Slow video performance and freeze in WS8 and not in VM Player 4

[piggyz]

Maybe someone remember this recent discussion:

http://communities.vmware.com/thread/328669?start=15&tstart=0

This is really a bad problem then, IMHO, there is more especially related with Unix based machines. For example my virtualized Freebsd 8.2 used to work fast and stable under WS 7.1. After upgrade to WS 8 there is poor video performance and some freezes crashing the machine.

Sometimes when I do run this machine it freeze and I do have to power it off. It happened like ten times, it is really simple to reproduce on my side. A complete crash.

Video performance is poor, even with Freebsd VMWare Tools.

Then, I did a try to VMWare Player 4.0.0 build-471780 and this solved both the video slowness problem and the freeze problem. Under VMware Player all my machines run fast like in VMware Workstation 7.1 then I miss the VMware Workstation features like snapshots and so on.

So it seems the slimmed VMware Player 4.0.0 build-471780 is not affected by the video bug and the freeze bug affecting VMware Workstation.

[0WayneH0]

Thanks that's good to know. I haven't really tried VM player since I always use workstation, but maybe that is also a work around for running "2D" VMs until the issue in workstation is resolved. I will certainly give it a try.

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Edit: Removing superfluous verbal diarrhea (keep the thread focussed).

[SarahC9]

That's good to know, thanks!

Has anyone seen the admins reply to any of the threads about this speed issue - I'm worried because they're being very quiet about it, when they often provide info in the threads about problems.

I'm scared this is the new reality of non Aero desktops running in Workstation 8!

[0WayneH0]

Re: >> Has anyone seen the admins reply to any of the threads about this speed issue <<

Only in this thread which I am certain is the same issue, just decribed in the context of resuming after a suspend.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1834154#1834154

I reckon VMware does take good notice of what goes on here, so hopefully this will be addressed in the next dot release. In the meantime using VMPlayer also seems like an OK workaround; certainly no chance of accidentally tabbing out of the VM and it also seems to be OK after resume.

[piggyz]

Sad to say, guys at VMWare never ever reply to this slow and freeze threads. And this is a big problem with WS 8: I saw it pretty much on all installations I seen.

IMHO, WS 8 code is seriously broken somewhere, considering 2D is running definitely better in VMPlayer compared to WS: freezes, 2D problems, slowness, Freebsd based machines freeze under light and heavy load and a lot more should convince VMWare guys something is wrong in the massive WS 8 code and just tell us they work on it; admitting problems is the first step for a resolution, IMHO. VB also have complete support for Gnome3 shell/desktop, complete support for any Kernel 2.x and for 3.x and this is something VMWare products are far away from.

Sad to say, but true 😞

[SarahC9]

If - like me - you need that speed, and are waiting for the fixes to come through,

Remember to turn your VM's back to 6.5-7 compatability!

They need to be turned off before you do this.

1: Right click their name in favourites, or right click the VM's tab

2: Click "Change version".

3: Click "Next" at the Wizard info screen.

4: From the dropdown, select "Workstation 6.5-7.x" (or lower if needed)

5: Click "Next"... and check progress.

You'll need to do this for each VM.

I'll be watching the update pages closely, to see what updates occour in the future.

Also - if we notice new threads about this issue - I think we should link them to this thread, as it's got the most feedback!

[SarahC9]

Scratch that idea!

I mean THIS thread: http://communities.vmware.com/thread/328669?tstart=0