Page 1 of 1
VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 21. May 2020, 18:22
by Makarios
I am running a Linux Mint 19.3 Cinamon Host.
Windows 10 new install as Guest.
2 of 4 processors and 8 of 16GB ram assigned to then WIN 10 VM
Windows Task Mamager shows VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application using 40 - 60% of CPU..

- screenshot.png (17.37 KiB) Viewed 3390 times
When I restart then VM , it goes well for a time, and eventuaaly the VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application seems to take over then CPU again.
Any suggestions?
EDIT: Running Virtual Box 5.2.34 Ubuntu Edition available from Linux Mint Software manager
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 21. May 2020, 20:29
by multiOS
If it's a new Windows 10 installation then you may need to give it time to settle down, i.e. anything from several hours to a few days, whilst the system performs all the required updates and management checks that a new Windows installation requires, including fully indexing all connected drives as things change, so give it some time before assuming something is 'wrong'.
Unfortunately, if you are using the Ubuntu Version of VirtualBox and Guest Additions the users here probably won't have any direct knowledge of what is different from the Official VirtualBox Versions available from the VirtualBox.org Downloads page, and so won't be able to provide specific help, i.e. you would need to seek help about the forked-versions on the Linux Mint/Ubuntu Forums, or remove those versions and install the Official Versions if you want help here.
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 21. May 2020, 21:27
by Makarios
Hang on. I was unaware the version I have is forked or not or whatnot...
how do I move over to the ' official' software then?
EDIT: The windows install was a new install yes, but about a week 10 days ago....I mentioned that just to clarify that it was not a cloned drive from a running win10, but a new VM crated entirely in VirtualBox
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 24. May 2020, 15:40
by Makarios
OK Forked version is gone....
now runnign Linux Mint with Oracle VirtualBox Version 6.1.8 r137981 (Qt5.9.5),
My Guest additions Tray is still very high, to such extent that running one or 2 furhter applications lets my 2 x CPUs allocated hit the roof and the win 10 is freezing for a few seconds trying to process the load, like video streaming over a slow connection
Anythign I can do to this?

- screenshot.jpg (20.25 KiB) Viewed 3341 times
I have allocated 8 gb ram to this VM, but its only using 2 - I suppose that is another topic entirely for another day
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 24. May 2020, 15:44
by Makarios
Here is the VM log, if that helps at all.
.
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 17. Nov 2020, 18:48
by Tobida
Solution, working for me: deaktivate drag and drop.
Devices > drag and drop > disabled
credits for this solution go to this blogpost:
www rajib com / workaround-to-vboxtray-exe-using-excessive-cpu-issue/
hth
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 22. Nov 2020, 16:11
by scottgus1
Sorry this one dropped off the radar. The posted log has some Drag-n-Drop operations that failed over some 3-4 hours. If the posted screenshot happened during this time, then there appears to be a true bill.
Tobida's suggestion and obfuscated link seem pertinent. Disable Drag-n-Drop.
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 22. Nov 2020, 16:32
by Makarios
My Initial encounter with Virtualbox and my Win10VM was by using a cloned version of my actual windows machine.
This one was not running well and had some clutter issues. I also had the speed and cpu issues on the running windows 10 machine.
I have subsequently made a fresh windows install to VM and this cpu isses went away.
I have also since graded to Virtual box 6.1. The Guest additions works better in my opinion
Re: VirtualBox Guest Additions Tray Application showing high % Cpu useage in WIn10 Guest
Posted: 22. Nov 2020, 23:55
by scottgus1
Thanks for letting us know. Fresh installs do wonders sometimes, yes. Glad you're up and running!