100% CPU Usage with Chrome (idling) and FF (idling on intense JS sites)

[Tomas Gutierrez]

Hardware: HP Compaq 6910p )(Core duo) Host: Ubuntu 9.10 Guest: Win 7 Version: 3.1.4

CPU usage on both host and guest are minimal with no programs open. When either Chrome or Firefox are launched, one core on the host shows 100% utilization, while the guest task manager remains minimal. Usage returns to normal when browsers are closed.

The workaround is to open a secondary VM and run it idly along with the guest.

Old related tickets: ​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/4762 ​http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/1884

[Tomas Gutierrez]

Update: Problem persists with latest GuestAddons installed.

[Tiago Cavaleiro]

I'm also having the same issue. VirtualBox: 3.1.4-57640_Ubuntu_karmic

Host machine: Ubuntu 2.6.31-14-generic-pae #48-Ubuntu SMP CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) III CPU - S 1400MHz

Top result (without dummy vm running):

PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND

2267 xpto 20 0 869m 832m 27m S 85.0 41.4 4274:46 VBoxHeadless

11345 xpto 20 0 2440 1120 884 R 0.3 0.1 0:01.80 top

Top result (also running dummy vm)

PID USER PR NI VIRT RES SHR S %CPU %MEM TIME+ COMMAND

2267 xpto 20 0 869m 832m 27m S 2.7 41.4 4275:42 VBoxHeadless 1444 mysql 20 0 143m 4704 2552 S 0.3 0.2 18:28.93 mysqld

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Guest Machine: Windows XP Pro SP3 Guest Additions: 3.1.4r57640 Processes: SQL Server + IIS working on machine with low use (CPU is almost idle)

[Tomas Gutierrez]

Ubuntu 9.10 Host, Windows 7 Ultimate Guest

[Tomas Gutierrez]

Confirming this behavior is still present in 3.1.6. Attaching new log.

Environment: HP 6910p laptop (dual core), Ubuntu 9.10 64bit Host, Windows 7 32bit guest

Test case was the following: Start VM, start Chrome, launch gmail -> 1 core pegged at 100% | close Chrome, start FireFox, launch gmail -> 1 core pegged at 100% | close FireFox, start IE8, launch gmail -> no cores pegged

[Sebastian Thürrschmidt]

I'm getting the exact same thing with VirtualBox 3.2, Ubuntu Lucid x64 host, Windows XP guest. CPU usage constantly at about 50 % (i.e. one of two cores maxed out) while Chrome is running in guest, even when it's showing only a blank page.

[John Whitley]

This issue has a workaround posted on SuperUser which solved this exact problem for me (w/ Ubuntu 10.04 host (10.10 as well) and Windows XP guest):

​http://superuser.com/questions/93484/virtualbox-cpu-usage-100-on-host/156655#156655