Re: [REGRESSION] VirtualBox VM crashes (BSOD) during Windows installation on btrfs with kernels 6.18+ (works on 6.12 LTS)

[Qu Wenruo <wqu@suse.com>]

在 2026/1/11 20:33, jollycar 写道:
> #regzbot introduced: v6.12..v6.18
> 
> [1.] One line summary of the problem:
> VirtualBox VM crashes with BSOD during Windows installation on kernels 6.18+ (works fine on 6.12 LTS)
> 
> [2.] Full description of the problem:
> Windows 10 and Windows 11 installation inside VirtualBox consistently crashes with BSOD within 1-3 minutes on Linux kernels 6.18.3 and 6.19-rc3. The same VirtualBox configuration and VM image work perfectly on kernel 6.12 LTS. The BSOD errors vary each time (most recent: 0x80070470 - "file may be corrupt or missing"). The host system remains completely stable with no logged errors.
> 
> [3] Kernel & Hardware:
>     - Kernel versions tested:
>       * Working: 6.12.63-1
>       * Broken: 6.18.3-2, 6.19.0-rc3-1
>     - Distribution: Manjaro Linux
>     - Architecture: x86_64
>     - VirtualBox: 7.2.4 r170995 (vboxdrv vermagic: 6.18.3-2-MANJARO SMP preempt mod_unload)
> 
> [4.] Filesystem and storage:
>     - Root filesystem: btrfs on LUKS encryption
>     - Mount options: zstd compression level 3, SSD optimizations, async discard, free space tree
>     - VM storage: separate btrfs subvolume

What's the storage file configuration? Like what's the cache mode setting?
I don't know VBox at all, but there may be something similar to 
libvirt's cache mode (none/unsafe/writethrough etc).

More importantly, will tweaking the cache mode change fix the broken 
kernels?
If so it may point to direct IO related behavior changes.


And what's the storage file format? QCOW2? RAW? Or whatever format 
provided by Vbox?


And one final question, have you tried qemu (or libvirt + qemu) and can 
it still be reproduced with qemu?
As I'm wondering if the direct IO related change will even affects qemu

Thanks,
Qu

>     - btrfs device stats: all zeros (no errors)
> 
> [5.] Reproduction:
> - Boot kernel 6.18.3-2 or 6.19.0-rc3
> - Start VirtualBox 7.2.4 r170995
> - Create new Windows 10 or Windows 11 VM
> - Begin OS installation
> - BSOD occurs within 1-3 minutes with varying errors (latest: 0x80070470)
> - Issue is 100% reproducible on 6.18+, never occurs on 6.12
> 
> Additional context:
> - Host system remains completely stable during VM crashes
> - No btrfs errors in dmesg or device stats (all zero)
> - Issue persists across multiple 6.18/6.19 releases over one month
> - VirtualBox 7.2.4 modules load successfully on all kernel versions
> 
> Regards,
> Jollycar
>