Arch Linux

ArgylePwnage

Member

Registered: 2014-12-24

Posts: 8

Optimizing VMWare Workstation 11

Hello,

        For malware analysis reasons I have to run a few Windows machines at any given time, and I have just switched over to Arch Linux.
For some reason any time I run a Windows VM my host machine slows to a crawl. Does any one have any tips to optimize VMWare Workstation?

Addtionally, I don't HAVE to use VMWare. So if anyone has better experience with different virtualization platforms. Please let me know!

PS: I don't think it's a hardware issue, because my machine has a i5 3.4GHz quard core processor, with 16GB of RAM, and a SSD.

Last edited by ArgylePwnage (2015-06-15 21:35:32)

edmeme

Member

Registered: 2015-06-15

Posts: 5

Re: Optimizing VMWare Workstation 11

My BIOS has the ability to enable/disable CPU virtualization aids. Also I know that in windows you can download a pack of drivers from intel for improving virtualization performance, maybe there is something alike in linux. Take a look at http://www.vmware.se/files/pdf/techpape … kloads.pdf (obviously parts refering to the gest os dont apply for your case).

Last edited by edmeme (2015-06-16 23:19:13)

Darksoul71

Member

Registered: 2010-04-12

Posts: 319

Re: Optimizing VMWare Workstation 11

The question that arises to me is if hardware virtualisation is enabled in your BIOS.

Run the following command in a shell:

$ egrep --color=auto 'vmx|svm|0xc0f' /proc/cpuinfo

Unless really needed, I would suggest you take a look at KVM for virtualisation. It runs Microsoft OS with good performance:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/KVM

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My archlinux x86_64 host:
AMD E350 (2x1.6GHz) / 8GB DDR3 RAM / GeForce 9500GT (passive) / Arch running from 16GB USB Stick