High CPU usage for vmmem

Steve Lo 105

Hi,

I have experienced high CPU usage for Vmmem frequently (~every 2days) and the only solution at the moment is simply restart my machine.

It is understood that is related to WSL and I do have a Docker image running on Ubuntu on Windows. However it is not really responding for Ubuntu and Docker (see below) and CPU usage is still that high even I manually close Docker Desktop and run cmd wsl --shutdown.

It's really disruptive for me and any opinion would be appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

User's image

Kesims 35 Reputation points

2023-05-10T15:20:48.76+00:00

Hello, I can confirm the issue! Also running WSL2 with Docker, exactly the same issue. Sometimes the WSL just bugs and uses 100% of my cpu, making the computer basically unusable. Only restart of the whole system helps, I have not figured out a way to restart just the vmmem thing... I have a limit on memory for WSL, but while putting a limit on processors could treat the symptoms, it is definitely not going to fix the root issue.

Also from my experience, when this bug occures, things using WSL (Docker) stop working. It is really annoying and if programs such as Adobe or Fusion 360 did not held me on Windows, I would already happily move to Linux full time - now I am running dual boot and crying every time I have to use Windows...
Jiri Hajek 20 Reputation points

2023-05-26T14:34:51.1166667+00:00

The very same issue here. I also use WSL2, but the issue happens sometimes even if I haven't used WSL since reboot! The closest to WSL I have used is VSCode with WSL Extension, but this one was only loaded by VSCode, not actively used.

CPU usage spikes to 100% for no apparent reason, the last time when browsing in Chrome.
M$_Sucks 30 Reputation points

2023-05-30T13:41:18.4466667+00:00

Same here. What really helps is to reinstall wsl, which can be a very painful solution. Especially, if you have carefully tuned up your setups on your wsl.
Jasso Miroslav 5 Reputation points

2023-06-26T09:17:20.2166667+00:00

Same issue here. It stared after some of the last Windows updates. About 2 weeks ago. The only one solution is to restart my computer. It is really annoying, because it happens every 2-3 days.
Tim W 30 Reputation points

2023-06-28T09:56:58.1+00:00

I have this problem as well, having installed Docker and WSL2 a few days ago to test some docker containers, I now find my CPU usage for vmmem stuck on 49%, dragging down laptop performance, even though I have no containers running. Stopping all the services for linux processes seems to clear this, but is not an ideal solution.
Mike G 0 Reputation points

2023-06-28T21:42:25.8866667+00:00

In trying to resolve this issue the wsl --shutdown command never completed. I had to reboot to temporarily resolve it. I have experienced this a couple times before and atm expect to have to reboot to resolve. Please help.

Windows 11; WSL2; Docker for Windows with WSL integration for use with VS Code
Daniel 11 Reputation points

2023-07-12T19:17:08.38+00:00

I have also been having this problem for weeks now. I also use Docker and WSL2. Everything everyone says here is exactly what I'm experiencing, and it only started fairly recently (last month or two, not exactly sure when but it's recent).

I've also been rebooting to resolve this, but I just tried to "End Task" the Windows Subsystem for Linux process as someone WFarmer suggested int he answers section, and it dropped the CPU from 100% down to about 5%, so I can at least confirm that workaround works without having to completely reboot. It's still very disruptive though since I regularly use WSL2 for development and this has caused some issues there more than once, including loss of active work.

Please fix this, Microsoft!
1gor 0 Reputation points

2023-11-04T08:49:57.1333333+00:00

Hi there!

Guys, all of you have Intel CPU or Ryzen?
Please link your CPU in comments to understand is this CPU problem.
I have hybrid CPU intel 12500H.
PLEUN SAARLOOS 0 Reputation points

2024-02-16T10:05:56.57+00:00

I had the exact same problem on my laptop.
I solved it by removing the charger and now I can run wsl and docker as normal. I hope someone smarter finds a better solution.
Alex Herlan 0 Reputation points

2024-03-27T03:08:43.76+00:00

I am having the same issue. AMD Ryzen 5900 series CPU, 32gbs DDR4, Windows 11 64bit. Running Docker. Only started occuring after this most recent Windows Update. :-. Anything to do with WSL, virtualization, etc. Has been a huge pain to deal with on Windows 11. I am not a happy customer at all.
Myles Prather 0 Reputation points

2024-05-03T15:48:12.9466667+00:00

I can't use WSL anymore because of this bug. If Windows 11 is the solution (is it?), it won't work for me on my corp laptop (which I can barely install WSL on; long story). I just use Cygwin now. Less than ideal, but the only game in town (my IT won't let us install VirtualBox, etc).

15 answers

Limitless Technology 44,021 Reputation points

2023-03-22T14:19:50.54+00:00

Hello

Thank you for your question and reaching out. I can understand you are having query\issues related to vmmem high CPU usage.

When Docker is running, it uses memory just like any other virtual machine in any virtualizer. Docker is a sort of virtual machine.

It suggests that you create the following text file at:

C:\Users<your-username>.wslconfig

[wsl2]

memory=2GB # Limits VM memory in WSL 2

processors=1 # Makes the WSL 1 VM use two virtual processors

Reference :

https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20180717-00/?p=99265

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Yoad 10 Reputation points

2023-05-25T08:26:24.9066667+00:00

In my case, it doesn't solve the problem.

So instead of using 95 CPUs it will use 50, this still prevents WSL from being used for other things

Plus I also shut down Docker, usage continues to be high

M$_Sucks 30 Reputation points

2023-05-30T13:37:07.1366667+00:00

Yey ! This is to be a solution ? Placebo - in best case half remedy for symptom suppresion. Just admit wsl sucks (like most shit from M$).
Solution is here: Kick W1nD0z3 to ass and boot linux.
Thasss it, man...

Max F 0 Reputation points

2023-06-25T22:09:17.92+00:00

You are talking about memory, the problem and question is about CPU usage
Sign in to comment
Antonio Torres Vargas 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T14:57:56.0433333+00:00
This worked for me.

Create the following text file at:

C:\Users<your-username>.wslconfig

[wsl2] guiApplications=false

then restart the PC
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment
Qwerty Vítězslav Ackermann Ferko 0 Reputation points

2023-09-13T15:06:04.68+00:00

It is not possible to kill the process, but you can change it's affinity.

Running wsl --shutdown in administrator cmd seems to have worked for me in the end as well.

Anyway, I want to point out that in my case, the issue was caused after I stopped Docker. After that I could not even restart it as it got stuck on the launch screen.
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Will MacGuinnes 0 Reputation points

2023-09-21T05:54:15.46+00:00

The issue isn't related to the Docker. WSL hogs CPU even without anything running on it. In my case it's related to OS sleep state and occurs only after resuming from sleep. Quite often wsl --shutdown does not work (does not stop it even in 15 minutes) so only option is to restart.
Sign in to comment
Jiri Hajek 20 Reputation points

2023-09-21T06:59:58.25+00:00

Just fyi, while I had several instances of this issue in the past, it doesn't happen anymore, haven't had it in the past months. Not sure what changed, my PC usage seems to be pretty much the same, so possibly some of the updates.
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment
Thomas Arand 0 Reputation points

2023-11-08T07:48:51.26+00:00

I have the same issue.
Sometimes docker is running, sometimes not (So docker alone does not seem to be the only app causing this behaviour).
However, restarting the PC is not a solution.
Unfortunately, sometimes "wsl -shutdown" doesn't work (the command simply doesn't return, and the high mem/CPU usage of VMMEM is still there).
Any other ideas to workaround?
Please sign in to rate this answer.

0 comments No comments
Sign in to comment

Share via

High CPU usage for vmmem

15 answers