Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

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jerson
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Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Greetings

I have this Gigabyte motherboard G31M that came with a E7500 dual core processor. I have been using Virtualbox(Version 5.2.6 r120293 (Qt5.6.1)) for some time now. However, I found the guest to be quite sluggish. Being a newbie to VMs, I thought it was the norm and never questioned the performance. Then the other day, I happened to check a similar config on a mini pc which happens to have a quad core and VT. There I found the guest performing almost as good as on bare metal.

That got me asking what could be different. Narrowed it down to the E7500 processor being from the batch which did not have VT. I looked for processors that would fit the same motherboard on the LGA775 socket. Got the choice narrowed down to the Q6600 which was available locally as a pulled out one. So, I took a chance and replaced the processor, enabled virtual threading in the bios and changed the VM settings to use multiple processors.

Now, I get the same near bare metal performance of the guest on my G31M machine with a Q6600 processor.

One thing which is troubling me is no matter what I do, Direct3D does not work. I suspect it has to do with the VB display adapter driver on my guest. Glxgears runs fine on LM18, so opengl seems functional. DXdiags in Win shows all files are okay, display says No direct3d device available. Not a show stopper for me, but is there something I can do to get a direct3d device working on the guest?

FYI : I have installed guest additions in safe mode with Direct3D option. Still no luck.

for your info, inxi -Fxz shows this
System: Host: jerson-G31M-ES2L Kernel: 4.4.0-112-generic x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.0.7 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3) Distro: Linux Mint 18 Sarah
Machine: System: Gigabyte product: G31M-ES2L
Mobo: Gigabyte model: G31M-S2L Bios: Award v: F10 date: 09/29/2009
CPU: Quad core Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 (-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB
flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 19198
clock speeds: max: 2400 MHz 1: 1600 MHz 2: 1600 MHz 3: 1600 MHz 4: 1600 MHz
Graphics: Card: Intel 82G33/G31 Express Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 driver: intel Resolution: 1360x768@60.02hz
GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel G33 GLX Version: 1.4 Mesa 11.2.0 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.4.0-112-generic
Network: Card: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: r8169 v: 2.3LK-NAPI port: be00 bus-ID: 02:00.0
IF: enp2s0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1500.3GB (11.4% used) ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST3500413AS size: 500.1GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: WDC_WD10EZEX size: 1000.2GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 92G used: 13G (15%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb5
ID-2: /home size: 92G used: 7.2G (9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sdb6
ID-3: swap-1 size: 10.00GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sdb1
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 62.0C mobo: N/A
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 171 Uptime: 2:30 Memory: 1070.7/3941.3MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Regards
Jerson
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Do you have 3D acceleration activated in the settings for the VM?
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Yes, both 2d and 3d are set in the VM
Regards
Jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Which version of VB?

Which version of the guest additions are installed? In the running guest press host-n to find this information.
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Host-n shows 3d accel enabled, 2d accel enabled.

The tray icon for GuestAdds - says 5.2.6r120293
Regards
Jerson
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Would it matter that the guest OS is 32bit?
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Try the following:

Create on the same host a new VM and install Mint with Cinnamon desktop (which needs 3D acceleration) and see, how this behaves. Note, that the included guest additions for 5.2.6 have a bug. There is a corrected version of the guest additions available on the Oracle download page; us this.
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

LM18 running on the same host complains of running in software rendering mode without hardware acceleration.
Regards
Jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

I said already, that you need 3D acceleration for Cinnamon (and the proper guest additions).
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

No Cosmo, you misunderstood. I have 3d acceleration enabled in settings, but cinnamon complains that it does not see acceleration.
Regards
Jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Which version of the guest additions are installed in the Mint Cinnamon guest? (Same method as above to find out.)
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

I did not install any guest additions on the Linux VM as I am running off the live cd. I am not aware of how to install guest additions for a live cd. Perhaps I have to install to hard disk and then install guest additions, please comment.
Regards
Jerson
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Indeed, installing guest additions need in every case a reboot of the guest, and by rebooting a live system all changes are nullified. So you have to install Mint on the virtual hard drive. Tip: If you have booted te live system disable the network connection of the VM. This saves time for downloading some stuff, which is not needed for the test.
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Thanks Cosmo.

Even after installing LM18.3 on the virtual HDD and then installing VBox extensions 5.2.7(latest), cinnamon still complains of running in software rendered mode.

inxi -Fxz on the virtual machine shows
System: Host: jerson-VirtualBox Kernel: 4.10.0-38-generic i686 (32 bit gcc: 5.4.0)
Desktop: Cinnamon 3.6.6 (Gtk 3.18.9-1ubuntu3.3)
Distro: Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia
Machine: System: innotek product: VirtualBox v: 1.2
Mobo: Oracle model: VirtualBox v: 1.2
Bios: innotek v: VirtualBox date: 12/01/2006
CPU: Triple core Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 (-MCP-) cache: 4096 KB
flags: (lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 14400
clock speeds: max: 2399 MHz 1: 2399 MHz 2: 2399 MHz 3: 2399 MHz
Graphics: Card: InnoTek Systemberatung VirtualBox Graphics Adapter
bus-ID: 00:02.0
Display Server: X.Org 1.18.4 drivers: vboxvideo (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
Resolution: 800x600@59.96hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 4.0, 128 bits)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 17.0.7 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio: Card Intel 82801AA AC'97 Audio Controller
driver: snd_intel8x0 ports: d100 d200 bus-ID: 00:05.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.10.0-38-generic
Network: Card: Intel 82540EM Gigabit Ethernet Controller
driver: e1000 v: 7.3.21-k8-NAPI port: d010 bus-ID: 00:03.0
IF: enp0s3 state: down mac: <filter>
Drives: HDD Total Size: 10.7GB (59.4% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: VBOX_HARDDISK size: 10.7GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 8.8G used: 5.0G (61%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
ID-2: swap-1 size: 1.07GB used: 0.01GB (1%) fs: swap dev: /dev/sda5
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: None detected - is lm-sensors installed and configured?
Info: Processes: 185 Uptime: 10 min Memory: 413.5/998.7MB
Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 5.4.0
Client: Shell (bash 4.3.481) inxi: 2.2.35
Host-n shows

Runtime attributes


Screen Resolution

800x600x32 @0,0
VM Uptime

0d 00:17:20
Clipboard Mode

Bidirectional
Drag and Drop Mode

Disabled
VT-x/AMD-V

Active
Nested Paging

Inactive
Unrestricted Execution

Inactive
Paravirtualization Interface

KVM
Guest Additions

5.2.7 r120528
Guest OS Type

Linux 2.6 / 3.x / 4.x (32-bit)
Remote Desktop Server Port

Not Available
Does this information help narrow it down? I really appreciate you taking time to help me with this
Regards
Jerson
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

Why is VT-x/AMS-V deactivated? Does your board not support it? Especially with Intel CPUs using VB without that option can reduce the performance, although it is for 32 bit guests not absolutely needed (for 64 nit guests it is).
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

VT is active. Due to text formatting being jumbled by copy-paste, the line before the title belongs to the previous entry. So, actually it should look like this. Sorry to not have informed you of this.


Screen Resolution 800x600x32 @0,0
VM Uptime 0d 00:17:20
Clipboard Mode Bidirectional
Drag and Drop Mode Disabled
VT-x/AMD-V Active
Nested Paging Inactive
Unrestricted Execution Inactive
Paravirtualization Interface KVM
Guest Additions 5.2.7 r120528
Guest OS Type Linux 2.6 / 3.x / 4.x (32-bit)
Remote Desktop Server Port Not Available
Regards
Jerson
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

In this case the question is, why Nested Paging is deactivated? Also this affects the performance of the VM.
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Beats me. It is enabled in the Acceleration tab of settings. Both VT and Nested paging are on.
Regards
Jerson
Cosmo.
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by Cosmo. »

With which result?
jerson
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Re: Virtualbox WinXP guest with guest additions

Post by jerson »

Hi Cosmo

In both VMs, WinXP and LM18.3, the VT and nested paging are enabled in the VM offline settings screen. The runtime Host-n though shows nested paging disabled.

Following some Youtube videos, I tried the following steps on LM18.3 in the VM

sudo apt remove virtualbox-guest*
It reverted with messages indicating that 0 packages were installed, 0 were removed (dont exactly recall)

So, tried installing the VBox extensions again as depicted in the videos. Everything installed fine and I rebooted the VM. LM18.3 still comes up with the software rendering mode.

Again the sudo apt remove virtualbox-guest* command does not indicate the presence of the guest additions. But, the runtime Host-n window shows the correct version installed.

All this is uncharted territory for me and I really appreciate your sticking with and assisting me on this.

Grateful regards
Jerson
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