VirtualBox + Salix = slow

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clavisound
Posts: 3
Joined: 16. Mar 2016, 20:15

VirtualBox + Salix = slow

Post by clavisound »

Hello there,

salix seems a very good option for live usb, but it's not working properly with VirtualBox.

I tried latest VirtuaBox-4 and VirtuaBox-5 with Slackware-14.1 as host (custom kernel)

The only way to run salix (i tried xfce-live) in VirtualBox (but very slooooow) is with

1. disabled USB on virtualbox
2. Give two CPU's on virtualbox
3. disabling cpu throttling. I usualy work with my CPU on lowest frequency. In that case salix failed to boot!

Anyone using Salix with VirtualBox and low specs?

For comparison, slax is booting and working like native even with my cpu undeclocked to lower cycles with 1 cpu and usb enabled on virtualbox.
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gapan
Salix Wizard
Posts: 6238
Joined: 6. Jun 2009, 17:40

Re: VirtualBox + Salix = slow

Post by gapan »

What do you mean by "slow" exactly? I have a hunch you're talking about boot time. Which is nonsense.
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clavisound
Posts: 3
Joined: 16. Mar 2016, 20:15

Re: VirtualBox + Salix + usb devices = slow or unbootable

Post by clavisound »

[excuse my bad english]

slow = is not working in speed as it should. (I corrected the title, I think I found the problem)

Kernel pauses for 2 to 4 seconds and then continues (printk messages), udev starting fails, the it is unbootable.

Today I retried to capture the problems on video and I think I found the problem. If I enable USB support on VirtualBox *and* I have attached (not mounted) usb devices the init on salix hang.

See video there. 1 cpu on vm, usb enabled *and* usb devices attached. (one flash disk unmounted and two mobile phone for charging)
http://clavisound.no-ip.info/temp_web/s ... -hang.webm

The weird part is that today I had flawless behavior but only with USB devices detached. Weirdest part? I retried with same settings. USB enabled and devices: everything is fine (!)

Maybe this is a problem with VirtualBox, because I was unable to control the VM. After the hung (as seen in video) I had to go to VT to kill the VirtualBox. Today kernel and udev where flawless (only one hang check video) with the yesterday settings, so I am not able to show you those problems.

VirtualBox is like wine? Better as the time passes? :roll:

I am using it with slackware for years without problem, so it's a great surprise to me this inconsistency.

Anyway, I failed miserably in real machines with slax, so it's time for salix to test on real machines. But this is another topic.

Thank you!
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gapan
Salix Wizard
Posts: 6238
Joined: 6. Jun 2009, 17:40

Re: VirtualBox + Salix = slow

Post by gapan »

How much RAM do you have assigned to that VM?
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clavisound
Posts: 3
Joined: 16. Mar 2016, 20:15

Re: VirtualBox + Salix = slow

Post by clavisound »

512Mb (host: 3G total - free 700Mb - cached 1G - swap 0kb) but I choose only console. I don't care for now for gui.

Salix on VM says 200Mb free 130Mb cached, so it seems fine with memory.

Now I managed to install my own .slm modules to my custom salix iso in USB flash and I tested again in VM. Freezes randomly in "setting up root password" (something like that). I removed the 'throttling' from host to manage to boot.

Maybe it's a USB problem from VirtualBox. When I loaded my custom salix iso from tempfs it seems everything fine with cpu downclocked. When I installed my custom iso to USB flash and the used VirtualBox to handle USB flash as RAW disk I had lock-ups with cpu downclocked. I raised processors in VM and normal clocking to CPU and it's fine.

Anyway, my main problem to test the modules and a custom salix USB installation has passed, now I hope I will manage to fine-grain the live-system and to test in real machines.

Excellent work gapan.
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