Delayed Write Failed error with Windows XP VM using Shared Folders

[Mark Scarton]

I'm running a Windows XP VM in VirtualBox 2.1.4 under RedHat (RHEL) 5.3. It's on a very beefy box -- Dell M6400 quad core extreme with 12GB RAM and an SSD.

In general the VM runs great. More stable and faster than when Windows is running natively on my other laptop. The problem that I encounter is when I have active files located on a VB shared folder; I often will get a Delayed Write Failed error message and the files may be mangled. One file where this was occurring frequently was my primary Outlook data folder. I had to move it out of the shared folder and into the Windows dedicated C: drive.

I constructed the shared folder as follows:

1. Create a new partition on my secondary hard drive using RHEL fdisk command
2. Format the partition as an ext3
3. Mount the file system on Linux (as /windows_home)

In VirtualBox, I then defined the Shared Folder for the VM using the administration GUI tool. The folder shows up on Windows as a Network Attached Drive mapped to a drive letter. Typical nonintensive tasks can manipulate the files fine. But if an application updates the file frequently, such as an Outlook PST, xcopy of a large number of files to an alternate drive, Word save files, etc., I receive the delayed write error. Attempts to backup the folder from Windows using tools like xcopy and robocopy fail with this error too, and I get very nervous going more than a day or two without a complete, versioned backup of my work.

My intent is to be able to share access and update of these files concurrently from within Linux and Windows. I really don't want to be copying or synchronizing files between the environments, particularly since it is my intent to eventually be running 4-6 VM's concurrently. The complexity goes up exponentially with the number of VM's sharing the folder(s).

Please tell me what additional information I can supply to assist you with diagnosing and correcting this problem. If Shared Folders really aren't intended to be used with highly volative files, is there an alternative approach that you would recommend. Since this is exposed on Windows as a network drive, I don't know of any way to manipulate things like the Windows file caching strategy, etc. I did set the VBOX_DISABLE_HOST_DISK_CACHE=1 in my /etc/profile so that VirtualBox would inherit the setting, but that didn't seem to correct the issue.

I absolutely love the product. IMHO it's simple to use yet run's Windows in a VM far better than Windows is capable of running itself natively. I recommend it to all of my clients. So I'd really like to help you diagnose and fix this issue.

Thanks!

[Frank Mehnert]

For understanding: delayed write error is some message box which pops up in your Windows guest, right?

Please could you attach a VBox.log file of a session when this error occurred?

[metropolis]

I'm having a similar problem, opening and saving Word and other small files on a shared folder is terribly slow, and Word is frozen for about 5 seconds before anything happens. This only happens on shared folders. I recognized, that the virtual network-LED starts to flicker rapidly, so I disabled the virtual network adapter ("No cable attached"). If there's no network, everything which has to do with shared folders runs nice and smoothly, and the problem does not occur.

Host: Ubuntu 8.10 x64 Guest: Windows XP SP3 32 Bit Virtualbox 2.1.4 virtual Ethernet: NAT

Most noticable with MS Office 2003

[Thomas Scheller]

I have the same problem. Wireshark shows that virtualbox always tries to resolve the hostname VBOXSVR. It tries all dns search domains that are configured in the TCP/IP settings. Putting the hostname and domain names to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts does not help, virtualbox does still send requests to the DNS Server. Putting the hostname and domain names to /etc/hosts on the host system does also not help.

I have disabled some WinXP services like "Computerbrowser" and the "TCP/IP Netbios bla".

Guest is WinXP SP 3. Virtual Box is 2.1.4. Host system is Gentoo Linux 64bit. You may reproduce this by saving a word document with Office 2003 or buying a song in the iTunes Store.

[sunlover]

Could all of you attach a VBox.log file of a session when this error occurred?

[metropolis]

Seesion with VirtualBox 2.2.0BETA2

[Thomas Scheller]

I'm sorry, I tried several times to attach the logfile, but I do always get an error message:

Python Traceback

Traceback (most recent call last):

File "/var/lib/python-support/python2.5/trac/web/main.py", line 387, in dispatch_request

dispatcher.dispatch(req)

File "/var/lib/python-support/python2.5/trac/web/main.py", line 237, in dispatch

resp = chosen_handler.process_request(req)

File "/var/lib/python-support/python2.5/trac/attachment.py", line 361, in process_request

self._do_save(req, attachment)

File "/var/lib/python-support/python2.5/trac/attachment.py", line 450, in _do_save

size = upload.file.len

AttributeError: 'cStringIO.StringO' object has no attribute 'len'

---

The interesting part of the vbox log may be:

00:00:52.553 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:00:52.808 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:00:52.808 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:00:52.808 Mapped to handle 0. 00:00:56.796 Audio: set_record_source ars=0 als=0 (not implemented) 00:00:56.796 Audio: set_record_source ars=0 als=0 (not implemented) 00:01:03.002 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:01:03.002 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:01:03.002 Mapped to handle 0. 00:01:13.996 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:01:13.996 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:01:26.054 PCNet#0: Init: ss32=1 GCRDRA=0x090dc420[64] GCTDRA=0x090dc020[64] 00:01:31.579 Guest Log: VBoxTray: Started. 00:01:32.574 Guest Additions capability report: (0x5) seamless: yes, hostWindowMapping: no, graphics: yes 00:02:00.879 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:02:26.497 PATM: Disable block at 888d17c4 - write 888d18cc-888d18ce 00:03:40.936 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:03:41.107 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:03:41.107 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:03:41.107 Mapped to handle 0. 00:03:52.044 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:03:52.044 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:03:58.595 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:03:58.595 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:03:58.595 Mapped to handle 0. 00:04:09.528 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:04:09.528 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:15.171 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:04:15.171 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:15.171 Mapped to handle 0. 00:04:25.978 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:04:25.978 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:27.634 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:04:27.634 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:27.634 Mapped to handle 0. 00:04:27.721 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder dat 00:04:27.721 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VERR_FILE_NOT_FOUND. 00:04:36.765 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:04:38.575 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:04:38.575 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:48.477 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:04:48.478 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:04:48.478 Mapped to handle 0. 00:04:59.323 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:04:59.323 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:05:09.228 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:05:09.229 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:05:09.229 Mapped to handle 0. 00:05:15.485 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:05:15.485 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:05:25.273 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:06:02.617 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:06:02.617 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:02.617 Mapped to handle 0. 00:06:02.856 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:06:13.562 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:06:13.562 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:19.063 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:06:19.064 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:19.064 Mapped to handle 0. 00:06:29.993 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:06:29.993 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:35.228 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:06:35.228 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:35.228 Mapped to handle 0. 00:06:46.153 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:06:46.153 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:51.420 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:06:51.455 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:06:51.455 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:06:51.455 Mapped to handle 0. 00:06:51.860 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:07:02.406 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:07:02.406 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:08.248 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:07:08.248 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:08.248 Mapped to handle 0. 00:07:19.191 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:07:19.191 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:24.342 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:07:24.342 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:24.342 Mapped to handle 0. 00:07:35.275 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:07:35.275 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:40.385 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:07:40.428 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:07:40.428 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:40.428 Mapped to handle 0. 00:07:40.658 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:07:51.370 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:07:51.370 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:56.911 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:07:56.911 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:07:56.911 Mapped to handle 0. 00:08:07.833 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:08:07.833 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:13.007 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:08:13.007 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:13.007 Mapped to handle 0. 00:08:23.936 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:08:23.936 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:29.027 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:08:29.077 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:08:29.077 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:29.077 Mapped to handle 0. 00:08:29.265 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:08:40.014 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:08:40.014 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:45.440 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:08:45.440 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:08:45.440 Mapped to handle 0. 00:08:56.374 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:08:56.374 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:01.576 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:09:01.576 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:01.576 Mapped to handle 0. 00:09:12.504 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:09:12.504 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:17.965 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:09:18.014 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:09:18.014 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:18.014 Mapped to handle 0. 00:09:18.399 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL loaded. 00:09:28.943 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:09:28.943 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:34.705 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:09:34.705 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:34.705 Mapped to handle 0. 00:09:45.648 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:09:45.648 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:50.835 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:09:50.835 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:09:50.835 Mapped to handle 0. 00:10:01.771 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:10:01.771 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:10:06.880 Guest Log: VBOXNP: DLL unloaded. 00:10:14.150 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:10:14.150 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:10:14.150 Mapped to handle 0. 00:10:24.614 SharedFolders host service: request to unmap folder handle 0 00:10:24.614 SharedFolders host service: unmap operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:10:30.233 SharedFolders host service: request to map folder data 00:10:30.233 SharedFolders host service: map operation result VINF_SUCCESS. 00:10:30.233 Mapped to handle 0.

[Mark Scarton]

I've given up on using Shared Folders with VirtualBox. I ran into other access inconsistencies as well as the delayed write failure.

What I've done instead is to place all of the partitions/file systems that I want to share under the ownership of the host OS (RHEL 5.3, in my case). I then expose them using Samba to the virtual machines, using accounts to control which has what type of access to each.

So in my Windows XP VM, where I run the office suite and do my administrative work, I simply map a drive to the Samba shares that my Windows applications need access to. I use the NAT support on my virtual network to enable access between host and VM's; that's worked perfectly.

Now all of my sharing needs are working perfectly. And given that the Shared Folders issue was the only thing holding me back, I'm in the process of converting all of my VMWare VM's over to VirtualBox. I love the simplicity, the performance, the (USB) device attachment controls, etc.

[Shad Sterling]

I'm having similar problem with VirtualBox 2.2.2 r46594 on OS X 10.5.6 Build 9G55, guest is XP Pro, problem primarily affects Quicken 2008. It looks like the problem occurs whenever the host's network connection is interrupted. The host has two network adapters, wired and wireless; the guest has a bridged adapter for each.

What I would like is for access to host shared folders to be completely unrelated to the host's network connection. My first thought is that this could be reliably accomplished by giving the guest a totally virtual network adapter that connects it only to the host shared folders.

[sunlover]

Please try with VBox 3.0.0. Do not forget to update the guest additions. There are some fixes to the windows guest shared folders driver, which might solve the problem. Thanks.

[roozbeh]

I am having a similar problem.Using ubuntu 9.04 as host and Windows XP as guest. It only happens in one of my shared drives though!

[available_name]

I've discovered that this error still appears. The conditions are using Windows XP SP3 guest on Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx host and copying rather large file to the shared folder which is placed on NTFS drive, mounted through GNOME .

[Birdual]

Solved for me by installing Guest Additions, as sunlover said above. Thanks.

(My machine was Guest=XP, Host=XP, and the problem was also data corruption when writing to Shared Folders)

[aeichner]

Please reopen if still relevant with a recent VirtualBox release.