Entire Machine freezing over virtualbox

[astralpr0jector]

Background info:
Newly built PC (1 week old) + newly installed Linux MINT.
I myself am a Windows user and am in the transition of switching to Linux, very new to all this.

The problem:
Linux Mint is freezing from virtualbox. The entire system is freezing and I cannot move the cursor, type any keyboards commands - or do anything to even kill any processes. This has happend 3 times in total over the last 2 days, in both cases I waited around 5-10 minutes for it to unfreeze, nothing happend so had to manually reboot the PC by holding the power button. This happens randomly after 1-2 hours of usage. This is dangerous as I could have had some important files that would be unsaved due to this.

Why I think this is happening because of Virtualbox:
Because in all 3 cases, virtualbox was open. 2 of those times I was configuring settings in virtualbox during the time it froze.

Host machine specifications:
- Linux Mint 20.1 MATE
- Self-built PC
- 32gb ram
- Intel Core i9-10850K CPU @ 3.60GHz x 20
- GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER
- 750W power supply
- Entire system is encrypted (default Linux encryption during install)

Virtualbox specifications:
- VirtualBox 6.1
- Running Windows 10

Another thing I noticed (created separate thread about this) is that that Virtualbox with Windows on it (VM) is running laggy even though I dedicated 8 processors and 8gb of ram on it. A friend of mine with the same virtualbox setup has less ram/processors dedicated and it runs smooth as wind. I don't know if this roots from the same problem, but really hope it does.

P.S. I have done Google/Youtube research before posting this thread and have heard things something about Kernel update, but knowing nothing about what that means - I decided not to risk changing settings that might create some permanent damage. The reason I made this thread is to find the general direction of where to seek the solution.
This transition to a new PC+OS has been very stressful. If anyone had similar virtualbox experiences in the past and could share how they found the solution, would appreciate it.

Thank you.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Do you have virtualization enabled in the BIOS/UEFI, otherwise after your system unfreezes what does syslog/journal and dmesg look like? For you second problem, I don't run VB but QEMU/KVM and for my Windows guest machine I have the win-virtio-drivers installed, I would think you may need virtualbox guest additions on your vm to improve the lag you are getting.

 

[astralpr0jector]

I have just checked BIOS - yes Virtualization has been enabled.

Log - I just opened it its very long. Will have to wait until the next crash to check it right after.

Virtualbox guest additions - have already been installed.
I have to use Virtualbox because I am combining it with another virtualbox for an internet gateway. Also, my friend who uses Virtualbox with windows with LESS specs has a very fast performance.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Kernel update is just updating your system with the most recent updates which also provides kernel updates: sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. Try switching to a different graphics card or driver on your virtual machine, someone here on the forums had lag with their vm as wel I think they either switched the graphics card type or they install the drivers of the selected graphics card type.

 

[astralpr0jector]

Yes. I am looking into this right now.
Here (from what I see) is the possible reasons for the lag:

Hardware: Not possible. Its i9 processor, 32gb ram, 1660 super geforce. You can run call of duty Warzone on it.
OS: Not possible because my friend also uses mint
OS settings/updates/drivers: Maybe
BIOS settings: I have enabled Virtualization. Is there anything else that could affect this?
VirtualBox version/settings: It CANNOT be the settings because I played around with literally every single setting. The only thing it could be is the version.
Windows settings/drivers: I am Googling now how to install NVIDIA geforce driver directly on the Windows virtual machine. I tried downloading from their official website but they say its not compatible because of the virtualbox video card.

 

[astralpr0jector]

Update:

I have just downloaded and tried to install the original NVIDIA graphics driver for my host graphics card (GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER) on the virtualbox Windows.

Getting the error: "This NVIDIA driver is not compatible with this version of Windows"

 

[f33dm3bits]

Update:

I have just downloaded and tried to install the original NVIDIA graphics driver for my host graphics card (GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER) on the virtualbox Windows.

Getting the error: "This NVIDIA driver is not compatible with this version of Windows"

That's not going to work because your virtual machine is using a virtual graphics card not the nvidia card. I meant try switching between types of virtual graphics cards on your virtual machine settings to see if that makes a difference. Which virtual graphics cards can you select for your virtual machine?

 

[astralpr0jector]

The selections are:
VBoxSVGA
VBoxVGA
VMSVGA
None

There is also a checkbox "Enabled 3D acceleration" which is currently unchecked.

 

[astralpr0jector]

UPDATE:
I have checked "Enabled 3D acceleration", which allowed me to move the Video memory up to 256mb (before it was 128mb).

The virtualbox works blazinggg fast now.
VERY VERY much better than before.

However. There is still a problem:
- For some reason the Start Menu, when opened - its background is fully transparent
- Some other menu elements are also transparent when opened
- Sometimes the display glitches. For example if I maximize a window, its contents don't show. This doesn't happen always but sometimes it happens.

This is already a very good improvement though.
Just want to find the reason why the other new problems are present.

 

[astralpr0jector]

OMG guys can you explain why virtualbox is so wierd...
Here is my algorithm of moves:

VBoxSVGA 256mb 3D = Blazzinggg fast
VBoxSVGA 256mb normal = choppy
VBoxSVGA 128mb normal = meh, slowish
VBoxSVGA 256mb 3D (same as first) = SLOW now....

Same settings...
Different performance..

 

[f33dm3bits]

3.6. Display Settings

4.5. Hardware-Accelerated Graphics

 

[f33dm3bits]

Keep it on VBoxSVGA 256mb 3D because according to the VB documentation that is the one you need. When you login into your Windows guest machine, what does it say under "Display Adapters" in device manager?

 

[astralpr0jector]

Attached.

 

[astralpr0jector]

Here is an example of what the start menu looks like (this only happens when I put 3d acceleration):
Attached

 

[f33dm3bits]

Attached.

That looks good. Have you updated your GNU/Linux Mint installation with the most recent updates? Also what graphics drivers are you using for your Mint?

 

[astralpr0jector]

GNU/Linux Mint Update - Yes. All is fully updated.

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade
[sudo] password for r4mb0:
Ign:1 http://mirrors.gigenet.com/linuxmint/repo ulyssa InRelease
Hit:2 http://archive.ubuntu.mirror.rafal.ca/ubuntu focal InRelease
Get:3 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu focal-security InRelease [109 kB]
Hit:4 http://archive.ubuntu.mirror.rafal.ca/ubuntu focal-updates InRelease
Hit:5 http://mirrors.gigenet.com/linuxmint/repo ulyssa Release
Hit:6 http://archive.ubuntu.mirror.rafal.ca/ubuntu focal-backports InRelease
Hit:7 http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu focal InRelease
Hit:9 https://repo.windscribe.com/ubuntu bionic InRelease
Hit:10 https://linux.teamviewer.com/deb stable InRelease
Fetched 109 kB in 0s (226 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
All packages are up to date.
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.


As for the video card on Linux Mint. I am using the "recommended" one that was offered to me when I ran "Driver Manager". Here is a screenshot (attached).

 

[f33dm3bits]

Are you just having the glitching issue now in your Windows vm and is it normal responsive speed again or still slow?

 

[astralpr0jector]

Yes. Not only does it still have the glitching issue, but when I rebooted the VM it went back to being laggy. Sometimes it boots laggy, sometimes it boots as a fast performance. Very strange.

 

[f33dm3bits]

Maybe your system freezing issues has to with your vm being laggy? Did you check your syslog and dmesg yet after a freeze what did you see? Have you tried a different version of VB? Try creating another vm with for example also Mint, then see if you have the same lagging that you have with the Windows vm.

 

[astralpr0jector]

I have updated the kernel this morning (the freezing was yesterday).
I assume it was all because of that.

Gonna try a different version of VB now.