Hey all, I'm having a struggle with the performance of one of my VirtualBox VMs. I'm running an Asus mobo with an AMD quad-core processor, 1TB hard drive and 16 gigs of RAM and the VM is Ubuntu running Unity 3D with 10 gigs of RAM on a 160 gig vDisk. I was told the performance issue is probably from using two vCPUs. Specifically, that when there's a second vCPU in a VM the I/O APIC will automatically run and that will slow down I/O calls on the VM so I should only have one vCPU in my VMs. Is this correct or incorrect?

Thanks,

Joe B

I almost always add in every real processor I have for the VM or VM's. The system will auto level most times. I never add in more processors than a have, that would only be for some very limited tests.

Not sure what you mean by vCPU. If your system has full hardware support for virtual technologies then the processor will be real. If you system doesn't then it will or can emulate the processor.


Might start with top on both host and client.

Exactly what type of performance issue do you have?

Could it be related to the 3D video and/or host card?

You don't say what thd guest OS is. In my experience Windows XP will run very badly when given more than one CPU for the reason you mention. Linux and BSD guests all seem fine when I give them 4 CPUs though.

--> jefro, top on the client showed CPU usage spikes of over 200% with averages down around 170-180%. That was with Unity 3D. When I dropped it to Unity 2D my CPU usage went back to normal--40%-50% for opening files and such. I guess it could be the host card. Is there a way to test how hard the video card is working?

--> 273, the client OS is Ubuntu 12.04 (<-- required for a software suite I purchased).

Thanks all, I won't worry about using multiple CPUs on my VMs.

Thanks,

Joe B

Darn, I just read a similar post the other day on this video issue. You'll have to go back and see if you can find it. Forgot what it was about the 3D. Maybe I'll remember Monday.

Exactly what 3D software would you run on 12.04? Seems odd you can't migrate to a newer version but it is a pain to get dependencies correct.

I had a similar feeling - found this thread.

That's really bizarre. I haven't noticed any slowdown with Ubuntu in a VM and I always give my guests (XP excepted as mentioned above) 4 CPUs (I've an AMD "8 core" FX 8120).

Hey all, the link from syg00's post is my post regarding the same VM. I was having problems, serious problems, with my CPU resources being consumed by the VM. I changed from Unity3D to Unity2D and problem solved. I didn't "need" the Unity3D so it was no big loss to me.

--> 273 & jefro, so since I have a quad-core CPU are you saying I can give my VMs four CPUs?

Thanks,

Joe B

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hehe, I would have linked that same post.

Yes, unless there is some reason not to, then give every real processor you have to the vm's.

Of course in Intel you may have to decide on HT. I still give the full set of whatever shows on boot. If I see 8 penguins then maybe I may just give 4 to a VM. In reality the host would usually level this all off.

Look, you paid for the processors, use them.

1 members found this post helpful.

Indeed. Make the cores available to the VMs unless there's compelling reason not to. It's up to the hypervisor to decide how many cores they actually get, at any particular nanosecond.