Slow VM startup and excessive resources usage

O

OscarC

Bit poster
Whenever I start up Windows XP using Parallels 5, my computer slows down to a crawl (both Mac OS and Windows XP). The Activity Monitor shows that Parallels (in particular, prl_vm_app) is using every available resource (up to 104% CPU!). This makes the computer unusable for periods as long as 30 minutes, which is the time that it has taken me to shut down Windows XP and quit Parallels 5.

I took a sample, as suggested in a different thread. The Sample of prl_vm_app is very long (334 lines), so here are the first three and the rest is in the attached text file.

Sampling process 9331 for 3 seconds with 1 millisecond of run time between samples
Sampling completed, processing symbols...
Analysis of sampling prl_vm_app (pid 9331) every 1 millisecond

I also reported the problem from Parallels (Problem ID 812248).

Is there anything in th epreferences that I can change to fix this?
 

Attachments

Can you provide problem report ID? Please,

1. Have your VMs running.
2. Go to Help->Report a problem menu
3. Send problem report, wait till system replies with problem report ID.
4. Write problem report ID here.

The problem report contains logs and some details about your VM configuration, that should help understand the issue.

Thank you in advance.
 
Reporting a problem

I did that already, the ID is included in my previous message. I'll try again, because I am not sure if I chose report a problem while the VM was running. Unfortunately, I can't do it now, because i know I will lose my computer for 30-40 minutes, and I'm busy now.
 
OscarC,

Unfortunately, report 812248 was taken when VM wasn't running and lacks some important run-time information. This is why I'm asking for another report.

Probably, you you can check the amount of memory your VM has? To check it, just open the VM without starting it, go to Virtual Machine->Configure->General tab->Main Memory option.
 
VM memory and related issues

I changed the allocated memory to 2 GB and got a warning that it would cause trouble, which I ignored. I also changed from 1 processor to 2. I started the VM and reported a problem. Things seem to go better with more memory. The Mac OS X was working OK, and I quickly got the Windows log in screen. After logging in I created a problem report (ID 831031). Then I started Activity Monitor (doing sudo /Applications/Utilities/Activity\ Monitor.app/Contents/MacOS/Activity\ Monitor) and tried to get a sample. Everything went south from there. I never got Windows fully working (no icons, no start menu,etc.) and the sample never was finished. Then Parallels was "not responding" and things began to go slow everywhere. I had to force quit Parallels and force quit Activity Monitor. Things were not moving great afterwards, so I restarted. I hope the problem report sheds some light, because I couldn't get an Activity Monitor's sample.
 
OscarC,

It is highly not recommended to give the VM more than 1024MB in your case. I would recommend 768MB given to the VM. Please try this amount and check, the VM and host should perform much better after that.
 
Problem solved!

Well, that did it. I changed the memory allocation to 768 MB, and now Windows XP is humming happily. prl_vm_app is not taking anything over 20% of CPU, and less than that most of the time. I can switch to and from Mac OS, as God intended.

Thanks.
 
I have the same issue big time

Hi First post here-I have this issue, 24 inch iMac, 3.06 ghz, 4GB ram, Mac OS 10.5.8 Intel Core 2 Duo, running Parallels 5 built 5.0.9344 revision 558741 March 5 2010. I get the prl_vm_app not responding message every time... computer slows to a sad crawl and drives me crazy-I'm a web designer and this is killing my workflow. PLEASE can someone help? I tried the memory adjustment to 768-made no difference at all.
 
I have the same issue big time

Hi First post here-I have this issue, 24 inch iMac, 3.06 ghz, 4GB ram, Mac OS 10.5.8 Intel Core 2 Duo, running Parallels 5 built 5.0.9344 revision 558741 March 5 2010. I get the prl_vm_app not responding message every time... computer slows to a sad crawl and drives me crazy-I'm a web designer and this is killing my workflow. PLEASE can someone help? I tried the memory adjustment to 768-made no difference at all.
 
Slow

So what is another option other than Parallels. All ran great until the upgrade and now I can't even get on. It has been like this since the new one and am sure I got it when it first came out. I am so damned frustrated i cant see straight.

I try to the suggest VM change and can't even do anything in there but sit and look stupidly at it.

IT says 512 and nothing moves. I am so frustrated with not only losing access to the Windows bs but also my Mac which goes into crawl mode that I have blood coming out of my eyes.

there is just not enough valium to work with Parallels anymore.
 
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