VMware Horizon Community
apbaseball
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Painfully Slow Logon Times

I'm working with a customer that is transitioning from persona to UEM. Some end users are experiencing horribly slow login times. Upwards of 15-20 minutes and we're not sure what's causing it. One user waited 33 minutes. I've attached some log files and GPO configurations. If you need any more information please let me know I'm hoping to get this resolved for them as soon as possible.

21 Replies
DEMdev
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi apbaseball,

 

Wow, that is slow indeed!

 

One entry in Lnd.log caught my eye in particular:

2018-05-24 13:57:28.617 [INFO ] Importing profile archive 'IE WebCache.zip' ([servername removed by moderator]\cx06131.v2\archives\Windows Settings\IE WebCache.zip)

2018-05-24 13:57:38.117 [DEBUG] Read 1 entry from profile archive (size: 33619968; compressed: 1678488)

Nearly 10 seconds to read 1.6MB from the share, and write 33MB to a single file... The equivalent import in TS.log only took just a bit longer than a quarter of a second.

Some of the other imports are also quite slow, but this one really stood out. Storage performance? Network connectivity? Anti-virus (see KB 2113665 for exclusions)?

 

As for:

2018-05-24 13:57:38.133 [INFO ] Importing profile archive 'Internet Explorer.zip' ([servername removed by moderator]\cx06131.v2\archives\Windows Settings\Internet Explorer.zip)

2018-05-24 13:57:38.149 [DEBUG] ImportRegistry::Import: Calling '"C:\Windows\REGEDIT.EXE" /S "C:\Windows\Temp\FLXB3B2.tmp"' (RPAL: l=0 (D/E), r=0)

2018-05-24 13:58:14.820 [DEBUG] Read 263 entries from profile archive (size: 434506; compressed: 86533)

Are you by any chance also exporting (and, hence, importing) favorites?

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sjesse
Leadership
Leadership

Looking at the path I see cx06131.v2, are these using mandatory profiles. If so you really don't want the archives goes there they should be per user.

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alsmk2
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Just to add a couple of steps I always take on UEM implementations.

1. Install a tool like WinDirStat/ TreeSizeFree on your profiles server

- Periodically scan your profiles share to look for any common zip files that are large (I.e, if Google Chrome.zip files are constantly the largest files, I would be looking at what was being exported into them, and then look for anything I can safely exclude from the Chrome config file in UEM to make them smaller).

2. If you suspect a particular zip file is taking an age to extract during logon, extract it manually on your profile server and time it. Although UEM uses it's own zip format, the time it takes you to manually extract it seems to roughly equate to how long it takes the UEM agent to do the same thing during logon. Even a small zip file can slow a logon down if it contains thousands of erroneous files. Common culprits for this seem to be Chrome, IE, and Excel in my experience. The flexlog should also help highlight if a particular profile is taken an age to import, but won't give much insight as to why.

3. Pre-deploying UEM to transition from a physical desktop/ other profile solution inevitably imports any issues / bloat that the previous profiles had. Don't assume you've only captured the necessary bits. Eg, I've seen the office templates import ridiculous amounts of tmp / autosave files from an old environment, as the Office install on a users old desktop was already broken, or with Chrome/ IE, it has imported thousands of tmp files/ cookies, or in Chromes instance, entirely separate chrome profiles as the user had signed in with a google account on their old desktop.

When transitioning from persona or roaming profiles at any site I've configured UEM, there are ALWAYS some users with ridiculous logon times like you are seeing. If the underlying hardware/ installation is sound, the above process as tackled it every single time. It's an annoying process, but ultimately will reduce logon times across the board, as the changes you make to config files as a result effect everyone, not just the users' with dreadful logon times.

jordanht
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

If you haven't already done so, definitely turn on the policy for verbose logon messages (Computer>Policies>Admin Templates>System>Display highly detailed status messages), that way you can get a better idea of where things are slowing down during log on.

We recently discovered our antivirus solution (McAfee MOVE agentless) was causing a major slow down on UEM because it was scanning too many disk writes during log on, and it didn't have the capability for process exclusion. Confirm that you can exclude processes in your antivirus solution and make sure C:\Program Files\Immidio\Flex Profiles\FlexEngine.exe is excluded.

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SummaCollege
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

We had major issues using Writable Volumes lately, logintimes were up to 3min or more where as normally we see logintimes as low as 17s using Windows 10 and floating pools (measured using vROPS). Of course the the logintimes we had didn't even touch your's (33min argh...), but every info that could improve this might help.

After extensive contact with VMware Support we added below registry entries and logintimes were back to normal:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverride /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverrideMask /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

Both entries have to do with Spectre patches applies to Windows 10 and in effect will disable parts of the patches: https://support.microsoft.com/en-ie/help/4072698/windows-server-guidance-to-protect-against-the-spec...

These alterations also improved speed of the desktops without Writable Volumes considerably. Going up from 2 to 3 vCPU per desktop also improved logintimes.

You might try this out if you can accept the possible lowered security...

If you try, please let us know the result Smiley Wink

Sravan_k
Expert
Expert

Good point Summan!

Yeah this above post can help to improve log-on time

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josejjcv
Contributor
Contributor

Summa -

Please help. We are running Floating Pools and Windows 10. We created the Master Image using the VMware article Creating an Optimized Windows Image for a VMware Horizon Virtual Desktop | VMware  minus the Mandatory Profile (we run standard). In addition, the VM was Optimized using the Login LSI template. The performance is good, but the login times vary from 20-40 seconds.

We are running Exchange in Online mode in VDI, but when Launching Outlook when App Stacks are attached seem to keep it in "Loading Profiles" for minutes. We have already taken the measures of excluding office from App Volumes snap.cfg file.

If we can get the login and outlook issues resolved, I think were in good shape.

How do I configured those 2 Registry entries you mentioned? Is it simply creating a DWORD of "FeatureSettingsOverride" = 1 and "FeatureSettingsOverrideMask" = 1?

Thank you in advance.

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sjesse
Leadership
Leadership

What are you expecting login times to be, industry standard right now is just around 30. IF you are getting an average of 30 your better of then alot of us. FOr the outlook part is office in the parent image or in an appstack? Also are you using UEM?

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sjesse
Leadership
Leadership

Silly question, this is the UEM forum Smiley Happy.

josejjcv
Contributor
Contributor

Sjesse, thanks for the reply. Per VMware recommendation, Office 2016 x86 is part of the base image. We also have UEM Office 2016 settings, such as Exchange Cache mode Disabled, etc.

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LukaszDziwisz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

@SummaCollege

How in the world did you get logon times around 17 seconds? My best case with Writable volume Profile only is around 40 seconds with only 4 appstacks. Even if I unassigned appstacks the logon time is roughly 35 seconds. We are not using mandatory profiles and we are redirecting user libraries like desktop,documents,pictures, etc. Is it the 2 registry keys you added/modified that make such a difference?

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Ray_handels
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I agree with you Lukasz.. But it depends on what you measure right?

We start measuring the moment we double click on the machine in the view client. Normally we see this happening

0 - 4 Selecting a desktop and connecting to it, just VIew

4 - 12 Appvolumes checks which appstacks you need and asks VCenter/ESX to attach them

12 - 15 Writable and some appstacks are being processed.

After about 15 seconds Windows logon process is being released but still it can take up to a minute before we are logged in.

The best we ever got was not using a writable, using UEM for just 2 or 3 settings and a few appstacks with close to no policies and we managed to get logintimes of 30 seconds.

Now with UEM, Appvolumes writables and Appvolumes appstacks enabled we are looking at about 70 seconds..Oh and we are NOT using LTSB/C but just the CBB version.. This also adds 10 to 20 seconds to the login..

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josejjcv
Contributor
Contributor

Can anyone help me w/ the Registry setting to speed things up in VDI?

(reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverride /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverrideMask /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f)

How do I configured those 2 Registry entries you mentioned? Is it simply creating a DWORD of "FeatureSettingsOverride" = 1 and "FeatureSettingsOverrideMask" = 1? I am not familiar w/ the string posted can you provide this in a .reg format?

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josejjcv
Contributor
Contributor

I think I am overthinking this.

I believe I just need to create a DWord in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" called "FeatureSettingsOverride" with value of 1, correct?

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SummaCollege
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

You are correct! You can simply open your Golden image and run the 2 commands. It will add the registry keys to the golden image for you.

Another option is to start regedit, browse to the "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" path and create the 2 keys manually by right clicking and selecting NEW->DWORD

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverride /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverrideMask /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f

For more info on these setting please read: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4072698/windows-server-speculative-execution-side-channel-v...

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josejjcv
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks Summa -

I am assuming this cannot be done using UEM registry deploy? This has to be injected into image before all the moving parts in VDI (App volumes, UEM, etc)

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LukaszDziwisz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Open Command prompt on your Master image and run those 2 commands

  • reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverride /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

  • reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management" /v FeatureSettingsOverrideMask /t REG_DWORD /d 3 /f
    It will add it for you

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SummaCollege
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

You are correct.

UEM is for managing the user environment mostly, while this is a computer setting that needs to be in place during boot. You could however use a GPO to centrally manage this.

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LukaszDziwisz
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

Got you this makes sense. I'm pretty much looking at the Horizon Console (former Helpdesk) and check the logon metrics including different segments. See the attached screenshot

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