Virtual machine help

[avmad]

Im having a nightmare trying to use virtual machines on my pc. The host pc keeps having high cpu 100%, and everything freezes for a minute and then goes back to normal.

Then it will randomly do it again when it feels like it, makes the vm virtually unusable because of the constant freezes. It completely locks everything up, and I just have to wait for it to be useable again.

I've used VM Workstation on my laptop without any problems, so I understand how to use it, just lol.

I tried Virtual Box on my pc, and it would give high cp use and freeze, then stay frozen. So I got rid and tried VMware workstation, thinking it would be ok. But it does the same thing, every minute or 5 if im lucky, theres no set time. It becomes useable again but not for long.

The culprit is vmware-vmx.exe, the cpu use jumps around dramatically and is often in the 90s then it freezes the whole computer for a while the drops down low again, but not for very long. I can't see any pattern to it.

I've tried it with no av installed on host or guest, but it didn't help. Tried no Diskeeper, and loads of other stuff with no joy.

I installed Windows 7 as the first guest, thought maybe it was too much for my comp, so tried XP with the same result.

My pc is pretty o;d but not too bad, should be good enough I think.

AMD 64 Athlon 3500+ 2.2ghz

2.5G Ram (Give 1G to guest machine)

XP Home

The latest version of VMWare Workstation.

I thought if VmWare was not compatible it usually tells you when trying to install it.

I have searched the net in a big way looking for answers, including a 100 odd pages from the VMWare site :frusty: and tried whatever I could find out with no joy.

Im hoping someone here will have ideas, or has gone through the same thing so I know whether to give up on it or not.

Thanks :(

[HX1]

I am not an expert with VMWare.. but this could be in the settings for the VM. I always exclude the VHD file from being scanned..

It would sound like an issue where you are have a redundancy somewhere... a place where your settings are causing either a repetitive action which does not need to be done.. or ... you are having issues with a setting that is not right for your system...

I would also check and see if you have and use hardware virtualization.. if your CPU has it .. the setting will be in BIOS.. and there could also be a setting in the VM as well ... or in VMWare..

If I can run Windows 7 Ultimate over the top of mine.. in VB without any problems you should be able to as well.. my hardware is much older.. and you have a little more RAM...Make sure your only giving it one CPU as well.. not both.. if that is a setting you can adjust..

Main thing would be to check settings one at a time.. the hard part will come into play if.. by chance you have more than one thing effecting or or a configuration that simply is not going to work with your system and needs to be redone with considerations given to it..

EDIT: On my VM I give it one CPU.. ( thats with single core like mine ) and 512 MB -1 GB RAM.. No extended features and I have PAE/NX enabled.. One monitor.. 32 MB.. no acceleration.. NAT Network.. and I actually remember having issues with using USB.. so I would look there as well..

[WaKa WaKa]

EDIT: On my VM I give it one CPU.. ( thats with single core like mine ) and 512 MB -1 GB RAM.. No extended features and I have PAE/NX enabled.. One monitor.. 32 MB.. no acceleration.. NAT Network.. and I actually remember having issues with using USB.. so I would look there as well..

Me too. Dont give to much CPU or RAM to your VM. If you give too much RAM, its gonna use your disk as ram cache (its very very slow)

An check your CPU temp. Maybe its throtling to prevent CPU burn.

OMG!! Mi english its so bad. :(

[portage]

Try giving 512 RAM to your Virtual machine and see and also what AV are you running? For XP 512 mb is enough. Try disabling your AV while your using your VM.

I use Vmware with XP at 512 RAM and NIS 2011 and my CPU stays normal at 0 - 10%

[spootnack]

Hello.

Strange problem. So you have the same problem with Virtual Box ? (With one Virtual Box process ?)

Did you change these settings on VMware ?

If you set VMware to use one cpu / one core (by default), it shouldn't use more than 50% of your cpu, isn't it ?

Hmmmm, besides, myself I don't know why some applications use only up to 50% cpu .... :s => Multi-thread compatible...

++

[HX1]

My thing is .. when I am using a VM... I go fullscreen and use it like an OS... my other OS.. Host.. is idle.. Nothing should spike your system at that point other than your running VM.. If you have something else that is I would look into rather it is something yo can live without and remove it..

[avmad]

I,ve been trying different things. I have only 1 core, and no hardware virtulization (I tried all those settings)

Now using 512 ram and its better than it was, no freezes so far, its early days yet. On the host its only the vmware-vmx.exe that spikes, no problem with the guest useage. I'll keep using it and see what happens. Thanks for all the suggestions.

If I used W7 again I would need to use 1g ram wouldn't I? and then I would have the problem again (if it is now ok) So still not sure of a proper solution :unsure:

[portage]

with Windows 7 you would need 1 gig because 512 will make it laggy and slow (tried it).

[box]

When I run VMware Work Station, I usually have Win7x64, Win7x86, and WinXP running at the same time. With SSD (3x) (RAID0), Quad CPU, 8GB RAM, and ATI CrossFire, I have no issue. (Just bragging because I paid too much for this configuration. :frusty: )

If you haven't done so, you should put the VM on an independent hard drive.

[avmad]

Yeah thanks box :blink: :D I need to get another HD, only have an old pc's hd which I use for backups. Am on the lookout for another one.