Windows host freeze with Linux guests -> fixed in SVN/2.1.4

[gnegnus]

I tried to install Ubuntu 8.04 with VB 1.6.0 on Vista Premiun 32 bit.

My laptop is a Asus Pro50 SL (C2Duo T5550, ATI HD3470, 4GB DDR2).

When boot the machine i see the boot screen of ubuntu-cd, i start the installation but computer freeze few second later. No mouse or keyboard response. I've to hard poweroff the laptop.

It append with any distribution, (I've tried Fedora 9, Slax, Konoppix, ...)

[gnegnus]

Log file

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Could you retry with 1.6.2? We've fixed one problem that caused blue screens in Windows. No freezing system, but it might be related.

[gnegnus]

Where is the 1.6.2? In the Sun page there is only 1.6.0.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Hopefully it will be there within a few days.

[gnegnus]

I've tried with the 1.6.2 version but is the same. =(

When I boot a Windows installation cd VirtualBox works fine!

Imho it's problem is caused by a conflict with the linux kernel.

[Frank Mehnert]

Please could you attach a VBox.log when you try to boot your Linux guest with 1.6.2? Could you try to boot your guest with VT-x enabled (see VM settings)?

[jarboed]

I may be seeing the same bug. I was able to install, and was up and running in the virtual for a few hours in all (both booting from vdisk and resuming snapshots). But recently whenever I try to boot from vdisk with or without VT-x enabled the whole OS locks up. OS 32-bit Vista Ultimate SP1, hardware: Lenovo Thinkpad X61s. VirtualBox 1.6.2 booting a Ubuntu 8.4 installation. Logs to follow.

[jarboed]

Without VT-x

[jarboed]

With VT-x

[gnegnus]

VB 1.6.2 - Slax boot freeze

[gnegnus]

If I boot a Windows install cd it runs without any problem. The freeze appens only when booting a linux kernel.

My notebook is Asus Pro50SL (Intel Core2Duo T5550, 4 GB DDR2, Vista 32 Home Premium)

[gnegnus]

I've noted that Vista do NOT freeze because my ftp server is fully operating and mp3 continuos to playback! Mouse and GUI are, instead, completely NOT responding! =(

[gnegnus]

Replying to gnegnus:

I've noted that Vista do NOT freeze because my ftp server is fully operating and mp3 continuos to playback! Mouse and GUI are, instead, completely NOT responding! =(

I'm sorry only mp3 is playing, ftp server isn't responding.

[jarboed]

Found VT-x was not enabled in BIOS. After enabling I no longer run into this problem when running the VM with VT-x enabled.

[gnegnus]

I can't enable this option in the BIOS because I haven't. =( I've upgraded VB to 1.6.4 and flashed the BIOS version but problem still remain. =(

[Frank Mehnert]

According to the ​Intel Spec your processor indeed lacks VT-x support. But could you try with VBox 2.0.2 anyway?

[Arnaud FARINE]

Hello,

For your information I tested yesterday with VBox 2.0.2 (VirtualBox-2.0.2-36488-Win_x86.msi). My laptop is a Asus V5 family. I've exactly the same problem.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

amouf: please attach your VBox.log and try with VT-x enabled if your CPU supports it.

[Arnaud FARINE]

arnaud_log1

[Arnaud FARINE]

I attached my logs file yesterday. I couldn't try the option VT-x cause the checkbox is not available for my laptop by virtualbox. Hoping that you could find a solution.

Regards

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Did you enable the USB and host interface networking options during VBox installation? If so, please reinstall and disable both.

[Arnaud FARINE]

Yes that's right. Ok, I'll do it and give you a feedback tonight or tomorrow. Thanks a lot for your suppport. It's a little annoying to not dispose of USB and Networking option :(

[Arnaud FARINE]

Ok I disabled both (USB and host interface networking) but Vista is still frozen! I attach the new log file.

[Arnaud FARINE]

Log with USB and Networking options disabled

[gnegnus]

I've updated to 2.0.4 and retry.

Booting Ubuntu 8.04.1 Vista still freeze. =(

Booting Ubuntu 8.04.1 without "splash" and "quiet" parameter I've the same result but I saw a kernel panic il Ubuntu log that is not recorded in the VB log. The log stop recording before the kernel panic.

[yaseer999]

I have the same problem, so when it's solved let me know

[Martin Abrahamsson]

I also get the same freeze.

[Martin Abrahamsson]

I'm running a HP 6910p notebook. I've noticed that I only got this problems when using wired network connections. As long as I'm using the wireless connection (or no network connection at all) there is no problem whatsoever.

And I've by the way tried to disable the network adapters for the guest OS, though no difference.

[gnegnus]

I've tried to booting Ubuntu 8.10 with only hd and cd-image enabled (no lan, usb, audio, etc). The same freeze. =(

Today i'll post the new test log.

[gnegnus]

I think you can change Guest type from "other" to " Linux".

I've tried to boot Windows Vista installation dvd and work perfectly. If you want I'll post the log.

[Francis Martens]

It worked for me (it failed before with VBox 2.02)

• I created a fixed disk (8 GB)
• Enabled ACPI

[gnegnus]

I'll try your solution and then I'll post the result.

I've ever used Dinamic Disk. I hope that it's the solution.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Try again with the next maintenance release. We have disabled some code that might have something to do with the weird crashes on win32.

[gnegnus]

I've tried with fixed disk and nothing change.

Ok! I'll try the next release. =)

I also want to say thank you for everthing you do for fixing ours problems. =)

[Mike]

I am having the same issue. I have tried everything. I am trying to get 8.04 LTS Server to install but when trying to install it will freeze my entire computer. I moved to this over vmware. Please do not let me go back to vmware. I have heard so many good things about this.

[gnegnus]

I've upgraded tu 2.0.6 and I get the same problem. =( The same totally freeze. I've posted the new log file.

[Lo Yuk Fai]

Same problem here.

[bendparker]

Same issue with me here. Tried everything I can think of, including downgrading to Virtual Box 1.5.4 and same result.

[quatsch]

Same problem here on a Thinkpad x200. Like mabrahamsson above, the problem occurs only when wired network is connected. When only on wireless, everything is just fine.

[gnegnus]

I use only wireless network in my Asus PRO50SL and I have opened the ticket. =)

[Lo Yuk Fai]

Same here, wireless only.

BTW, is there anything we can do to facilitate the devs to identify and solve the problem...?

[bendparker]

Confirm that the problem persists in Virtual Box 2.1.0. Same issue although I think I got an error before the screen went black then blue. I believe it said something about a "[...bad swapper..."]

[Lo Yuk Fai]

The problem seems to been gone on my box with 2.1.0. I'm installing Ubuntu via a mounted ISO image and so far it's been fine.

[gnegnus]

Same problem after upgrade to 2.1.0. =( I can't belive that thereisn't a solution for this problem. I think that problem is related to processors Core2Duo whitout the VT-x/AMD-v capability when booting a linux guest.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

We have never seen the problem ourselves and without a minidump of some kind it's really hard to say what's going on.

Please all of you enable mini dumps (see ​http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315263) and retry with 2.1.0. Include a VBox.log from a normal session (start a VM, close immediately). Describe your hardware briefly. Mention if the problem goes away with VT-x/AMD-V or not (if applicable). Disable host interface networking (use NAT in the VM) and uninstall the VirtualBox USB driver. If there is a new dump file in \Windows\minidump, then please attach it or provide it for download somewhere.

Thank you.

[bendparker]

I will try to go through these steps this evening and attach the requested info.

[Lo Yuk Fai]

Finished installing Ubuntu here. USB driver installed. VT-x/AMD-V enabled.

Working VBox.log (2.1.0) attached. Non-working ones (2.0.6) have been uploaded earlier.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

loyukfai: without VT-x/AMD-V you still see the hang I presume? (with 2.1.0)

I have deleted a couple of replies here as frustrated rants serve no purpose. (vboxfan2)

[Lo Yuk Fai]

@sandervl73: Yes, when I disable VT-x, the VM still hangs, see attached log.

BTW, VT-x has been enabled in the BIOS, if that matters.

[vboxfan2]

new to VBOX bugtracker, but i've adapted VBOX since its early build that always worked fine for "OLD" boxes - great work for VBOX team!

if more carefully read my previous replies, you would see i wished them serve a straight handy way for VBOX team to reproduce this persisting problem.

happy weekend!

I have deleted a couple of replies here as frustrated rants serve no purpose. (vboxfan2)

[hotspot]

Same problem for me. A bit more descriptions here: ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?p=41183&sid=e01bb776ca0f5553ba192c317e346b30 I'll try to attach logs of my ubuntu and open-solaris guests here, as soon as I locate upload button. =]

I found several problems across the web, and most of them seems to be related to vista-host+linux/unix-guest, notebooks (or software coming with them), wireless hardware and/or accessing iso images. (Only impression, though)

Waiting anxiously for this nasty problem to be resolved =[

[hotspot]

open-solaris-200811 vm xml

[hotspot]

open-solaris-200811 necrolog

[hotspot]

ubuntu-8.10 vm xml

[hotspot]

ubuntu-8.10 necrolog

[hotspot]

I am sorry for my post @ [12/21/08 19:54:17 changed by hotspot]

I PASTED THE WRONG LINK there, and there is no "edit" functionality. Here is the right one: ​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12471&sid=469c9ff5f229ebec4214e7c088427b48

Shame on me =[

[hotspot]

BTW, I have very similar configuration of my notebook. ASUS X59SRseries, Core Duo P7350, ATI HD3470

[Sander van Leeuwen]

hotspot: can you confirm that the problem goes away when you use the wireless instead of the wired interface on your laptop?

[Mike]

I was using wireless and wired with this issue. It still froze

[hotspot]

sandervl73:
No, I wasn't able to reproduce any "happy-end" use-case for this issue no matter what settings I choose. From the VM context menu I choose "Settings..."->"Network". From "Host Interfaces" I choose my wireless network adapter. It becomes highlighted, and I press "OK". Is this means "use wireless"? Since when I next time go to VM's network settings, it is not highlighted again. Is the wireless interface was really chosen? I am not sure. However, I disabled my ethernet controller in vista device manager, and it hanged too. I disabled both network interfaces - same result. Btw, even when disabled, both network interfaces were in VM's "Host Interface" list. I also tried to launch vm with disabled guest network adapter (by removing checkbox from guest's network menu), it still frozed vista. Sometimes right before hanging, guest writes some error output to its screen. It differs from time to time, but mainly looks like VM's logs. I can try to capture this, if it will make any use to you guys. I also can try to reproduce any use case that can help you, or even try to make a screencast.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

Could anybody confirm that the problem disappears when you don't use the ATI graphics drivers (instead use the standard MS VGA drivers)? In a similar ticket (​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/2763) this got rid of the blue screens.

[Lo Yuk Fai]

Just FYI, my PC has Intel GMA graphics.

Besides, the problem is that the input freezes, but no BSOD whatsover.

[hotspot]

sandervl73: Yes, I can confirm that. Yesterday I've changed the driver for graphics adapter from ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470 to default VGA driver, and it solved the problem. At least Ubuntu has passed the "death point" to continue with the live session and/or installation. With default OS driver VB works fine. However, it is very difficult to work with such a low resolution and poor screen quality. Can you estimate roughly (or just make a guess) when this problem may be fixed? For ex, month, year, never? I need this information to make some decisions. Thank you.

[Sander van Leeuwen]

I'm not suggesting this is a solution; I'm merely trying to isolate the problem. It's kind of hard to give you an estimate as we have never seen this issue ourselves.

[Jose M Beleta]

Same problem here as reported in bug #2269 (​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/2269) and forum (​http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?t=12471&highlight=)

I am using ATI drivers too. No problem with VMWare.

Any chance to get a solution in the near future?

[Sander van Leeuwen]

I might have an idea what's causing this. It's a bit of a guess as we've never been able to reproduce this here.

This theory assumes that only Linux VMs will trigger this host crash/hang. At least Windows VMs should not.

If anybody wants to try a test build, please let me know (here).

[Jose M Beleta]

I would like to try the test build.

To complete the information about the problem, this weekend I discovered that when using my laptop undocked (I am using a dock station with several devices attached, keyboard, external monitor, lan, tablet, several disks, ...) the problem does not show. I began to unplug devices with no luck so far.

[Jose M Beleta]

If anybody wants to try a test build, please let me know (here).

I tried the test build and now it works perfectly!

[Sander van Leeuwen]

This fix will be in the next maintenance release (due out soon).

[hotspot]

Replying to sandervl73:

This fix will be in the next maintenance release (due out soon).

It would be great, if so. Is there any info available (at least brief) what was causing this problem?

[Sander van Leeuwen]

We incorrectly assumed that interrupt 128 (0x80) was unused. This gate was used for a performance improvement for Linux guests on 32 bits Windows hosts.

[Ibrahim]

Hi,

I am also facing the exact same problem with Solaris 10 Guest on my Windows Vista Host. The status is set to closed. Has the new release (2.1.4) been released ? (I cant find it on the website, on the download page its still 2.1.2).

Will the new release solve my solaris problem too.

[Gabriel Viso]

I have to say that, finally, it works for my ASUS X50SL. Good job :-)

I can't do anything else than encourage you to keep doing so well. Go for Direct 3D support! :-)

[Ibrahim]

Works like a charm !!!