vmware-vmx high CPU usage

[AaronA1975]

I've read a handful of posts here about RC1 using an unusually high amount of CPU and I wanted to add a data point. I've noticed that the vmware-vmx process uses anywhere from 30-80% constant CPU time while I have a virtual machine (XP or Vista) running. I have checked to be sure that the VM isn't actually doing anything, and usually the only running process in the VM is Task Manager, which uses about 2% CPU.

Is this something I can correct, or is it simply a bug in the release candidate?

[getwired]

Are you running anything at all in the VM when it is in that state, or is it just running a clean install of Windows?

[AaronA1975]

It's an install of Windows that I created with Beta 4, which did not have the same problem. I start each machine with a cold boot, and the only processes running are those which start with the system boot. The Task Manager shows that the only process, for all users, using any CPU time is itself, at 2%.

[maverick808]

I've reported this a couple of times and the standard response from VMWare seems to be "you must not have a clean install". I wish they would say they are seriously looking at this, but they just seem to say "well, it's running fine on my iMac/MacBook/Mac Pro here".

[AaronA1975]

I'm a pretty technically capable guy, and I'd be happy to provide anyone from the Fusion team whatever debugging information they need to identify this problem.

[simonf00]

Me too, I'm still looking for an answer to a very similar problem

See http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=93047&tstart=10 for more info and a screenshot of my situation. Is it the same as yours?

[AaronA1975]

Yes, it's that problem exactly. Sorry I didn't see your screenshot or I would have posted this to the existing thread.

[bgertzfield]

We basically need reproduction steps, including all the virtual hardware attached to your VM, the .vmx file, and the logs from the Documents/Virtual Machines/Your Virtual Machine.vmwarevm/ directory.

You can submit a Support Request and post the SR number here, and attach the data to the Support Request.

So far, we haven't encountered this problem in-house, so it's likely caused by some virtual hardware attached to your system.

[simonf00]

I have posted an SR (191028631)...

I'll keep you all updated on the status.

simon.

[bgertzfield]

Thanks for taking the time to report the SR!

[AaronA1975]

Since simonf00 has posted a support request, do I need to also post one?

[Andreas_Masur]

Since simonf00 has posted a support request, do I

need to also post one?

Well....although your issue results in the same outcome it may be caused by a different root cause since the one simonf00 reported.

Thus, I would go ahead and also file a support request including as many information as possible based on Ben's list.

Ciao, Andreas

[AaronA1975]

I'm unable to file a support request because I get this error on the page where I fill out my contact information and problem summary:

'Account' is a required field. Please enter a value for the field. (SBL-DAT-00498)

As far as I can tell, there is no account field to fill out.

[Andreas_Masur]

I'm unable to file a support request because I get

this error on the page where I fill out my contact

information and problem summary:

'Account' is a required field. Please enter a value

for the field. (SBL-DAT-00498)

As far as I can tell, there is no account field to

fill out.

Uhh....have not seen this yet...Pat should be able to get back with the corresponding group at VMware to sort that out though.

Ciao, Andreas

[AaronA1975]

Thanks for your help and patience

[AaronA1975]

Is there any new information for this topic? I'd like to submit an SR for this problem.

[simonf00]

No new info yet... I would submit an SR if I were you. You might have a different issue to mine. If it's the same, they might take it more seriously if more than one person demonstrates that they have it.

Simon.

[AaronA1975]

I tried to submit an SR but I had the problem I posted above. Hopefully someone from VMware will help me out.

[maverick808]

I eventually see high CPU usage on all my virtual machines in Fusion. Two times with clean boot camp installations I ended up with CPU usage in the 20-30% range at its lowest. I gave up and went with a virtual image, thinking boot camp might be the problem, but I am now seeing high CPU usage (20-40%) in both my XP and Vista virtual machines that are running off virtual disk images.

In ALL cases the Task Manager in Windows will show 98 or 99% idle yet Activity Monitor in OS X shows 20-40% CPU usage. Anything over about 20% means the fans on my MacBook Pro will eventually kick in. This is a big issue for me as I hate having my fans going crazy when I'm not actually using the machine for anything.

All these high CPU readings are WITHOUT any USB devices connected whatsoever.

[simonf00]

I'll give this a shot too... I've never left the VM running long enough to see this behaviour with anything except Vista.... On my Win2k3 VM the CPU usage I see is around 10%.... I'll leave it running over night and see what happens.

Simon.