

OK - done.
Hope they can help... Or we need to check alternatives.

[BjoAce]

Hi together.
The problem persists.
Now I've found that the installer for MS SQL management studio "ssms-setup-deu.exe" crashes constantly.
And it seems that the bug comes more often when the VM is running background tasks...

[socratis]

I'm sorry, but... what???

• You reported the problem with VirtualBox 5.1.14.
• We are currently still in VirtualBox 5.1.14.
• You come back with a "the problem persists" ? Of course it does!!! Nothing changed! How did you expect it to get resolved? Magically?

According to michaln this is caused by your old Core2 Duo with the newest VirtualBox version. Have you tried going to the 5.0.x series? Read his comment again about how widespread the problem is, and you can figure out how much of a priority your problem is...

[BjoAce]

I'm sorry, but... what???

• You reported the problem with VirtualBox 5.1.14.
• We are currently still in VirtualBox 5.1.14.
• You come back with a "the problem persists" ? Of course it does!!! Nothing changed! How did you expect it to get resolved? Magically?

Hoped for a solving windows or virtualbox update in the waiting time... You're right in the current situation. And I didn't get the clue that's Virtualbox that causes it by using this instruction.

According to michaln this is caused by your old Core2 Duo with the newest VirtualBox version. Have you tried going to the 5.0.x series? Read his comment again about how widespread the problem is, and you can figure out how much of a priority your problem is...

I assume the prio is lower then I thought because I thought it's more common in the world to use old macs/macbooks as VM host.
OK I used that what I saw in diverse Facebook mac groups for "measurement".

Managed to downgrade the VirtualBox installation (including tools etc) to v5.0.32 r112930. Over the last 3 days, the problem didn't occur anymore. And I could run the installer I noticed.
I'll update the bug for those who get it linked or find it via search engine...

Thanks to @socratis and @michaln for helping.

[socratis]

Managed to downgrade the VirtualBox installation

To what version? What made it work in your case? I'll be watching the bugtracker, but please, for the benefit of others as well, post that information here if you can...

[BjoAce]

You were too fast for my edit

I just downgraded it including virtualbox tools in the guest to v5.0.32 r112930. Means I made a copy of the VM, uninstalled everything from this version, and then reinstalled it with the older version. A FS check with no findings was done after upgrade.
The bug report contained the info.

[socratis]

Excellent, thanks for the update! Yes, sometimes the "ping" comes way too fast

So, it's working with the 5.0.x series, but not with the 5.1.x series. That's an excellent conclusion to help developers track down the regression and for us to help people in the future that come here with the same problem. Thanks again!