Memory usage showing High from the outside and the server keeps stopping

[powersupport]

Hi,

We are experiencing an issue that one of the VM (windows server) in our Proxmox cluster keeps stopping at regular intervals. We have checked the Syslog for OOM messages 'cat /var/log/syslog | grep OOM'. But does not get any output. On checking the summary in the Proxmox interface, we could see that it showing high memory usage. I have attached the screenshot for reference. But inside the server, the memory usage shows normal. It seems like it is causing the issue.

May I know if anyone can advise what could be the issue? Kindly let us know why the high memory usage is showing for this VM from outside.

Looking forward to your reply.

Thank you.

 

[leesteken]

On checking the summary in the Proxmox interface, we could see that it showing high memory usage. I have attached the screenshot for reference. But inside the server, the memory usage shows normal. It seems like it is causing the issue.

Filesystem cache is not counted by operating systems inside the VM (because it can be reused at a moments notice) but Proxmox does not know what the memory is used for and does count it (because it cannot reuse it). It's probably not causing the issue. There are several posts on this forum about high memory usage. Every operating system will use "unused" memory for cache because they assume it cannot hurt and could be beneficial if you read the same files again (which is true for bare metal).

May I know if anyone can advise what could be the issue? Kindly let us know why the high memory usage is showing for this VM from outside.

I don't know what the issues could be, sorry, but I hope to have given some information about why the high memory usage could be perfectly normal.

 

[powersupport]

May I know if anyone is available to let us know how to check and confirm the issue with the VM?

 

[Neobin]

Install and enable the guest agent and all drivers, like described in all of the best practices:

• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_2012_guest_best_practices
• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_2016_guest_best_practices
• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_2019_guest_best_practices
• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_2022_guest_best_practices
• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_8_guest_best_practices
• https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Windows_10_guest_best_practices

BTW: Somewhat of a double post, no?!:
https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-vm-keeps-stops.115763

 

[powersupport]

May I know if there is any way to check whether the VM is stopping because of high memory usage which is only shown in the summary in the Proxmox interface?

>Every operating system will use "unused" memory for cache because they assume it cannot hurt and could be beneficial if you read the same files again
Does the cache memory cause stop of the VM in proxmox?

 

[leesteken]

Please see this post on how to make Proxmox not show high memory usage: https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/ram-memory-above-80.115859/post-500992

 

[powersupport]

Hi,
The issue Is that the VM is automatically turning off.
Please help to check.

 

[leesteken]

What do the Windows logs show just before stopping? I have no recent experience with Windows server, so I cannot tell you where to look but I assume that you know where to look inside your VM. Did you activate your WIndows license? Maybe there is information from Microsoft to investigate such a problem? Do you have some kind of Microsoft support for your Windows server (and have they ruled out that the stopping is coming from inside the VM)?
Also, please share the journalctl logs of the Proxmox host from around the time that the VM stops.

 

[powersupport]

Hi,

By running the command "journalctl xe" I was not able to find any log related to the VM. Can you please confirm the command and may I confirm that the command needs to be run on the node in which the server resides?

 

[powersupport]

Can anyone please advise?

 

[IamPepsiGuy]

Can anyone please advise?

You mentioned "keeps stopping at regular intervals". What is the interval? Are you sure the Windows Server is activated? Depending on what changes you may have made to the VM config, a previously activated Windows can become non-activated. You may want to double-check it.

 

[powersupport]

>You mentioned "keeps stopping at regular intervals". What is the interval?
The interval is 1hrs.

 

[powersupport]

>You mentioned "keeps stopping at regular intervals". What is the interval?
The interval is 1hrs, There are no changes we made recently.

 

[IamPepsiGuy]

>You mentioned "keeps stopping at regular intervals". What is the interval?
The interval is 1hrs, There are no changes we made recently.

Sounds like a classic Window Server eval expiration. It will shutdown every hour.

https://community.spiceworks.com/to...ter-1-hour-evaluation-expired-or-power-issues