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Dr_No2
Contributor
Contributor

Windows Server 2008 Slugish and slow to boot

I am running ESX 3.5 Update2. My Windows Server 2003 run great.

However, Windows Server 2008 takes a while when being restated.

This happens anyone?

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29 Replies
RParker
Immortal
Immortal

2 vCPU with more than 4GB of RAM?

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Dr_No2
Contributor
Contributor

Yes

I am running x64 Windows Server 2008 with v4 CPUs and 16GB RAM

The 32-Bit version seems to boot faster.

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Bastien_P
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

we had some similar issue with 2008 server. (32 or 64 bit in our case). In our case the ipv6 was the problem. We removed this option (that we wont use anyway) and after that it went clean. With a bit of chance it might help you..

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Remember: If you find this information useful, please award points for "correct" or "helpful".
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Texiwill
Leadership
Leadership

Hello,

Moved to the VI: Virtual Machine and Guest OS


Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

--
Edward L. Haletky
vExpert XIV: 2009-2023,
VMTN Community Moderator
vSphere Upgrade Saga: https://www.astroarch.com/blogs
GitHub Repo: https://github.com/Texiwill
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Dr_No2
Contributor
Contributor

I removed IPv6 and still takes about 5-10 minutes just to boot.

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Dr_No2
Contributor
Contributor

Just to clarify, it is actually only my x64 Windows that takes forever to boot.

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Marco_Germann
Contributor
Contributor

Same problem at my site:

Guest with Windows Server 2008 x64 Enterprise, 4vCPU, 8GByte RAM for Exchange Server 2007 is booting very long and the handling with the machine is very slowly.

Another Guest with Windows Server 2008 x64 Enterprise, 4vCPU but only 4GByte RAM boots up more quickly.

What can I do? I'm on the way to migrate my Exchange Server 2003 to Exchange Server 2007 and 8GByte RAM is necessary.

Best regards

Marco

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aleph0
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

hello all,

why do you use 4 vCPU? can you explain me this choice?

Thank you

\aleph0

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Marco_Germann
Contributor
Contributor

Hello aleph0,

My Exchange Server 2003 which I will migrate is also a VM with 4vCPU's and the performance is great.

Should I change it to 2vCPUs and try?

best regards

Marco

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aleph0
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Yep!

try this:

now that you have 4 vCPU run esxtop on the host that's running that VM: take note of the %RDY counter value: le lower is the better

then decrease the vCPU to 2:

take notes of the %RDY time and see if it's lower.

remember: the lower the %RDY time the better performance you have.

Keep me informed

Thank you

cheers

\aleph0

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RParker
Immortal
Immortal

Just to clarify, it is actually only my x64 Windows that takes forever to boot.

Just as a test, did you try 2 vCPU, lowering the Memory to under 4GB, and check the boot time as well? It may be something with the way your ESX is configured, that may be the best performance you get. Also what are you doing inside the VM that you need that much RAM? Maybe you really don't need that much RAM.

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aleph0
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

hi all,

any news on the subject?

\aleph0

____________________________

(in italian)

###############

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tallsky
Contributor
Contributor

It's not just 2008, I have the same problem with 2003.

The issue has something to do with using multiple vCPUs and more than 4 GB of memory, and I'm sure has something to do with the co-scheduling SMP discussed here:

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-4960

But not sure why the problem only kicks in when we're over 4 GB. Probably related to ESX still being 32bit. Betcha!

Apparently, there's a "solution" here:

But I sort of doubt it. I don't think it can be fixed short of ESX 4.

(EDIT: Side Note* When you find an Experts-Exchange "Solution" in a google search, follow google's cached link, scroll to the bottom of the page and you'll see all the hidden answers. As I suspected, there was nothing useful.)

1 vCPU works great with 32 GB of memory. Make that 2 vCPU and it takes FOREVER to boot.

VM seems OK after booting, but booting takes so damn long.

It's a bit scary with big important services like SQL and Exchange. If you need to restart it, hope you're not in a hurry lol.

I hope they fix this soon. It's anoyning as hell.

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TomHowarth
Leadership
Leadership

There is a known issue with Exchange 2007 and IP6 the Edge Transport service to be exact.

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Tom Howarth VCP / vExpert

VMware Communities User Moderator

Blog: www.planetvm.net

Contributing author for the upcoming book "VMware Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment”.

Tom Howarth VCP / VCAP / vExpert
VMware Communities User Moderator
Blog: http://www.planetvm.net
Contributing author on VMware vSphere and Virtual Infrastructure Security: Securing ESX and the Virtual Environment
Contributing author on VCP VMware Certified Professional on VSphere 4 Study Guide: Exam VCP-410
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rlund
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I am running Exchange 2007 on Server 2008, with 2 vCPU's and 6 GB's of memory without a hitch.

Reboots are fast, are we talking about local disk or san?

What version of server 2008?

Roger Lund

My Blog:

Roger Lund Minnesota VMUG leader Blogger VMware and IT Evangelist My Blog: http://itblog.rogerlund.net & http://www.vbrainstorm.com
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Marco_Germann
Contributor
Contributor

Hello,

my VM config:

  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise x64 R1 SP1

  • 2vCPU (plain Windows install with 2vCPU ALU)

  • 8GByte RAM

  • System drive C:\ as vmdk on VMFS v3 - SAN Storage (HP EVA 4400, 4GBit/s FC 4path)

  • DATA drive D:\ RAW LUN mapping - SAN Storage (HP EVA 4400, 4GBit/s FC 4path)

ESX config (4Node Cluster):

  • Dual Quad Intel Xeon 2GHz

  • 24GByte RAM (32GByte planned)

  • 4x 4GBit/s FC controller (SAN)

  • 10x 1GBit/s Ethernet controller (LAN)

A Windows Server 2008 x64 VM with less than 4GByte RAM boots up in 10 seconds, more than 4GByte RAM takes about 1 Minute to come up.

ESX-Host that host the Exchange 2007 VM has, when Exchange VM is running, 20% CPU and 70% RAM usage.

Best regards

Marco Germann

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rlund
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Well, mine maybe takes 30 sec's or so, but I would not call that a problem.

5-10 min, is another story.






Roger Lund

My Blog:

http://rogerlunditblog.blogspot.com/

Roger Lund Minnesota VMUG leader Blogger VMware and IT Evangelist My Blog: http://itblog.rogerlund.net & http://www.vbrainstorm.com
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Zahni
Contributor
Contributor

Try to set Mem.ShareScanGHz = 0 in Advanced Config and reboot.

There are know issues with 64-Bit Windows-VM's in ESX...

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tallsky
Contributor
Contributor

That was it exactly Zahni, thanks.

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=1004901&sliceId=1

"using certain hardware", yea sure, pass it off. Like any recent Xeon proc?

I'm using Xeon 5410, by the way.

I hope they fix this in 4.x, memory sharing is a cool feature. Most these VMs run at less than %10 memory. Conservative oversubscribing is very valuable.

Sucks to have to turn it off.

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