CPU Usage - Normal behavior?

I notice that while my Windows XP (SP3) Bootcamp session is booted and sitting at 1-5% cpu, my parallels utilization in Leopard (10.5.5) is running consistently around 30%. Is this completely normal?

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This used to be problem until few updates ago. Now with my 5608 version the CPU load of Parallels desktop seems to be between 7 -8% with no activity. But this is on regular VM, not Bootcamp.

However, insert USB device (USB stick like me now) and the CPU load jumps to over 30% and stays there...

This is bug reported a long, long time ago. Is there any fix for this on horizon, Parallels?

 

Agreed

I am seeing around 10-12% for a regular virtual machine. Boot Camp is consistently around 30%..

Parallels folks: Any reason for this? Anything I can do to bring this CPU % down?

 

What about antivirus scanning newly inserted USB flash?

 

AV and USB

Neither.. No AV installed, and no USB attached. The Boot Camp session seems to just make parallels run around 30% CPU.. Maybe it was the way SP3 was applied? I am not sure.

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Nice try, but no... Same with or without ZoneAlarm (my security suite). 99% system idle process and still over 30% CPU used on Mac side.

But, listen... USB high CPU load in Parallels is no news - I and few other have reported this number of months ago and were told that it is being "worked on" on this forum by one of your members...

 

Is it Window server taking 30% CPU?
If yes what you can see in Console.app related to Window server?

 

No, this is Parallels process taking the 30% CPU.

WindowServer on Mac is running 3-5%. I am looking in "Activity Monitor" on Mac. I do not see WindowServer in the Console.app anywhere.

 

The problem is what actual process (name is) because Parallels run processes inside VM under its name, take a look inside VM, is there any load

 

I am computer literate, but I am getting lost here. Sorry. I do not know what you want from me...

When I have no USB drive (device?) connected to VM, the Windows XP (SP3) inside VM shows 99% idle processes in task manager. When I connect USB drive, it still shows 99% idle processes in task manager. No antivirus program is running (disabled).

On Mac side, Parallels show 7% CPU load when no USB drive is connected and over 30% when it is connected. No other changes were done.

I am no genius, but I'd blame Parallels USB communication code. Something is running too much here. Few updates ago you were able to reduce CPU load from ~25% to current 7% without USB device. Someone needs to optimize the USB stack now... On notebooks this is actually important (extends battery life).

 

It looks very strange, like tries to run some files to USB flash,
try to use filemon.exe from sysinternals.com to trace to where it is trying to write

 

Nothing on the disk... It happens with empty disk as well.

Just for the kicks, I looked up my own reports on this subject:
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=16027
http://forum.parallels.com/showthread.php?t=15907

and I know I am not alone in reporting this. For long time now.

 

ok, did you tried to remove USB controller from VM Configuration

 

In that case I will not have access to USB drives in the VM... That is not solution I am looking for. I need access to USB drives and devices.

 

I mean reinstall it after restart

 

Removed USB, rebooted Windows, checked that no USB is in the device manager listed. Added USB to VM, rebooted Windows. USB works. Yet with no USB disk Parallels show less than 10% CPU on Mac Side, connect USB drive, Parallels jump to 30 or more % CPU and stay there.
Good try, but it did not work.

 

Did you tried to use filemon.exe on Windows side as asked? what access it shows to USB drive?

 

I am not too familiar with this program, but I have been staring on the screen for few minutes and the only volume access is the C drive with systems calls. No access to the F drive (the USB drive)... And the CPU load of Parallels (on Mac side) is still high (35-40%).
Interestingly, every 10 seconds there is call from Parallels tools ... ParallelsToolsC:1856 which calls prlnp.dll from system32\drivers area. But that is there with or without USB drive... There was no access to the USB drive at all yet, all while CPU load is 3x the load without the USB drive.

But, this is not related only to USB drives... I just tried other USB devices by connecting to them through Devices menu...
USB drive... 35-40% CPU
no USB drive ... 8-11%CPU
USB printer... 35-40% CPU (not printing)
no USB printer... 8-11%CPU
"USB" Built in iSight... 35-40% CPU
no iSight... 8-11%CPU

I think this has nothing to do with my Windows setup, any USB device bumps up the CPU usage of the Parallels program to about 35-40%. Something is wrong with the USB driver implementation.

 

Ok, please create ticket in support to continue more deeper nvestigation