Outlook 2016 - O365 freezes VM - but only on the second screen

[zuzei]

Hi there

Very Strange problem. Horizon 7.12, Windows 20H2 (But also testet on 1903 / 1909). Fresh install... 

We can use Outlook normally on the primary Screen, but when i put Outlook on the right Screen, the VM Freezes randomly after go to the Calendar, go to the Contacts, or simple change from Mail X to Mail Y. 

The VM freezes completly for about 5 to 10 seconds.

If i put the Outlook back on the left Screen, there are absolutly no problems, runs like a charm. if i disable some Plugins, maybe this will happen not so often, but happens though. 
I have NO IDEA how to troubleshoot this. Have you ever seen something like that, or can you give me some Tipps what i can do? 

many thanks

regards

[PHemme]

We have the same issue also with Horizon 8 2012

[projectserve]

We have the same problem:

Horizon 7.13
Windows 20H2
Vmware Tools 11.2.5
3D Support disabled
No GPU
4 x vCPU
6Gb RAM

After hours of testing we found out that when you disable the Vmware SVGA 3D Driver the problem disappears. (Reboot afterwards; black screen when you are in session)

Also when we disabled the SVGA 3D driver we get MUCH higher FPS, dragging of windows are smoother. (We never seen this much smoothness on our machines?!)

Can anyone confirm this?

[zuzei]

Hi there

Thanks a lot for the hint with the SVGA Driver. I uninstalled for testing, and now this problem is gone.

Now, if i Reconnect to my open Session, the Applications resizing and go to the left screen :S

The Gold Image has only a x1024px resolution, so every time i disconnect, the resolution changed to that... 

[projectserve]

Yes, same problem here with application resizing to default resolution.
Any noticable changes in speed/performance without SVGA driver?

[zuzei]

maybe a bit, but my template before was very good and fast, only the Problem (freezes) with the Outlook and sometime other Office 365 Apps...

fun fact: i try'd a youtube video, this is very very much smoother than with the SVGA driver 🤣

[projectserve]

@zuzei , could you try Vmware Tools 10.30.10 ?, since we downgraded the tools from 11.x to 10.30.10 the freezes are gone.

[dsidler]

For those interested, similar discussion taking place here: Re: Secondary screen temporary freezes when resizi... - VMware Technology Network VMTN

I had the same issues with Outlook as OP is describing it, but haven't immediately linked it to SVGA driver. Only after I noticed the effect with other apps too.

[dsidler]

@projectserve What version of SVGA driver did you get with VMware tools 10.30.10?

We are suspecting we got a newer version of the driver smuggled in by Windows Update. 

[projectserve]

@dsidler, currently 8.16.7.8

[dsidler]

That is the version that we deployed now. Issue seems to be resolved.

[scythe944]

Thanks! I disabled the SVGA adapter and recomposed my intantclone pool and it worked great.  I've tested with VMWare tools :

version:11360 (Current) as well as: version:11333 (Current) and the SVGA adapter causes this behavior with both if the SVGA is enabled.

I just have to figure out which version does work and get that one installed.

[cworthen]

Just to prevent anyone from having to look at too many different articles to fix this...

The issue started for us because we patched esxi and vcenter and a new version of the VMware SVGA driver is included but it does not support Blast / Remote protocol capabilities.  Following Method 2 at the article below resolved the issue.  Note that on certain machines we had to disable the nic to ensure Windows Update did not install a newer version of the driver on step 6.

The fix for this is found here:  (at least for us)

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2078739

Steps are:

1. Uninstall the View Remote Experience package.
2. Uninstall the VMware Horizon Agent and restart, if necessary.
3. Uninstall the SVGA driver:
   1. Click to Start > Run, type devmgmt.msc, and click OK. The Device Manager window of the virtual desktop opens.
   2. Click Display adapters.
   3. Select VMware SVGA.
   4. Right-click Uninstall and click Delete the driver software for this device.
   5. Click OK. If prompted, restart.
4. Uninstall VMware Tools and restart the guest machine.
5. Install VMware Tools without the SVGA driver and restart the guest machine.
6. Install the VMware Horizon Agent and restart the guest machine.
7. Verify the SVGA driver version. 
8. If you are able to install the correct version of SVGA driver, continue to reinstall the View Remote Experience package, such as UEM and App Volumes Agents.

[scythe944]

Thanks, I'll have to give this a try!  I still haven't been able to keep any SVGA driver enabled so far.  Just re-enable the driver when I do gold image work so the screen is larger and not so laggy, then when I'm done I disable the SVGA driver again before sealing and snapshotting. 

I hope this resolves it for me as well, been driving me nuts.

[iSeb2]

Exact same issue here, Horizon 8.1 and then 8.3, latest Windows 10 build, but also the previous builds had the same issue. The article 2078739 VMware Knowledge Base does not help. We had to remove the SVGA 3D device and driver to finally get rid of such freezes. We have a ticket opened with VMware since one week and we are waiting for their feedback.

[nimzobob]

Very similar issue.

Two monitors
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 Ti
VM Horizon Client 8.3.0

On the Virtual Machine when in Outlook 365 AND when I switch between emails in the main outlook window AND with the Reading Pane enabled the entire virtual device intermittently freezes for 10 seconds or so.  Logged activity on the VM during these freezes and there is nothing out of the ordinary.  Keyboard and Mouse clicks are buffered and then executed after control is returned.  On my Personal PC again no unusual activity - I had a live broadcast playing over the headset form the personal PC which continued uninterrupted while  the VM froze. 

I did have a dodgy cable on an external drive which exacerbated the issue. I removed it this morning and everything worked fine. But not the issue is back again.

I will switch Outlook to the Primary Monitor and see if that makes a difference.

[scythe944]

Completing the steps given by another contributor seemed to do the trick for me:

1. Uninstall the View Remote Experience package.
2. Uninstall the VMware Horizon Agent and restart, if necessary.
3. Uninstall the SVGA driver:
   1. Click to Start > Run, type devmgmt.msc, and click OK. The Device Manager window of the virtual desktop opens.
   2. Click Display adapters.
   3. Select VMware SVGA.
   4. Right-click Uninstall and click Delete the driver software for this device.
   5. Click OK. If prompted, restart.
4. Uninstall VMware Tools and restart the guest machine.
5. Install VMware Tools without the SVGA driver and restart the guest machine.
6. Install the VMware Horizon Agent and restart the guest machine.
7. Verify the SVGA driver version. 
8. If you are able to install the correct version of SVGA driver, continue to reinstall the View Remote Experience package, such as UEM and App Volumes Agents.

[nimzobob]

An update - it only appears to happen when Outlook is on the second monitor. On the primary monitor I cannot get it to freeze. i will continue to monitor.

[nimzobob]

No SVGA to uninstall - I just have VMWare Horizon Client installed. 

[nimzobob]

Doh!  you mean on the VM not my personal device.  Will pass on the info to my support person. Thanks