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Date:      Fri, 27 Jul 2012 22:05:27 -0400
From:      Steve Tuts <yiz5hwi@gmail.com>
To:        freebsd-emulation@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: become worse now - Re: one virtualbox vm disrupts all vms and entire network - finally fixed now
Message-ID:  <CAEXKtDo--vefivg6AJij7d0V2KHACR6f6ff9BLnGTbeO9YEBeQ@mail.gmail.com>

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finally fixed now, see fully reply in the end.

On Fri, Jul 13, 2012 at 4:34 PM, Steve Tuts <yiz5hwi@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 9:11 AM, Steve Tuts <yiz5hwi@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jun 12, 2012 at 6:24 PM, Gary Palmer <gpalmer@freebsd.org> wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, Jun 07, 2012 at 03:56:22PM -0400, Steve Tuts wrote:
>>> > On Thu, Jun 7, 2012 at 3:54 AM, Steve Tuts <yiz5hwi@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > >
>>> > >
>>> > > On Thu, Jun 7, 2012 at 2:58 AM, Bernhard Fr?hlich <decke@bluelife.at
>>> >wrote:
>>> > >
>>> > >> On Do.,   7. Jun. 2012 01:07:52 CEST, Kevin Oberman <
>>> kob6558@gmail.com>
>>> > >> wrote:
>>> > >>
>>> > >> > On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 3:46 PM, Steve Tuts <yiz5hwi@gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>> > >> > > On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 3:50 AM, Bernhard Froehlich
>>> > >> > > <decke@freebsd.org>wrote:
>>> > >> > >
>>> > >> > > > On 05.06.2012 20:16, Bernhard Froehlich wrote:
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > > On 05.06.2012 19:05, Steve Tuts wrote:
>>> > >> > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 4:11 PM, Rusty Nejdl
>>> > >> > > > > > <rnejdl@ringofsaturn.com> wrote:
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > >  On 2012-06-02 12:16, Steve Tuts wrote:
>>> > >> > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > >  Hi, we have a Dell poweredge server with a dozen
>>> interfaces.
>>> > >> > > > > > >  It hosts
>>> > >> > > > > > > > a
>>> > >> > > > > > > > few guests of web app and email servers with
>>> > >> > > > > > > > VirtualBox-4.0.14.  The host
>>> > >> > > > > > > > and all guests are FreeBSD 9.0 64bit.  Each guest is
>>> bridged
>>> > >> > > > > > > > to a distinct
>>> > >> > > > > > > > interface.  The host and all guests are set to
>>> 10.0.0.0
>>> > >> > > > > > > > network NAT'ed to
>>> > >> > > > > > > > a
>>> > >> > > > > > > > cicso router.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > This runs well for a couple months, until we added a
>>> new
>>> > >> > > > > > > > guest recently.
>>> > >> > > > > > > > Every few hours, none of the guests can be connected.
>>>  We
>>> > >> > > > > > > > can only connect
>>> > >> > > > > > > > to the host from outside the router.  We can also go
>>> to the
>>> > >> > > > > > > > console of the
>>> > >> > > > > > > > guests (except the new guest), but from there we
>>> can't ping
>>> > >> > > > > > > > the gateway 10.0.0.1 any more.  The new guest just
>>> froze.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > Furthermore, on the host we can see a vboxheadless
>>> process
>>> > >> > > > > > > > for each guest,
>>> > >> > > > > > > > including the new guest.  But we can not kill it, not
>>> even
>>> > >> > > > > > > > with "kill -9".
>>> > >> > > > > > > > We looked around the web and someone suggested we
>>> should use
>>> > >> > > > > > > > "kill -SIGCONT" first since the "ps" output has the
>>> "T" flag
>>> > >> > > > > > > > for that vboxheadless process for that new guest, but
>>> that
>>> > >> > > > > > > > doesn't help.  We also
>>> > >> > > > > > > > tried all the VBoxManager commands to poweroff/reset
>>> etc
>>> > >> > > > > > > > that new guest,
>>> > >> > > > > > > > but they all failed complaining that vm is in Aborted
>>> state.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >  We also tried
>>> > >> > > > > > > > VBoxManager commands to disconnect the network cable
>>> for
>>> > >> > > > > > > > that new guest,
>>> > >> > > > > > > > it
>>> > >> > > > > > > > didn't complain, but there was no effect.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > For a couple times, on the host we disabled the
>>> interface
>>> > >> > > > > > > > bridging that new
>>> > >> > > > > > > > guest, then that vboxheadless process for that new
>>> guest
>>> > >> > > > > > > > disappeared (we
>>> > >> > > > > > > > attempted to kill it before that).  And immediately
>>> all
>>> > >> > > > > > > > other vms regained
>>> > >> > > > > > > > connection back to normal.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > But there is one time even the above didn't help - the
>>> > >> > > > > > > > vboxheadless process
>>> > >> > > > > > > > for that new guest stubbonly remains, and we had to
>>> reboot
>>> > >> > > > > > > > the host.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > This is already a production server, so we can't
>>> upgrade
>>> > >> > > > > > > > virtualbox to the
>>> > >> > > > > > > > latest version until we obtain a test server.
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > Would you advise:
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > > 1. is there any other way to kill that new guest
>>> instead of
>>> > >> > > > > > > > rebooting? 2. what might cause the problem?
>>> > >> > > > > > > > 3. what setting and test I can do to analyze this
>>> problem?
>>> > >> > > > > > > > ______________________________****_________________
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > I haven't seen any comments on this and don't want you
>>> to
>>> > >> > > > > > > think you are being ignored but I haven't seen this but
>>> also,
>>> > >> > > > > > > the 4.0 branch was buggier
>>> > >> > > > > > > for me than the 4.1 releases so yeah, upgrading is
>>> probably
>>> > >> > > > > > > what you are looking at.
>>> > >> > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > > Rusty Nejdl
>>> > >> > > > > > > ______________________________****_________________
>>> > >> > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > >  sorry, just realize my reply yesterday didn't go to
>>> the list,
>>> > >> > > > > > > so am
>>> > >> > > > > > re-sending with some updates.
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > Yes, we upgraded all ports and fortunately everything
>>> went back
>>> > >> > > > > > and especially all vms has run peacefully for two days
>>> now.  So
>>> > >> > > > > > upgrading to the latest virtualbox 4.1.16 solved that
>>> problem.
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > But now we got a new problem with this new version of
>>> > >> virtualbox:
>>> > >> > > > > > whenever
>>> > >> > > > > > we try to vnc to any vm, that vm will go to Aborted state
>>> > >> > > > > > immediately. Actually, merely telnet from within the host
>>> to the
>>> > >> > > > > > vnc port of that vm will immediately Abort that vm.  This
>>> > >> > > > > > prevents us from adding new vms. Also, when starting vm
>>> with vnc
>>> > >> > > > > > port, we got this message:
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > rfbListenOnTCP6Port: error in bind IPv6 socket: Address
>>> already
>>> > >> > > > > > in use
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > , which we found someone else provided a patch at
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >>
>>> http://permalink.gmane.org/**gmane.os.freebsd.devel.**emulation/10237<;
>>> > >> http://permalink.gmane.org/gmane.os.freebsd.devel.emulation/10237>;
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > > So looks like when there are multiple vms on a ipv6
>>> system (we
>>> > >> > > > > > have 64bit FreeBSD 9.0) will get this problem.
>>> > >> > > > > >
>>> > >> > > > >
>>> > >> > > > > Glad to hear that 4.1.16 helps for the networking problem.
>>> The VNC
>>> > >> > > > > problem is also a known one but the mentioned patch does
>>> not work
>>> > >> > > > > at least for a few people. It seems the bug is somewhere in
>>> > >> > > > > libvncserver so downgrading net/libvncserver to an earlier
>>> version
>>> > >> > > > > (and rebuilding virtualbox) should help until we come up
>>> with a
>>> > >> > > > > proper fix.
>>> > >> > > > >
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > You are right about the "Address already in use" problem and
>>> the
>>> > >> > > > patch for it so I will commit the fix in a few moments.
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > I have also tried to reproduce the VNC crash but I couldn't.
>>> > >> Probably
>>> > >> > > > because
>>> > >> > > > my system is IPv6 enabled. flo@ has seen the same crash and
>>> has no
>>> > >> > > > IPv6 in his kernel which lead him to find this commit in
>>> > >> > > > libvncserver:
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > commit 66282f58000c8863e104666c30cb67**b1d5cbdee3
>>> > >> > > > Author: Kyle J. McKay <mackyle@gmail.com>
>>> > >> > > > Date:   Fri May 18 00:30:11 2012 -0700
>>> > >> > > >     libvncserver/sockets.c: do not segfault when
>>> > >> > > > listenSock/listen6Sock == -1
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > http://libvncserver.git.**
>>> > >> sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.**cgi?p=libvncserver/
>>> > >> > > > **libvncserver;a=commit;h=**66282f5<
>>> > >>
>>> http://libvncserver.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=libvncserver/libvncserver;a=commit;h=66282f5
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > It looks promising so please test this patch if you can
>>> reproduce
>>> > >> the
>>> > >> > > > crash.
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > > > --
>>> > >> > > > Bernhard Froehlich
>>> > >> > > > http://www.bluelife.at/
>>> > >> > > >
>>> > >> > >
>>> > >> > > Sorry, I tried to try this patch, but couldn't figure out how
>>> to do
>>> > >> > > that. I use ports to compile everything, and can see the file
>>> is at
>>> > >> > >
>>> > >>
>>> /usr/ports/net/libvncserver/work/LibVNCServer-0.9.9/libvncserver/sockets.c
>>> > >> > > .  However, if I edit this file and do make clean, this patch
>>> is wiped
>>> > >> > > out before I can do "make" out of it.  How to apply this patch
>>> in the
>>> > >> > > ports?
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > To apply patches to ports:
>>> > >> > # make clean
>>> > >> > # make patch
>>> > >> > <Apply patch>
>>> > >> > # make
>>> > >> > # make deinstall
>>> > >> > # make reinstall
>>> > >> >
>>> > >> > Note that the final two steps assume a version of the port is
>>> already
>>> > >> > installed. If not: 'make install'
>>> > >> > I you use portmaster, after applying the patch: 'portmaster -C
>>> > >> > net/libvncserver' --
>>> > >>
>>> > >> flo has already committed the patch to net/libvncserver so I guess
>>> it
>>> > >> fixes the problem. Please update your portstree and verify that it
>>> works
>>> > >> fine.
>>> > >>
>>> > >
>>> > > I confirmed after upgrading all ports and noticing libvncserver
>>> upgraded
>>> > > to 0.99_1 and reboot, then I can vnc to the vms now.  Also, starting
>>> vms
>>> > > with vnc doesn't have that error now, instead it issues the
>>> following info,
>>> > > so all problem are solved.
>>> > >
>>> > > 07/06/2012 03:49:14 Listening for VNC connections on TCP port 5903
>>> > > 07/06/2012 03:49:14 Listening for VNC connections on TCP6 port 5903
>>> > >
>>> > > Thanks everyone for your great help!
>>> > >
>>> >
>>> > Unfortunately, seems that the original problem of one vm disrupts all
>>> vms
>>> > and entire network appears to remain, albeit to less scope.  After
>>> running
>>> > on virtualbox-ose-4.1.16_1 and libvncserver-0.9.9_1 for 12 hours, all
>>> vms
>>> > lost connection again.  Also, phpvirtualbox stopped responding, and
>>> > attempts to restart vboxwebsrv hanged.  And trying to kill (-9) the
>>> > vboxwebsrv process won't work.  The following was the output of "ps
>>> > aux|grep -i box" at that time:
>>> >
>>> > root 3322  78.7 16.9 4482936 4248180  ??  Is    3:42AM   126:00.53
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm1
>>> > root 3377   0.2  4.3 1286200 1078728  ??  Is    3:42AM    15:39.40
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm2
>>> > root 3388   0.1  4.3 1297592 1084676  ??  Is    3:42AM    15:06.97
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm7 -n -m 5907 -o
>>> jtlgjkrfyh9tpgjklfds
>>> > root 2453   0.0  0.0 141684   7156  ??  Ts    3:38AM     4:14.09
>>> > /usr/local/bin/vboxwebsrv
>>> > root 2478   0.0  0.0  45288   2528  ??  S     3:38AM     1:29.99
>>> > /usr/local/lib/virtualbox/VBoxXPCOMIPCD
>>> > root 2494   0.0  0.0 121848   5380  ??  S     3:38AM     3:13.96
>>> > /usr/local/lib/virtualbox/VBoxSVC --auto-shutdown
>>> > root 3333   0.0  4.3 1294712 1079608  ??  Is    3:42AM    19:35.09
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm3
>>> > root 3355   0.0  4.3 1290424 1079332  ??  Is    3:42AM    16:43.05
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm5
>>> > root 3366   0.0  8.5 2351436 2140076  ??  Is    3:42AM    17:32.35
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm6
>>> > root 3598   0.0  4.3 1294520 1078664  ??  Ds    3:50AM    15:01.04
>>> > /usr/local/bin/VBoxHeadless --startvm vm4 -n -m 5904 -o
>>> > u679y0uojlkdfsgkjtfds
>>> >
>>> > You can see the vboxwebsrv process has the "T" flag there, and the
>>> > vboxheadless process for vm4 has "D" flag there.  Both of such
>>> processes I
>>> > can never kill them, not even with "kill -9".  So on the host I
>>> disabled
>>> > the interface bridged to vm4 and restarted network, and fortunately
>>> both
>>> > the vm4 and the vboxwebsrv processed disappeared.  And at that point
>>> all
>>> > other vms regained network.
>>> >
>>> > There may be one hope that the "troublemaker" may be limited to one of
>>> the
>>> > vms that started with vnc, although there was no vnc connection at that
>>> > time, and the other vm with vnc was fine.  And this is just a hopeful
>>> guess.
>>> >
>>> > Also I found no log or error message related to virtualbox in any log
>>> > file.  The VBoxSVC.log only had some information when started but never
>>> > since.
>>>
>>> If this is still a problem then
>>>
>>> ps alxww | grep -i box
>>>
>>> may be more helpful as it will show the wait channel of processes stuck
>>> in the kernel.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>
>> We avoided this problem by running all vms without vnc.  But forgot this
>> problem and left one vm on with vnc, together with the other few running
>> vms yesterday, and hit this problem again on virtualbox 4.1.16.  Only the
>> old trick of turning off the host interface corresponding to the vm with
>> vnc and then restarting host network got us out of the problem.
>>
>> We then upgraded virtualbox to 4.1.18, turning off all vms, wait until
>> "ps aux|grep -i box" reported nothing, then started all vms.  And let no vm
>> with vnc running.
>>
>> Still the problem hit us again.  Here is the output of " ps alxww | grep
>> -i box" as you suggested:
>>
>> 1011    42725    1    0    20    0    1289796    1081064    IPRT S
>> Is    ??    30:53.24  VBoxHeadless --startvm vm5
>>
>> after "kill -9 42725", the line changed to
>>
>> 1011    42725    1    0    20    0    1289796    1081064    keglim
>> Ts    ??    30:53.24  VBoxHeadless --startvm vm5
>>
>> after "kill -9" for another vm, the line changed to something like
>>
>> 1011    42754    1    0    20    0    1289796    1081064    -    Ts
>> ??    30:53.24  VBoxHeadless --startvm vm7
>>
>> and controlvm command don't work, and these command stuck there
>> themselves.  The following are their outputs:
>>
>> 0    89572    79180    0    21    0    44708    1644    select     I+
>> v6    0:00.01    VBoxManage controlvm projects_outside acpipowerbutton
>> 0    89605    89586    0    21    0    44708    2196    select     I+
>> v7    0:00.01    VBoxManage controlvm projects_outside poweroff
>>
>> We now rebooted the host, and left no vm with vnc running.
>>
>
> The problem has become more rampant now.  After rebooting and running
> virtualbox-ose-4.1.18, and no vm was started with console, the around 10
> vms, bridged to each of its own dedicated interface, get no network
> connection a couple times a day. Most times it would recover itself after
> about 10 minutes, sometimes we have to restart host network which
> immediately restore all connections.
>

It turned out this might not be a virtualbox problem, as searching "freebsd
network problem" has quite some problem, especially this page shows
theBroadcom bce card problem (which is what we have) and the solution.
 After
adding

kern.ipc.nmbclusters="131072"
hw.bce.tso_enable=0
hw.pci.enable_msix=0

to /boot/loader.conf.local and reboot, no network problem has occured
for 3.5 days, while there were 3-7 occurrance of the network problem
every day.  So consider this problem finally solved.

So it appears to be a Broadcom driver issue and probably system tuning issue.



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