VMs sometimes crash

[docs00]

Hello,

I have a USB SSD SATA drive on which I store 2 Windows 10 virtual machines, because I have to use them on another PC with Workstation (15.5.1 build-15018445).

When I attach the USB drive then I start Workstation, after 1 minute or less Windows 10 virtual machine is ready to be used but sometimes it freezes and after a while Workstation crashes.

I found this on vmware.log:

2020-06-26T10:41:55.606+02:00| vcpu-0| I125: VMMouse: CMD Read ID

2020-06-26T10:42:45.547+02:00| vmx| I125: GuestRpcSendTimedOut: message to toolbox timed out.

2020-06-26T10:42:45.547+02:00| vmx| I125: Vix: [guestCommands.c:1945]: Error VIX_E_TOOLS_NOT_RUNNING in VMAutomationTranslateGuestRpcError(): VMware Tools are not running in the guest

2020-06-26T10:42:45.547+02:00| vmx| I125: scsi0:1: Command WRITE(10) took 49.000 seconds (ok)

2020-06-26T10:42:45.547+02:00| vmx| I125: scsi0:1: Command READ(10) took 49.033 seconds (ok)

2020-06-26T10:42:45.547+02:00| vmx| I125: scsi0:1: Command READ(10) took 49.031 seconds (ok)

And on the host o.s, I hear the tipical windows sound when a usb drive is detached and attached without safetly removal of usb drive.

Host O.S is Windows 10 64 bit 1909

Workstation 15.5.1 build-15018445

Guest O.S is Windows 10 64 bit 1909

Can you help me?

Regards,

D.

[Mits2020]

Historically there is little information on users running VMs off USB disks, because this is used to be not very efficient - data transfer speed was limited by the USB interface speed. Now the advent of USB3.x and SSD disks this configuration may become more common.

If you are connect the disk to a USB3 port on your PC (or via a USB-C to USB-A adapter), the only thing I suspect might be wrong is excessive power demand from the USB port, especially when having to continuously read data to boot the VM. Since not all USB ports are born equal, and long USB cables to the front panel do make a difference, I'd suggest trying a port on the backpanel of your PC. If you are using a laptop, you have one one alternative, the use of a powered USB3 hub.

My guess is that if your guests were stored locally, or even remotely using network shares, you wouldn't experience any crashes at all.

In conclusion, I don't think this is a Workstation problem (unless WS performs internal checks of the data transfer speed or data read retries that I am not aware of).

[docs00]

Hello,

I upgraded to Workstation 15.5.5 because I read on bug fix list that this version should resolve some issues about USB but unsuccessfully.

I took another external but mechanical hard drive and it seems working (slow but I do not loose the VM due to crash).

Maybe the ssd on the usb is not so good.

[Mits2020]

There is also version 15.5.6 to try.

The chain has too many links - Memory chips-->mem controller-->sata-->usb-->cable-->usb-->cable-->motherboard, so don't underestimate the role of cabling. It is well known that internal SSDs suffer when using bad or even mediocre SATA cables (slower than nominal speeds, even loss of data), so I'd suggest you invest in some better (than the one provided with the drive) USB cable to connect your drive and keep length at minimum.