Linux PC freezing with VMware and Windows 10 VM
scorpcmd
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scorpcmd Posted messages 33 Status Member -
scorpcmd Posted messages 33 Status Member -
Hello,
after several searches without finding answers to the issues I'm facing, I'm asking for help.
So here it is, on a work laptop there is Parrot Security, and Windows 10 in a VMware VM.
I use the Windows VM for management software, and Parrot for paperwork/invoices.
All the excess of Windows has been removed/deactivated to use fewer resources like apps, Cortana, useless services, and other fluff... (it consumes a lot more resources compared to Linux!)
The PC running Parrot works without issue.
12GB of RAM, SSD 850 EVO-250GB, i7-4600M, Nvidia graphics card.
But when I start the VM (booting Windows), the PC starts to have slight freezes. And when Windows is started, I could still work despite random freezes. I tried installing VMware Tools, but it didn't work as they wouldn't install. Errors occurred after each password validation.
So the PC having already worked well (refurbished PC, motherboard that is starting to not boot properly), I thought that transferring my system to another machine would work better.
For the new configuration, I used the following:
Motherboard Z170, i5-6600K, 8GB of RAM, SSD Sandisk 250GB (no graphics card).
Not needing Parrot Security, I installed Parrot Home (nice customization of Parrot). After installation, Parrot works well, still no issues. But on the VM side, it’s not great. As soon as I launch the VM, it causes slight freezes, Windows freezes for several seconds after reaching the desktop, and this occurs almost every time I move the mouse too quickly.
When everything is fully booted, I launch a management software, and the VM freezes, and if I go back to Parrot, it also starts to freeze. When I launch the browser on the Parrot side, the freeze can last 30 to 40 seconds.
As for VMware Tools, I can't install them either.
And what I forgot to mention is that VMware works with kernel 4.19, not with 4.3 - 4.4 - 4.5
I ran a test, on the Z170 config, there is an SSD with Windows 10. I therefore installed VMware on this Windows 10 to test the virtualization of the Windows 10 I am using from Linux. And everything works great, both Windows are smooth, on the VM side I can use several management software without causing freezes, and on the existing Windows I can use the browser and text processing tools without issues.
I am using 2 screens.
Hoping that this problem has already been encountered, because on my side I haven't found any answers other than modifying the VMware settings, which haven't changed anything. I also tried enabling the XMP profile for the RAM and added a graphics card (an old ATI HD5440 or something like that) with no effect.
PS: anecdote: on the Windows side for gaming, the ATI card is a disaster compared to the i5-6600K processor. Since the card is installed, I took the opportunity to test it :)
So that's it, thank you in advance.
after several searches without finding answers to the issues I'm facing, I'm asking for help.
So here it is, on a work laptop there is Parrot Security, and Windows 10 in a VMware VM.
I use the Windows VM for management software, and Parrot for paperwork/invoices.
All the excess of Windows has been removed/deactivated to use fewer resources like apps, Cortana, useless services, and other fluff... (it consumes a lot more resources compared to Linux!)
The PC running Parrot works without issue.
12GB of RAM, SSD 850 EVO-250GB, i7-4600M, Nvidia graphics card.
But when I start the VM (booting Windows), the PC starts to have slight freezes. And when Windows is started, I could still work despite random freezes. I tried installing VMware Tools, but it didn't work as they wouldn't install. Errors occurred after each password validation.
So the PC having already worked well (refurbished PC, motherboard that is starting to not boot properly), I thought that transferring my system to another machine would work better.
For the new configuration, I used the following:
Motherboard Z170, i5-6600K, 8GB of RAM, SSD Sandisk 250GB (no graphics card).
Not needing Parrot Security, I installed Parrot Home (nice customization of Parrot). After installation, Parrot works well, still no issues. But on the VM side, it’s not great. As soon as I launch the VM, it causes slight freezes, Windows freezes for several seconds after reaching the desktop, and this occurs almost every time I move the mouse too quickly.
When everything is fully booted, I launch a management software, and the VM freezes, and if I go back to Parrot, it also starts to freeze. When I launch the browser on the Parrot side, the freeze can last 30 to 40 seconds.
As for VMware Tools, I can't install them either.
And what I forgot to mention is that VMware works with kernel 4.19, not with 4.3 - 4.4 - 4.5
I ran a test, on the Z170 config, there is an SSD with Windows 10. I therefore installed VMware on this Windows 10 to test the virtualization of the Windows 10 I am using from Linux. And everything works great, both Windows are smooth, on the VM side I can use several management software without causing freezes, and on the existing Windows I can use the browser and text processing tools without issues.
I am using 2 screens.
Hoping that this problem has already been encountered, because on my side I haven't found any answers other than modifying the VMware settings, which haven't changed anything. I also tried enabling the XMP profile for the RAM and added a graphics card (an old ATI HD5440 or something like that) with no effect.
PS: anecdote: on the Windows side for gaming, the ATI card is a disaster compared to the i5-6600K processor. Since the card is installed, I took the opportunity to test it :)
So that's it, thank you in advance.
2 answers
Hi,
so I finally found a solution here:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/458893/vmware-on-linux-host-causes-regular-freezes
this person having the same issue ended up finding that disabling the khugepaged defragmentation helped.
I just tried it, and the effect is immediate, the VM starts without slowing down the Linux host, the management software opens fine and the usage is smooth.
on the Linux host I can play a video in 1080P BluRay on VLC while also browsing the internet. all this at the same time as having the browser and software open on the VM.
For the solution: In a terminal, run the following commands
echo never | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/khugepaged/defrag
I don't know what khugepaged is, so for those who encounter this freeze issue, make sure to do your research before running these commands. Personally, that's what I'm doing, but to my credit, I just did a fresh install, and I have no data. I will therefore prepare the machine and see if I encounter any unusual issues.
Thanks @teutates for enlightening me on some solutions. I saw that you have quite a few articles on VMs.
I am marking this as resolved. For those who know these commands, do they have an impact on system performance and stability?
so I finally found a solution here:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/458893/vmware-on-linux-host-causes-regular-freezes
this person having the same issue ended up finding that disabling the khugepaged defragmentation helped.
I just tried it, and the effect is immediate, the VM starts without slowing down the Linux host, the management software opens fine and the usage is smooth.
on the Linux host I can play a video in 1080P BluRay on VLC while also browsing the internet. all this at the same time as having the browser and software open on the VM.
For the solution: In a terminal, run the following commands
echo never | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag
echo 0 | sudo tee /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/khugepaged/defrag
I don't know what khugepaged is, so for those who encounter this freeze issue, make sure to do your research before running these commands. Personally, that's what I'm doing, but to my credit, I just did a fresh install, and I have no data. I will therefore prepare the machine and see if I encounter any unusual issues.
Thanks @teutates for enlightening me on some solutions. I saw that you have quite a few articles on VMs.
I am marking this as resolved. For those who know these commands, do they have an impact on system performance and stability?
Hello,
Your physical machine has 8 GB of RAM. But how much RAM have you allocated to your virtual machine? Because your problem might well be in that parameter. With 8 GB of total physical memory, at best you can allocate only 4 GB to the virtual machine in order to leave the other 4 GB for the physical machine. Another solution: add RAM to increase the total to 16 GB (or more).
--
Toco y se gausos!!!
Your physical machine has 8 GB of RAM. But how much RAM have you allocated to your virtual machine? Because your problem might well be in that parameter. With 8 GB of total physical memory, at best you can allocate only 4 GB to the virtual machine in order to leave the other 4 GB for the physical machine. Another solution: add RAM to increase the total to 16 GB (or more).
--
Toco y se gausos!!!
Hello,
On the PC, the VM had 6GB of RAM. When I reinstalled it on the tower, I kept 6GB for the VM despite having 8GB physically. And under Windows, the Windows VM worked well with its 6GB.
I reduced the VM RAM to just below 5GB, but it hasn't improved.
Could it just be a lack of physical memory that is causing so many freezes since Linux?
On the PC, the VM had 6GB of RAM. When I reinstalled it on the tower, I kept 6GB for the VM despite having 8GB physically. And under Windows, the Windows VM worked well with its 6GB.
I reduced the VM RAM to just below 5GB, but it hasn't improved.
Could it just be a lack of physical memory that is causing so many freezes since Linux?
Oh, I also tried it on an MSI Z77 motherboard with an i5-2500K, without a graphics card and using the ATI card, along with 12GB of RAM, and it was doing the same thing but even worse. I had to use the tower button to restart, there were freezes after 10-15 seconds once the VM was launched, and when it completely started, the PC was generally completely frozen.
(Sorry for the mistakes.. spelling and grammar are not a strength.)
For the freezes, the posted solution has indeed fixed the crashes of the Windows VM + Linux host. But on the VM side, there are still random freezes occurring, lasting a few seconds, about 10-12s, regardless of the use of the host or the VM.
On the VM, it is possible to open a software and execute several operations without issues, and the next time, the opening is very slow, interface displaying element by element, the same for clicking on a tab.
It also freezes when doing nothing at all, and the interface displays are refreshed from top to bottom.
It’s not usable for working during the day. It’s only suitable for file backups; it’s not annoying if the system hangs for about ten seconds.
However, with Windows as the host system, it works well. It is possible to move software interfaces without freezes, and the usage is completely smooth. Opening 3 management software + browser with 3 tabs + task manager, without any slowdown of the host or VM.
(And the installation of VMware tools went smoothly, while from the Linux host I get errors.)
Could it be possible that the kernel is the problem? Knowing that VMware only works with kernel 4.19 on my machines.
For your information, with 16 GB of actual RAM, I ran a 64-bit VBox virtual machine with 4 GB of allocated RAM under a GNU/Linux host, in which a second 32-bit VBox virtual machine was running with 2 GB of allocated RAM. .... A test that some would call "stupid and pointless" just to "see" if the machine would crash. .... But it worked ... although I refrained from changing the virtual desktop in my various cascaded systems, knowing that I launched no resource-heavy applications.
I have therefore conducted tests with Mint and Windows as the host system and Win10Pro VM.
Z77+i5-2500k, 12GB of physical RAM, and 4GB for the VM:
With Mint, I installed VMware + new Windows VM + updates, followed by the installation of the software, and there was no slowdown. I managed more than 2 hours of operation yesterday without any issues. And all this without the VMware tools, which I managed to install with Mint.
With Windows and VMware, the same, no problems after 3 hours of use.
On the work machine with Parrot, Z170 + i5-6600k, 8GB physical RAM and still 4GB for the VM,
I uninstalled everything and removed VMware files, cleaned up temporary files, restarted, then reinstalled VMware and launched the VM.
And disappointment, since there are still slowdowns and random freezes after a few minutes on the desktop.
And it is still impossible to install the VMware tools.
After several searches and tests with different kernels, I gave up and decided to switch to VBox.
And there, after quite a few issues, an unstable VM, installation errors for software and the extension pack...
I also had to uninstall VBox and reinstall everything to have a stable VM, and afterwards the installation of the extension pack went smoothly (I had to open VBox with "sudo" for the installation of the pack).
But the longest part was managing to connect the USB. Adding the filter or device, no device was visible in the config window, even playing with 1-2 and 3.0, nothing worked.
To connect the USB, the host user was added to the "vboxusers" group.
But in the end, everything is great with VBox.
But the real finale, the crashes of Parrot with VMware: the solution from the posted link works, but the VM still freezes randomly for a few seconds.
I hadn't thought to ask the question on the Parrot-France forum; I will do so as soon as possible, and if a reliable solution is found, I will post it.
I only encountered this problem with Parrot Security or Parrot Home. An association for which we reconfigured the machines with Linux Mint as the host system and Windows 7 in a VirtualBox VM, everything went smoothly.
I will follow your advice and start by removing VMware and its extensions, and installing VirtualBox.
I will try again on the Z77 configuration with i5-2500K and 12GB of RAM, Linux Mint as the distribution, and VirtualBox to start. And on another configuration with Debian 9.
As for VirtualBox, I prefer it (free), but the problem is that I still haven't managed to fix the display resolution of the VMs.
Your test is far from being stupid and useless (and thanks by the way for conducting this test), that's how we learn and get more or less revealing answers.
I will prepare the machines for the different tests.