64 bit FreeBSD guest under 32 bit FreeBSD host crashes

[Walter Thomson]

I am running a 64 bit FreeBSD guest under a 32 bit FreeBSD host with VirtualBox 3.1.8 (the same defect applies also to earlier 3.1.x versions). The guest typically crashes when running "configure" for compiling some 3rd-party software, especially when the C compiler seems to be called. See the attached screenshot.

Interestingly, I could compile the complete 64 bit version of FreeBSD inside the guest ("make buildworld buildkernel") without any problems, but I cannot seem to get across simple configure stages for "ports" software.

Once, not only the guest crashed, but the host as well. This led me to the suspicion that maybe some part of the memory management of VirtualBox is broken, and in that single case also corrupted the host's memory. Also, since this seems to happen when gcc in the guest is called, maybe this has something to do with allocating larger amounts of memory on the stack?

The VBox.log file is from the crashed instance (guest-only crash, no apparent malfunction in host). The VBox.log.1 file is from a boot and then shutdown of the guest without trying to install any of the ports.

From reading other bug reports on VirtualBox, I have the impression that quite many people experience instabilities when trying to run 64 bit guests on 32 bit hosts. Maybe this report gives some hints.

uname -a on host machine: FreeBSD campanula.xyzzy 8.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 8.0-RELEASE #0: Sat Feb 20 10:15:50 CET 2010 root@…:/usr/VOL/OBJ/FreeBSD/RELENG_8_0_0_RELEASE/src/sys/XYZZY_SMP_NA_ATM i386

uname -a on guest machine: FreeBSD v802.xyzzy 9.0-CURRENT FreeBSD 9.0-CURRENT #0: Sat May 22 18:22:29 UTC 2 010 root@…:/usr/obj/.../gandalf/d/12s1e/SRC/FreeBSD/HEAD/src/sys/XY ZZY_SMP_NA amd64

I am also attaching the boot messages of the guest machine. This is the boot after the crash providing the VBox.log above; it shows fsck running to repair the virtual disk's unclean shutdown.

[Walter Thomson]

VBox.log for crashed instance of guest

[Walter Thomson]

VBox.log for non-crashed instance of guest

[Walter Thomson]

boot console message of guest, running after previous crash

[Walter Thomson]

Two more comments:

• It is not a crash, but rather a freeze. This is why snapshot4.png can still be obtained.

• It is still possible to ping the virtual FreeBSD instance, but it does not accept TCP connections any more (no ssh, telnet, etc.)

[Walter Thomson]

Same behavior with VirtualBox 3.2.4 (again from FreeBSD ports)

[Frank Mehnert]

Both log files you attached do NOT show a crash.

[Walter Thomson]

Yes, this is quite possible. As I wrote, ping is still possible, so in fact some part of the FreeBSD client in the VM must still be running. But nothing else works, so it must be some subtle interaction between the VM and FreeBSD.

I am resetting the VM via its UI (menu on top), I guess this is the reason why no crash is visible in the log - from the point of view of the VM its working fine.

I could try to obtain additional data if told how best to do this.

[Walter Thomson]

You can close this bug report. Today I updated to the latest version of HEAD on FreeBSD, and together with version 3.2.6 of virtualbox this now seems to work.

Interestingly, I could again recompile the whole HEAD of FreeBSD in the client without a hitch.