Using Virtualbox seems to slow down the system [Solved]

[linuxforever]

Hi there, I have installed Virtualbox because I need to use 1 app under Windows 10 from time to time. I noticed that Windows 10 under Virtualbox is really slow - like pedaling in yogurt - if I start all my usual apps in MX BEFORE starting Virtualbox. On the other hand, if I start Virtualbox and Windows 10 first, after its shutdown, MX seems significantly slower than usual.
My question is: have other people made the same observation, and is there something that can be done to correct this "behavior", please?
Thanks so much for your input.

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on:
System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 5.8.16-antix.1-amd64-smp x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-5.8.16-antix.1-amd64-smp 
           root=UUID=<filter> ro quiet splash 
           init=/lib/systemd/systemd 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.3 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.4_x64 patito feo October 21  2019 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Desktop System: Dell product: OptiPlex 7010 v: 01 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 3 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: Dell model: 0773VG v: A00 serial: <filter> BIOS: Dell v: A05 date: 07/31/2012 
Battery:   Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard K230 serial: <filter> 
           charge: 100% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: Discharging 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i5-3470 bits: 64 type: MCP arch: Ivy Bridge 
           family: 6 model-id: 3A (58) stepping: 9 microcode: 21 L2 cache: 6144 KiB 
           flags: avx lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 25543 
           Speed: 3498 MHz min/max: 1600/3600 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2789 2: 2533 3: 3295 
           4: 2140 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
           Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT disabled 
           Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT disabled 
           Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Full generic retpoline, IBPB: conditional, IBRS_FW, 
           STIBP: disabled, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds status: Vulnerable: No microcode 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v2/3rd Gen Core processor Graphics vendor: Dell 
           driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:0152 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.8 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz, 1680x1050~60Hz, 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ivybridge Desktop v: 4.2 Mesa 18.3.6 compat-v: 3.0 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel 7 Series/C216 Family High Definition Audio vendor: Dell 
           driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1b.0 chip ID: 8086:1e20 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.8.16-antix.1-amd64-smp 
Network:   Device-1: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network vendor: Dell driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k 
           port: f080 bus ID: 00:19.0 chip ID: 8086:1502 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
           IF-ID-1: tun0 state: unknown speed: 10 Mbps duplex: full mac: N/A 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 1.14 TiB used: 189.80 GiB (16.3%) 
           ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: Hitachi model: HDP725025GLA380 size: 232.89 GiB block size: 
           physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s serial: <filter> rev: A5KA temp: 33 C 
           scheme: MBR 
           ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Western Digital model: WD1002FBYS-02A6B0 size: 931.51 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 3.0 Gb/s rotation: 7200 rpm 
           serial: <filter> rev: 0C06 temp: 46 C scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: 230.35 GiB size: 225.74 GiB (98.00%) used: 40.19 GiB (17.8%) 
           fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda2 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 31.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-earth-pro.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] http://dl.google.com/linux/earth/deb/ stable main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb https://mirror.one.com/mx-packages/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/signal-xenial-added-by-mxpi.list 
           1: deb [arch=amd64] https://updates.signal.org/desktop/apt xenial main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/slack.list 
           1: deb https://packagecloud.io/slacktechnologies/slack/debian/ jessie main
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/teamviewer.list 
           1: deb http://linux.teamviewer.com/deb stable main
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 261 Uptime: 1d 18h 28m Memory: 5.69 GiB used: 3.00 GiB (52.7%) 
           Init: systemd v: 241 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 
           Shell: quick-system-in running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

[dolphin_oracle]

I would check your bios settings to make sure virtualization is enabled. on a lot of machines, its disabled by default.

[antiX-Dave]

Is your inxi after, before, or during the running virtualbox machine?

[linuxforever]

Tjnks, @dolphin_oracle - I will check and post the result.
@ antiX-Dave - I don't know, how can I find out, please?

[Stevo]

Tjnks, @dolphin_oracle - I will check and post the result.
@ antiX-Dave - I don't know, how can I find out, please?

Consult your own memory as to when you ran the QSI, or run it again when you know the answers to that?

My guess is that it's due to running low on RAM in either the guest or host, especially since you said VBox is slow if you run it after opening a number of apps in the host.

[linuxforever]

I don't know what QSI means...

[Bamber]

I notice you have two HDDs.
If the virtual machine is installed in the same disk as MX-Linux that's probably the problem: the mechanical disk is struggling trying to answer two different systems at the same time.
Try moving the VM to the second disk:
https://test.donjajo.com/how-to-move-vi ... tion-path/

[Eadwine Rose]

I don't know what QSI means...

Quick System Info. It's in your first post.

[Stevo]

I don't know what QSI means...

Quick System Info. It's in your first post.

Not to mention right out front of this forum where we ask everyone requesting help here to open the menu on their taskbar and run Quick System Info...
People would complain if we made it any more obvious and in their face.

[linuxforever]

I notice you have two HDDs.
If the virtual machine is installed in the same disk as MX-Linux that's probably the problem: the mechanical disk is struggling trying to answer two different systems at the same time.
Try moving the VM to the second disk:
https://test.donjajo.com/how-to-move-vi ... tion-path/

The virtual machine is NOT on the same disk, but thanks for mentioning.