PowerEdge R900 - 100% CPU in Hyper-V VM

Hello

I would monitor resource usage in the host OS to isolate the issue. I would want to determine if the issue is just within the VM or is also occurring in the host OS. You want to look at more than just CPU usage. Non-CPU performance issues could cause quality of service to queue processes and show as high CPU utilization.

If the issue is limited to the VMs then I would test them one at a time to see if it is just a single VM or all of them. Once you narrow down where the problem is occurring you can troubleshoot that issue to make sure it is configured properly and look for known issues or possible updates.

Thanks

Hello Daniel,

Thank you the very quick reply - much appreciated.

I will do more investigation but it is every VM that encounters high CPU utilization and these are newly created Windows 10 VMs. I just created two more and both instantly maxed at 100% CPU during usage. I create an instance of Windows 10 1809 straight from the .iso and after logging in - 100% CPU.

HostOS operates at about 5-7% CPU utilization.

GuestOS displays, in Hyper-V Manager, 10-20% CPU utilization. Just moving the mouse around within the GuestOS causes the GuestOS to spike to 100% CPU utilization. 

The amount of virtual processors makes no difference either.

Looks like I overlooked some updates for 2012 R2. Installing those now and will report back.

Unfortunately I still cannot figure it out.

After Server updates and using 1809 Enterprise (instead of eval), the VM's idle at 5-10% CPU.

The moment I right-click the desktop, open File Explorer, or just move the mouse really, the VM's jump to 85-100% CPU utilization.

I am positive it has nothing to do with the VM's themselves. I know this because I can build as many new 1809 VM's as I want and they all experience the same issue. I also built a couple 2012 R2 VM's and they experience the same issue as well.

This Hyper-V environment is completely unusable in this state.

2012 R2 is not fully supported, so you may want to try disabling features.

https://www.dell.com/support/contents/article/product-support/self-support-knowledgebase/enterprise-resource-center/server-operating-system-support

You should be able to disable C/idle states in the system BIOS. You should also be able to disable throttling or power states in the host OS, hypervisor, and maybe within the VM. You may also be able to limit CPU features when creating the virtual machine.

I appreciate the help Daniel.

Unfortunately I still cannot get this server to operate correctly and will be purchasing something else. I just cannot afford a new(er) server so I thought this PowerEdge R900 would work for me as it was advertised as being terrific for Virtualization. I've seen others running 30-50 VM's on my same hardware...

My BIOS does not have the ability to Disable C/Idle States.

Rather strange because I know of many, many others running inferior hardware with an infinitely better experience. Not sure why mine is so much different.