Qemu, high CPU load

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 12:17pm

trying to run a VM with qemu
but when I start the VM the CPU load goes always at 100% or more
it’s the same, if I use one core or more, the CPU load goes always over the top (checking with HTOP)
kvm is enabled and working

to start a VM I use for example this config:
qemu-system-x86_64 -accel kvm -cdrom EndeavourOS_Cassini_22_12.iso -boot menu=on -smp 2,sockets=1,cores=2,threads=1 -m 2G -vga virtio -display sdl,gl=on

I’ve tried a lot of options, but no way, always extremely high load for the CPU

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 12:24pm

seems a common problem:

mrvictory · January 22, 2023, 2:29pm

Try removing this part.

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 3:06pm

thanks, but same results, 100% CPU load
150%, 80%
I’m considering to try virtualbox or vmware

ricklinux · January 22, 2023, 3:13pm

Vmware is working well for me. Some distro’s that install don’t automatically size properly but most do so they must be missing something. I have no issue with EOS.

Virtualbox is not working correctly since a while with version 7.

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 3:15pm

thanks
I will try vmware, unfortunately I’m not able to find a solution with qemu

ricklinux · January 22, 2023, 3:21pm

What are you running on it?

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 3:27pm

host PC is Arch
VM EOS

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 3:30pm

I can not understand why the CPU load is always so high, doing nothing in the VM

ricklinux · January 22, 2023, 3:34pm

It should work well. I use vmware-workstation pro 17 and install vmware-tools. Then all you need to do is load the module. Then i add the network component. I use this one and then enable it.

Add this service to enable networking:

/etc/systemd/system/vmware-networks-server.service

[Unit]
Description=VMware Networks
Wants=vmware-networks-configuration.service
After=vmware-networks-configuration.service

[Service]
Type=forking
ExecStartPre=-/sbin/modprobe vmnet
ExecStart=/usr/bin/vmware-networks --start
ExecStop=/usr/bin/vmware-networks --stop

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Edit: Don’t forget to enable the service.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/VMware

Edit: You could also load xf86-video-vmware but not sure if it’s needed? It’s an xorg driver.

ajgringo619 · January 22, 2023, 5:35pm

What are your host specs? Curious why you’re not using virt-manager via libvirtd to manage your QEMU VMs. It makes setting up VMs almost as easy as VMware/VirtualBox.

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 5:53pm

I’m using virt-manager,
I’m trying to change the XML of the VM preferences, maybe something is going better

ajgringo619 · January 22, 2023, 6:00pm

Here’s a current XML of my EOS VM w/Cinnamon DE: https://0x0.st/ohDa.html
My host specs:

CPU: 8-Core AMD Ryzen 7 2700X (-MT MCP-) speed/min/max: 4118/2200/3700 MHz Kernel: 6.1.7-arch1-1 x86_64 Up: 18h 50m 
Mem: 10822.4/32004.2 MiB (33.8%) Storage: 5.92 TiB (41.0% used) Procs: 474 Shell: fish inxi: 3.3.04

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 6:59pm

thanks, but unfortunately the page is empty

ajgringo619 · January 22, 2023, 7:01pm

Hmmm…maybe eos-sendlog doesn’t like XML files.

<domain type='kvm'>
  <name>arch-cin</name>
  <uuid>06a19bee-b7c2-4b4f-a93b-7d6de7e1416b</uuid>
  <title>Archlinux (EndeavourOS Cinnamon)</title>
  <metadata>
    <libosinfo:libosinfo xmlns:libosinfo="http://libosinfo.org/xmlns/libvirt/domain/1.0">
      <libosinfo:os id="http://archlinux.org/archlinux/rolling"/>
    </libosinfo:libosinfo>
  </metadata>
  <memory unit='KiB'>8388608</memory>
  <currentMemory unit='KiB'>8388608</currentMemory>
  <vcpu placement='static'>8</vcpu>
  <os firmware='efi'>
    <type arch='x86_64' machine='pc-q35-7.2'>hvm</type>
    <bootmenu enable='yes'/>
  </os>
  <features>
    <acpi/>
    <apic/>
    <vmport state='off'/>
  </features>
  <cpu mode='host-passthrough' check='none' migratable='on'>
    <topology sockets='1' dies='1' cores='4' threads='2'/>
    <cache mode='passthrough'/>
    <feature policy='require' name='topoext'/>
  </cpu>
  <clock offset='utc'>
    <timer name='rtc' tickpolicy='catchup'/>
    <timer name='pit' tickpolicy='delay'/>
    <timer name='hpet' present='no'/>
  </clock>
  <on_poweroff>destroy</on_poweroff>
  <on_reboot>restart</on_reboot>
  <on_crash>destroy</on_crash>
  <pm>
    <suspend-to-mem enabled='no'/>
    <suspend-to-disk enabled='no'/>
  </pm>
  <devices>
    <emulator>/usr/bin/qemu-system-x86_64</emulator>
    <disk type='file' device='cdrom'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='raw'/>
      <target dev='sda' bus='sata'/>
      <readonly/>
      <boot order='2'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='0'/>
    </disk>
    <disk type='file' device='disk'>
      <driver name='qemu' type='qcow2' cache='writeback' discard='unmap'/>
      <source file='/home/ajgringo619/VMs/kvm-images/arch-cin.qcow2'/>
      <target dev='sdb' bus='scsi'/>
      <boot order='1'/>
      <address type='drive' controller='0' bus='0' target='0' unit='1'/>
    </disk>
    <controller type='usb' index='0' model='qemu-xhci' ports='15'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x02' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='0' model='pcie-root'/>
    <controller type='pci' index='1' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='1' port='0x10'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='2' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='2' port='0x11'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='3' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='3' port='0x12'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='4' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='4' port='0x13'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x3'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='5' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='5' port='0x14'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x4'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='6' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='6' port='0x15'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x5'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='7' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='7' port='0x16'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x6'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='8' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='8' port='0x17'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x02' function='0x7'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='9' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='9' port='0x18'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x0' multifunction='on'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='10' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='10' port='0x19'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x1'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='11' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='11' port='0x1a'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='12' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='12' port='0x1b'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x3'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='13' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='13' port='0x1c'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x4'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='pci' index='14' model='pcie-root-port'>
      <model name='pcie-root-port'/>
      <target chassis='14' port='0x1d'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x03' function='0x5'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='0' model='virtio-scsi'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x03' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='scsi' index='1' model='virtio-scsi'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x08' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='sata' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1f' function='0x2'/>
    </controller>
    <controller type='virtio-serial' index='0'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x04' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </controller>
    <interface type='network'>
      <mac address='52:54:00:d6:b6:c6'/>
      <source network='default'/>
      <model type='virtio'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x01' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </interface>
    <serial type='pty'>
      <target type='isa-serial' port='0'>
        <model name='isa-serial'/>
      </target>
    </serial>
    <console type='pty'>
      <target type='serial' port='0'/>
    </console>
    <channel type='unix'>
      <target type='virtio' name='org.qemu.guest_agent.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </channel>
    <channel type='spicevmc'>
      <target type='virtio' name='com.redhat.spice.0'/>
      <address type='virtio-serial' controller='0' bus='0' port='2'/>
    </channel>
    <input type='tablet' bus='usb'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='1'/>
    </input>
    <input type='mouse' bus='ps2'/>
    <input type='keyboard' bus='ps2'/>
    <graphics type='spice' autoport='yes'>
      <listen type='address'/>
      <image compression='off'/>
    </graphics>
    <sound model='ich9'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x1b' function='0x0'/>
    </sound>
    <audio id='1' type='spice'/>
    <video>
      <model type='virtio' heads='1' primary='yes'/>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x00' slot='0x01' function='0x0'/>
    </video>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='2'/>
    </redirdev>
    <redirdev bus='usb' type='spicevmc'>
      <address type='usb' bus='0' port='3'/>
    </redirdev>
    <memballoon model='virtio'>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x06' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </memballoon>
    <rng model='virtio'>
      <backend model='random'>/dev/urandom</backend>
      <address type='pci' domain='0x0000' bus='0x07' slot='0x00' function='0x0'/>
    </rng>
  </devices>
</domain>

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 7:31pm

thanks a lot
may I ask the host CPU load?
is it normal?

ajgringo619 · January 22, 2023, 7:36pm

After logging in, the host usage is negligible.

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 7:41pm

thanks
I can not understand why in my PC the CPU is overloaded
but now is getting better

ajgringo619 · January 22, 2023, 7:43pm

Would still like to see your host’s specs. 2 GB RAM is pretty low to give a VM.

cipolla · January 22, 2023, 7:45pm

you are right
I was using 2 GB with Alpine linux VM, and I’ve kept them
but I have in my PC 8 GB