Hello
in Vmware 17.x Mikrotik os boot speed is very slow , how i can fix this issue? i am using windows 11 and VMware Workstation Pro 17.0.2, I didn't enable Side Channel Option or CPU Virtualization in in Vmware. Also it takes up to 5 Minutes to reboot.mikrotik. i am using SSD EVO plus 970 samsung and 16gb ram and core i7 7700hq cpu

I have the same problem. (VMWare Workstation v17.5.0 build-22583795; Windows 10; CHR v7.12)
It takes several (3+) minutes until RouterOS is fully booted and usable. The output on the screen is "Load system" during bootup.

The same problem (but no solution) is outlined here: https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMwar ... -p/2291456

It makes CHR barely usable for my lab-scenarios where I often need to reboot CHR.
Is there any fix for that?

Long ago had same problem on Fusion, support suggested using the OVA file, instead of disk image. Might be worth a try on VMWare workstation. I think it may be the VMX version, so adjusting to version of emulated hardware may help, dunno.

I did use the OVA image (v 7.12) to import the VM into VMWare Workstation.
I've just tried to upgrade the "Hardware Compatibility" of the VM to VMWare Workstation 17.5 (it was on version 10 by default; and I've also tried compat. level "ESXI 7.0") according to https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Works ... 80D8D.html.

The problem persists. Can someone at Mikrotik please look into this as it kind of prevents using local VMs of CHR efficiently. Thanks.

Update: I did some more testing.
CHR v6 OVA: same issue
CHR v7 VMDK: same issue

VMware suggests not to upgrade the hardware version unless newer features are required - https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1003746

Vmware 17.x default hardware version is 21, please change it to 18 and try again.

I've tried setting the hardware version to 18 (ESXi 7.0 U1 (7.0.1) / Workstation Pro 16.x).
The issue persists.

I've tried setting the hardware version to 18 (ESXi 7.0 U1 (7.0.1) / Workstation Pro 16.x).
The issue persists.

Perhaps setting the hardware version to 10, as that's what's in the OVA file.

Yes, that's the OVA's default and thus, what I've tried first. Same issue.

I have the same problem.

VMware Workstation PRO, 17.5.1 -> From start to a login prompt about 1 minutes.
VBox 6.x, About 4-6 second.

I tested both ROS 6.x and 7.x both as OVA and VMDK and I tested most combination i can think, so slow.

Any progress?

Just tested this on VMWare Fusion. Tried an upgrade from v7.14betaX to 7.14 stable... After a reboot, it got the "Load system" message...after 2+ minutes... the login shows up. Tried OVA and VMDK with Fusion in new machine too. Both take minutes to start. Reboot from RouterOS, same few minute delay.

TL;DR;.... Using UEFI booting with CHR in Fusion is FAST at booting. 15 seconds maybe. Problem is CHR disk images are not proper UEFI & VMWare won't boot CHR unless "Legacy BIOS" is used... I'm not sure this is whole story on the "slow boot", but curiously it fixes it.

Since got CHR working with Apple's Virtualization (at least for Intel Mac) – in attempt to move AWAY from VMWare. This needed UEFI booting since Apple did not have a "Legacy BIOS" option like VMWare. Since I had a UEFI-enabled CHR disk image already, easy to try in Fusion.... Turns out it just work.

The "how to get a UEFI CHR image part" is from @kriszos on UEFI booting, and more tricky: viewtopic.php?p=1025068&hilit=UEFI#p933799 – who notes CHR actually has a EFI bootloader, but Mikrotik's partition scheme isn't compatible with EFI specs, so "fix" is simply to convert the 1st partition from EXT2 to FAT (since EXT2 is NOT in UEFI specs). This little "gdisk change" alone apparently makes Hyper-V-gen2, LXD, and Apple boot CHR in UEFI mode. And apparently same for VMWare Fusion/etc... if you run @kriszos script to get UEFI-enabled CHR image and use the following as last step to get the needed VMWare VMDK disks: (e.g. replaced "vhdx" with "vmdk" in last step from @kriszos post)

And then use the "modified" CHR (e.g. with new partition scheme) as disk & set UEFI as the boot mode in VMWare CHR guest... CHR 7.14 stable seems to boot quick.

I'd don't have VMWare Workstation installed, but if someone wanted to try it...without having to figure out the bash script linked above....I'd already had GitHub CI to run @kriszos "UEFI creator" script to repackage CHR from Mikrotik automatically, I added a VMDK file to the files under Releases to make this easier:
https://github.com/tikoci/fat-chr/releases
Be curious if that fixes the "slow boot" on Windows VMWare...

Now all work nice and fast for me on a Intel i7 CPU & AMD Ryzen 7
VMWare Workstation PRO 17.5.1

Boot time MT CHR 7.14 max 5 second.

For me all problem was the CPU and Windows the VmWare is running at, and some setting on the MT image.
I have mixed WIN_10&11 new and old core i7, and a new AMD Ryzen7 so a lot mix.

The fix for me is:
---
I found nice information here:
https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMwar ... -p/2963590
https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMwar ... -p/2291456
---

Windows part:
The vmware.log can be found in the running dir where the VMWare project is.

Before: vmx Monitor Mode: ULM

-bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off (normal is auto)
-Core Isolation must be disabled: Win+I->Privacy&Security->WindowsSecurity->DeviceSecurity->CoreIsolation (set it to disable, it can be a security issue, but if enabled, it will be real slow)
-Reboot computer.

After: vmx Monitor Mode: CPL0
---

Now to the MT part:

https://mikrotik.com/download
Goto: Cloud Hosted Router and get the OVA file.

OVA image:
-Import the OVA image: File->Open
-Edit the settings(important):
EditSettings->Option->GusetOperationSystem: Other 64Bit.
-Boot the MT.
---
Not important, but i use it. From Main: UpgradeThisVirtualMachine: Upgrade to: 17.5.x -> AlterThisVirtualMachine
---

I could have been clearer... Mikrotik's official CHR image requires "Legacy BIOS". And those are slow to boot (minutes) on Fusion. Using "UEFI" booting with Mikrotik's official image does not work — although Mikrotik includes the EFI booting code in image.

The links to my "repartitioned" CHR images — which is what seem to fix the "slow boot" on Fusion — require "EFI" boot be set in VMWare. Since VMWare is generally consistent across ESXi, Fusion, and Workstation.... My guess is there be hope it fixes Workstation too – e.g. symptoms here are identical to Fusion.

In VMWare Workstation, it should be on VM guest's Settings, Options, then Advanced tab. But VMWare Player may NOT show this EFI vs BIOS boot option, dunno.

All VMWare's use VMX files... so, worse case, you should be able to change firmware = setting in the VMX if it's wrong before bring up a new CHR. If the .VMX file has a firmware= line that set to "efi", then it boots using UEFI. If not, should be able to add the line firmware="efi" to VMX file to cause it to be used.

As I said, I tested Fusion & that's where I've had the "slow boot" problem... I just don't know to specific steps for the current Workstation to create a EFI-booting guest...

Thanks @Amm0!

Mikrotik, can you please update your CHR image(s) so that EFI is supported out-of-the-box to fix the slow boot issue? Thanks!

Thanks @Amm0!

Mikrotik, can you please update your CHR image(s) so that EFI is supported out-of-the-box to fix the slow boot issue? Thanks!

I put a GitHub Action around the bash script here: https://github.com/tikoci/fat-chr/releases
Under "Assets", you find the vmdk for any 7.12.2 or newer "testing" or "stable".

LMK if it boots faster for you too. I only tested on Fusion instance & worked for me.

Advisory Note: Mikrotik does recommend downloading their images, not using "third-party" package. On GitHub, you can see the entire build process in GitHub under "Actions" here: https://github.com/tikoci/fat-chr.

But, yes, hopefully they publish a proper EUFI image to downloads to avoid re-packaging. I believe UEFI is needed for other X86 platforms.

MT Image is ok, it is all up to the config on the VMWare. I have 5 to 7 sec boot time.
viewtopic.php?t=196320#p1060334

@homerouter, no, the image does not seem to be ok. It only boots quickly (e.g., 5 secs) when disabling Windows' virtualization features (`hypervisorlaunchtype = off`), which prevents the machine from using important security features like "Core isolation". This is not a viable option for many users.

@Amm0, will test and report back when I find time. Thanks.

Since there was a post that says the efi is enabled on the image tried the following.
I used the iso file with clean install with the free vmware player version.
What I did was to create new virtual machine with the option to install the os later - meaning no iso file was provided. No need to start the newly created virtual machine at the moment.
Go to the location of the virtual machine and open the vmx file and added the line firmware = "efi"
Go to edit virtual machine settings and specify iso file to boot from
Run the machine and the iso will boot in efi mode
Do the install and works fine