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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

VMWare Pro 15 Stalls when External USB is connected to Host

Hi All,

      I'm not sure if I'm in the right place to ask this question, so please redirect me if required.

I am running WMWare Pro 15.5 and on my old computer with OS = Win 7 I had no problems when I attached an external USB Drive to either the host or the guest.

I have since purchased a new Laptop, Lenovo Legion with OS = Win 10 Pro Build 1809.  My issue is every time I attach a USB Drive the computer stalls (temporary freeze) for up to 10 minutes when VMWare is running.  If VMWare is not running, there is no issue with external USB Drives.  I have multiple VM's with different operating systems and all are affected.  I have tried configuring USB options to only connect to the Host (my perfered selection) Ask before connecting etc.  I have also tried changing the USB compatibility from 3.0, to 2.0 and 1.1 without resolving the issue.

The difference between my old laptop and new laptop

Old:  OS = Win7 16GB Ram  1 only 1TB HDD,  but only had USB 2 ports

New: OS = Win10 Build 1809 16GB Ram 1only 256GB SSD (where VMWare Pro 15.5 is loaded) and 1 only 1TB HDD where the different Virtual Machine files reside) only has USB 3 ports.

Can anybody suggest some suggestions that will allow me to connect an External USB to the Host machine whilst running a Virtual Machine with freezing the computer for a long time.  If I am patient enough, the system will recover and everything works as it should.

Thank you.

Woolie161

30 Replies
bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

When your system recover, will you please run collect support data (please check the running VM) from Help > Support > Collect Support Data? and upload the zip file? Thanks a lot!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I shall connect a USB Drive, have several coffee's and post the log.

Again Thanks

Woolie 161

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Hello bonnie201110141,

     I have finished my coffee's and attached a before and after log file.

See Time stamp on files.  14-23 was before the External USB drive was connected.

                                           14-54 was after the external drive was connected and the computer had recovered.

Looking forward to your comments / thoughts

Woolie 161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi

Thanks for your response! We need trivial logs. Would you mind collect more logs?

1. Add the following two lines to C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware USB Arbitration Service\config.ini (create if missing):

log.logMinLevel = 140

loglevel.user.usb = 10

2. Select the VM in library, click vm > settings > Options > advanced, select "Full" in Gather debugging information, and check "Gather verbose USB debugging information"

3. Restart USB arbitration service (you can restart host operating system then usb arbitration service is restarted)

4. Collect hcmontrace:

1)

logman.exe create trace -n hcmontrace -p "{4211ca93-51aa-4e54-a2f6-ff03a014679c}" 0x7fffffff 0xff -o hcmontrace

logman.exe start hcmontrace

2)Now reproduce the problem ...

3)

logman.exe stop hcmontrace

logman.exe delete hcmontrace

Please upload vmware.log from the VM directory, C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-SYSTEM\vmware-usbarb-###.log, and hcmontrace (You can search C: for it).

Thanks a lot!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks for your help and support so far.  I have attached the new log files as requested.

Woolie161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

After the developer looked at the hcmon trace and logs, we did not get much of a clue on why the host machine "froze" for 10 mins.he only thing that looks relevant is a couple of errors in Application-log.evt, where we have AppHangTransient events for explorer.exe and vmware.exe around the time of the hang.

Will you please do the following?

tracepdb.exe -f hcmon.pdb   #you need to install tracepdb from windows SDK. hcmon.pdb is attached

SET TRACE_FORMAT_SEARCH_PATH=%cd%

tracefmt.exe -f hcmontrace_000001.etl -o hcmontrace.txt -display

Attaching the decoded hcmon trace.

Thanks very much!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks again for your persistence in trying to solve this issue.

I have downloaded and Install Visual Studio and Windows SDK but I am unable to find "Tracepdb.exe".  I will have another attempt over the weekend and hopefully I will have the required log file by Monday.

The developer is on the right track.  the issue of the PC freezing is mainly when I attempt to interrogate the contents of either the main HDD or USB HDD while a VM is running.  If I don't select any drive in explorer, then the system is more stable.

Thanks

Woolie 161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

It is Ok. We 've got the information now. You can ignore it. Thanks for your cooperation!

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

We are still investigating the issue. Looks vmware.exe is suspicious, not vmware-vmx.exe. Can you run the VM without VMware Workstation UI using below command?

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\x64\vmware-vmx.exe" "-x" "-s" "vmx.stdio.keep=TRUE" "-#" "product=1;name=VMware Workstation;version=15.5.0;buildnumber=14665864;licensename=VMware Workstation;licenseversion=15.0+;" "D:\_VirtualMachines\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64.vmx"

After the VM is running, please attach the device and reproduce the issue. Then attach vmware.log again.

Thanks a lot!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Hello Bonnie 21110141,

     I really appreciate the support you and your team have been offering.

I have run the VM from the command prompt as requested and the log file is attached.

On the two(2) occasions I connect the external USB drive to the host while the VM was running, "Windows Explorer" became no responsive and the VM froze, but on both occasions this only lasted last than 1 minute, before things returned to normal.  Start the VM using the UI the issue can last up to 10 minutes.

Again Thank you for your help.

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Will you please upload usb arbitrator log from C:\Windows\Temp\vmware-SYSTEM as well as vmware.log from VM directory when you use the command line to start the VM and reproduce the issue? Thanks a lot!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

As Requested, I have re-created the issue starting the VM from command prompt and not the UI.

I have attached the VM Log and the USBarb log.

I am unsure what is different but this time not using the UI to start the VM, Windows Explorer on the Host and the VM froze for about 4 minutes.

Again Thanks for your time and effort checking this issue.

Woolie 161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Thanks for your response! We need more trivial logs for troubleshooting. Will you please do the following?

1. Stop service VMware Workstation Server from Windows Services. Make sure it is kept stopped before the final step.

2. add

vmx.buildType=debug

loglevel.user.main = 10

loglevel.user.vigor = 10

loglevel.user.usb = 10

to the VM's .vmx config file.

3. Boot VM with command

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\x64\vmware-vmx-debug.exe" "-x" "-s" "vmx.stdio.keep=TRUE" "-#" "product=1;name=VMware Workstation;version=15.5.0;buildnumber=14665864;licensename=VMware Workstation;licenseversion=15.0+;" "D:\_VirtualMachines\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64.vmx"

3. Plug in the device, and record the exact device plug in time and the time that host freeze stops.

4. After reproduced, please upload the usbarb log and vmware.log and the above two timestamps.

Thanks very much!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

As requested the log files are attached.

USB Drive connected at     18:17:30 (24hr time)

Host Explorer unfroze at     18:18:16   Less than 1 minute

Thank you

Woolie 161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

We found that when running the VM without GUI (i.e. using command line), the freeze might be caused by tools in the guest operating system. Can you please uninstall vmware tools in guest and try again? Thanks a lot!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Bonnie201110141,

     I have un-Installed VMTools from the Guest and disabled the "VMWare Workstation Service", I have then restarted the Guest without the GUI.

The External USB Drive was attached at 17:56:00 (24Hr time)

The Guest and Windows Explorer started responding at 17:56:44

Freeze time was 44 seconds.

I have attached the log files.

I hope this is the information you requested.

Once again Thank you for you support with this issue.

Woolie161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Sorry, before running the VM, we still need below options added in .vmx file:

vmx.buildType=debug

loglevel.user.main = 10

loglevel.user.vigor = 10

loglevel.user.usb = 10

Thanks!

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woolie161
Contributor
Contributor

Hello Bonnie201110141,

As requested, I have attached the appropriate files.

The extra logging lines you requested to add into the ".vmx" file, already existed from the previous time you ask.

I moved the extra lines to the end of the ".vmx" file and saved the file.

The VMWare Workstation server was disabled and VMTools was removed before I started the VM from "Command Prompt.

Hopefully I managed to recored the infomation you are looking for.

External USB Drive added at  18:04:00 (24Hr Time)

System unfroze at 18:05:02

  Total Time 1 Minute & 2 Seconds.

Woolie 161

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bonnie201110141
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi,

Attached is an instrumented build. Can you please do the following?

0. Replace the C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\x64\vmware-vmx-debug.exe with the attached one.

1. Stop service VMwareHostd. Make sure it is kept stopped before the final step.

2. add

vmx.buildType=debug

loglevel.user.main = 10

loglevel.user.vigor = 10

loglevel.user.usb = 10

to the VM's .vmx config file.

3. Boot VM via administrator account with command

"C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\x64\vmware-vmx-debug.exe" "-x" "-s" "vmx.stdio.keep=TRUE" "-#" "product=1;name=VMware Workstation;version=15.5.0;buildnumber=14665864;licensename=VMware Workstation;licenseversion=15.0+;" "D:\_VirtualMachines\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64\Rockwell_V32_Win7x64.vmx"

3. Plug in the device, and record the exact device plug in time and the time of freeze stop.

4. After reproduced, please return the usbarb and vmware.log together.

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