Multiple Windows VM Slow 100% Cpu

[Jonpaulh]

I see many threads regarding this but I do not seem to find anything that helps me to resolve my issue.
For the most part when I install a windows VM the performance seems to be pretty terrible. Currently I have one VM in particular that is virtually unusable.

OS: Windows 10 Pro

root@vm:~# qm config 105
acpi: 0
bootdisk: virtio0
cores: 2
ide0: none,media=cdrom
ide2: none,media=cdrom
memory: 6144
name: SNew
net0: bridge=vmbr0,virtio=66:33:36:37:32:36
numa: 0
onboot: 1
ostype: other
parent: TaskSchedulerFixed
smbios1: uuid=ce830805-2d6a-4d40-8931-952704c20af6
sockets: 1
tablet: 0
virtio0: local-lvm:vm-105-disk-1,cache=writeback,size=500G

Here are the server details

root@vm:~# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 4.2-48 (running kernel: 4.4.6-1-pve)
pve-manager: 4.2-2 (running version: 4.2-2/725d76f0)
pve-kernel-4.4.6-1-pve: 4.4.6-48
lvm2: 2.02.116-pve2
corosync-pve: 2.3.5-2
libqb0: 1.0-1
pve-cluster: 4.0-39
qemu-server: 4.0-72
pve-firmware: 1.1-8
libpve-common-perl: 4.0-59
libpve-access-control: 4.0-16
libpve-storage-perl: 4.0-50
pve-libspice-server1: 0.12.5-2
vncterm: 1.2-1
pve-qemu-kvm: 2.5-14
pve-container: 1.0-62
pve-firewall: 2.0-25
pve-ha-manager: 1.0-28
ksm-control-daemon: 1.2-1
glusterfs-client: 3.5.2-2+deb8u1
lxc-pve: 1.1.5-7
lxcfs: 2.0.0-pve2
cgmanager: 0.39-pve1
criu: 1.6.0-1
zfsutils: 0.6.5-pve9~jessie


When checking top I can see the kvm process taking 100% cpu



Similarly when checking the Windows Server task manager I can see this refelected also. Task manager is taking 70% and the CPU is using 96% whilst doing nothing.


I have installed the Virtio drivers as suggested by this Windows 10 Best Practices proxmox wiki page, however I see at the bottom of the Performance Tweaks wiki page it conflictingly states that the baloon driver should not be used, in my case it is in use.

I also see on the forum a suggestion that a solution can be found at the microsoft support (I cannot post the link as I am a new member), however, the link is no longer accessible so I do not know what the solution was.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[wolfgang]

Hi,

Please update to a current version like PVE 4.4.

 

[Jonpaulh]

Hi,

Please update to a current version like PVE 4.4.

I have now upgraded the server which took some doing. I had a few errors along the way but finally I am on the new version:

root@vm:~# pveversion -v
proxmox-ve: 5.1-26 (running kernel: 4.13.4-1-pve)
pve-manager: 5.1-36 (running version: 5.1-36/131401db)
pve-kernel-4.13.4-1-pve: 4.13.4-26
pve-kernel-4.4.6-1-pve: 4.4.6-48
libpve-http-server-perl: 2.0-6
lvm2: 2.02.168-pve6
corosync: 2.4.2-pve3
libqb0: 1.0.1-1
pve-cluster: 5.0-15
qemu-server: 5.0-17
pve-firmware: 2.0-3
libpve-common-perl: 5.0-20
libpve-guest-common-perl: 2.0-13
libpve-access-control: 5.0-7
libpve-storage-perl: 5.0-16
pve-libspice-server1: 0.12.8-3
vncterm: 1.5-2
pve-docs: 5.1-12
pve-qemu-kvm: 2.9.1-2
pve-container: 2.0-17
pve-firewall: 3.0-3
pve-ha-manager: 2.0-3
ksm-control-daemon: 1.2-2
glusterfs-client: 3.8.8-1
lxc-pve: 2.1.0-2
lxcfs: 2.0.7-pve4
criu: 2.11.1-1~bpo90
novnc-pve: 0.6-4
smartmontools: 6.5+svn4324-1


Unfortunately after all of that effort the issue is still the same. Do you have any other suggestions, task manager is taking approx 50% CPU by itself.

 

[wolfgang]

You use as OS type other what do not work with windows.
Please change to win10

 

[Jonpaulh]

You use as OS type other what do not work with windows.
Please change to win10

This has now been changed, but the CPU is still on 100%.

root@vm:~# qm config 105
bootdisk: virtio0
cores: 2
ide0: none,media=cdrom
ide2: none,media=cdrom
memory: 6144
name: SNew
net0: bridge=vmbr0,virtio=66:33:36:37:32:36
numa: 0
onboot: 1
ostype: win10
parent: backup
smbios1: uuid=ce830805-2d6a-4d40-8931-952704c20af6
sockets: 1
tablet: 0
vga: qxl
virtio0: local-lvm:vm-105-disk-1,cache=writeback,size=500G

I was hoping to post a screenshot but I am unable to add images as I am a new member. Task manager is showing 73.9%

 

[ktecho]

This has now been changed, but the CPU is still on 100%.

root@vm:~# qm config 105
bootdisk: virtio0
cores: 2
ide0: none,media=cdrom
ide2: none,media=cdrom
memory: 6144
name: SNew
net0: bridge=vmbr0,virtio=66:33:36:37:32:36
numa: 0
onboot: 1
ostype: win10
parent: backup
smbios1: uuid=ce830805-2d6a-4d40-8931-952704c20af6
sockets: 1
tablet: 0
vga: qxl
virtio0: local-lvm:vm-105-disk-1,cache=writeback,size=500G

I was hoping to post a screenshot but I am unable to add images as I am a new member. Task manager is showing 73.9%

Some users are reporting massive improvements in Win10 machines by changing discs from VirtIO to IDE. I still don't know how to do that, but if you know, maybe you can try.

As you said, in some place Proxmox recommends installing ballooning driver and in another place, they recommend not to use it. Anyways, I disabled balloning from Proxmox admin and the problem persist.