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Workstation keeps freezing

#1

Whonix-Workstation started freezing some time ago (back on Whonix 14). I’d just turn it on and I’d have a 4 out of 5 chance that the screen wouldn’t even resize because it’d just freeze before that.
I have to force reset over and over and over again until it doesn’t freeze upon booting (Well, only after the DE popped up), but even so it usually freezes later on (When opening a program/browser mostly, but it also happens when the VM is idle)

This doesn’t seem to affect the Gateway and I have no idea what to do… I’ve spent some time reading threads from people having the same issue, tried different things (Changing DE, increasing RAM, and a couple more things I can’t remember) but nothing works.
Whonix used to work fine, it just started doing this out of the blue, and that happens on all three of my computers.

Does anyone know what else I could try? This is getting a bit frustrating. Thanks in advance!

#2

Hi zye18912

Welcome to the Whonix community!

What you are describing sounds just like a Low RAM Issue. Since its happening on all three of your computers its likely not a Whonix issue.

  • Are all of your three of your computers identical hardware?
  • This is happening in Both Whonix 14 and 15?
  • Did you increase your RAM over the maximum or equal to whats available?
  • Do you normally have a large number of browser tabs open?
  • Are you running more than one Whonix-Workstation at a time?
  • Are your running multi-proccesses on the host while using Whonix?

Test:

Create multiple Debian VMs. Try raising and lowering RAM in those VMs. Can you reproduce the same issue?

2 Likes
#3

Actually I’m not sure I tried on my third computer, but I’m certain the issue happens on at least two of them.
I really doubt it’s a RAM issue considering both computers I tested this on have 16GB of RAM, 4 of which are dedicated to the workstation (Tried with 8GB as well).

  • Are all of your three of your computers identical hardware?

Not exactly. But the host OS is basically the same on all computers (As I script my installs and just restore backups). Maybe there’s a common host issue? I just don’t understand why it would only affect Whonix-Workstation…

  • This is happening in Both Whonix 14 and 15?

Yes. I’ve been plagued by this issue for a good number of months already…

  • Did you increase your RAM over the maximum or equal to whats available?

No, I don’t see how that would help to give a VM more RAM than my host has…

  • Do you normally have a large number of browser tabs open?

In the VM? Not really, it often freezes before I can open multiple tabs in my browser.
As for the host, doesn’t seem to matter. If you’re referring to RAM usage, I definitely have enough for the VM.

  • Are you running more than one Whonix-Workstation at a time?

Nope.

  • Are your running multi-proccesses on the host while using Whonix?

I’m not sure what you mean by that… Sorry.

I tried creating Debian VMs running both XFCE and KDE, changing the RAM doesn’t do anything.
I had a weird bug on one of my tests (On Whonix) where a key I’d just pressed kept being typed for about 5 seconds (Even if my fingers weren’t on my keyboard) before the freeze happened. I’m not sure why.

#4

Adding more RAM than what is available can cause Low RAM issues.

Meaning, are you running a large number of applications/processes on the host?

Do you have the same problem with Debian VMs. I’m trying to rule out Whonix.

Possibly a common host issue. Could also be an VM config issue since al Whonix VMs are identical. Could you try installing an default host OS on a flash drive and boot from that. Then download fresh Whonix VMs.

With Low RAM issues, its common for Whonix-Workstation to be affected and not Whonix-Gateway. Whonix-Gateway requires minimal resources to run.

1 Like
#5

Do you have the same problem with Debian VMs. I’m trying to rule out Whonix.

No, Debian works fine. Sorry I just realized I wasn’t clear in my answer.
As for the low RAM issue, I have plenty of RAM available and the Workstation has 4GB allocated to it.
The number of processes running on the host doesn’t seem to matter either as well.

I’ll try installing another OS on a USB drive soon, I’ll report back what happens.

#6

You could see system logs.

https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Troubleshooting#System_Logs

Maybe you are “lucky” and could watch systemd journal log when this issue is happening?

https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Troubleshooting#Watch_Systemd_Journal_Log_of_Current_Boot

Otherwise if above does not help, you could Enable Persistent Systemd Journal Log:

https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Troubleshooting#Enable_Persistent_Systemd_Journal_Log

And then after freeze and after reboot, Check Systemd Journal Log of Previous Boot:

https://www.whonix.org/wiki/Troubleshooting#Check_Systemd_Journal_Log_of_Previous_Boot