Windows 10 VM - Horrible Performance

[Ondrej23]

Hello,

​i have exactly the same problem with Win10 CPU Performance.

​I have vSphere 6.5U1 on HP G8 BL460c Blade Server.

Problematic VM is Win10, 6Gb RAM, 3x1vCPU.

​In the same cluster i have Win 8.1. which is OK.

​I found your thread on communities and i can see that you had same problem in August last year.

​Please, did you solve the problem and if yes...How?

​Thank you very very much for answer:-)

​Have a nice day.

moderator edit by wila: split from thread Windows 10 VM - Horrible Performance

[wila]

Hi,

This is pretty much NEVER the same problem, so I moved your reply to a new thread instead with a reference to the original thread.

Provide more details, such as is your task manager running at 100%? If so what processes are using more than 20%?

What CPU are you using in your blades?

vSphere 6.5U1, what is the build number?

Is the busiest process in your VM also using cortana? (Why somebody would even enable cortana in their VM at an ESXi host is beyond me)

Suggestion: drop a vCPU so that you are on an even number of vCPUs.

--

Wil

[Ondrej23]

Hello,

thank you for your fast response.

First, there are answers to your questions:

Provide more details, such as is your task manager running at 100%? If so what processes are using more than 20%?

- Task Manager is running on 100% almost all the time. I cant define which process solving the issue, if any. Every time another process is busy.

For example, you run notepad and notepad process is on 100% for a minute. You run Word and word process is 100% for long time etc.

It looks to me, like if the VM do not get resources from ESXi.

What CPU are you using in your blades?

-  Intel Xeon E5-2660 0 @ 2.20GHz

vSphere 6.5U1, what is the build number?

- 6.5.0, 10884925

Is the busiest process in your VM also using cortana? (Why somebody would even enable cortana in their VM at an ESXi host is beyond me)

- Cortana is disabled on the W10 desktop

More Info:

Desktop is part of VDI solution, so there is Horizon Agent 7.5.1. VMware Tools is 10.2.5.

As i wrote, i think, there is no problem in VM, but in some VM configuration/W10 architecture/ESXi CPU version/Spectre&MeltDown Mitigation....

We have another environment, where there is exactly the same build of ESXi, but there is HPE ProLiant BL460c Gen10 Servers with Intel Xeon Gold 6132 CPU @ 2.60GHz CPU.

Yesterday i have exported affected VM to OVF and imported it in this environment and THERE IS NO PROBLEM. Only one different i can see is different type of blades/CPUs.

I found this thread, about similar problem... https://communities.vmware.com/thread/591839

I have tried to change the CPU masking on one host, but it didnt help.

Any ideas?

Thank you very much.

[Ondrej23]

Hello,

i have an update.

In problematic Windows 10 VM I have disabled Spectre & Meltdown Patches on OS level and this is what causing the problem.

On Intel Xeon E5-2660 (Sandy Bridge) there is a problem, when S & M is enabled. - CPU Performance is degraded.

When i migrate this VM to server with CPU Intel Xeon Gold 6132 (SkyLake), there is no problem, even if S & M mitigation is enabled or disabled.

Do anybody know what to do on older Intel Xeon E5-2660 ESXi servers to have Windows 10 with enabled S & M mitigation and not to have performance of CPU degraded?

Thank you.

[Ondrej23]

Any ideas? I still have the problem. Thank you.