[Bug]: docker container using 13.99% CPU on idle time constantly while windows task manager shows 0%
Author: megacar1Created Sep 4, 2026Updated Sep 5, 2026
Labelsbug
Operating system
debian 13
Description
Hi, I'm seeing KVM uses 14% cpu all the time on idle windows guest (Tiny11 image running under dockur). I've found the same issue posted 10 years ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/VFIO/comments/80p1q7/high_kvmqemu_cpu_utilization_when_windows_10/
there was an issue with some timers, they they manage to solve by some reconfiguration and get the idle cpu usage from 15% to 3%. I have tried experimenting with those, but no luck, cannot get it below minimum 14% while doing nothin'
Docker compose
services:
windows:
image: dockurr/windows
container_name: windows
environment:
VERSION: "11"
RAM_SIZE: "1G"
CPU_CORES: "2"
SAMBA: "N"
AUDIO: "N"
TZ: Asia/Dubai
HPET: "on" ###this is experiment for CPU usage issue, but made no diff###
ARGUMENTS: "-device usb-host,vendorid=0x0781,productid=0x55bb -device usb-host,vendorid=0x0634,productid=0x5602"
devices:
- /dev/kvm
- /dev/net/tun
- /dev/bus/usb
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
ports:
- "3389:3389/tcp"
- "3389:3389/udp"
- "445:445/tcp"
- "8006:8006/tcp"
volumes:
- /docker/windows/data:/storage
restart: unless-stopped
stop_grace_period: 30s
Docker log
❯ Received SIGTERM signal, sending ACPI shutdown signal...
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (1/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (2/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (3/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (4/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (5/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (6/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (7/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (8/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (9/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (10/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (11/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (12/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (13/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (14/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (15/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (16/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (17/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (18/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (19/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (20/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (21/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (22/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (23/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (24/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (25/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (26/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (27/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (28/100)
❯ Waiting for Windows to shut down... (29/100)
❯ Starting Windows for Docker v6.04...
❯ For support visit https://github.com/dockur/windows
❯ CPU: Intel Core i5 6500TE | RAM: 11/16 GB | DISK: 303 GB (ext4) | KERNEL: 6.12.101+deb13-amd64
❯ Detected that your custom .iso file was removed, will be ignored.
❯ Host: 172.24.0.2/16 (a268d95382dd)
❯ Guest: 172.30.0.2 (Windows) | Mode: NAT | MAC: 02:43:43:11:21:A8
❯ Booting Windows using QEMU v10.0.11...
BdsDxe: loading Boot0001 "Windows Boot Manager" from HD(1,GPT,8DE18066-E27C-4619-B11B-F567BAD5D7F6,0x800,0x40000)/\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
BdsDxe: starting Boot0001 "Windows Boot Manager" from HD(1,GPT,8DE18066-E27C-4619-B11B-F567BAD5D7F6,0x800,0x40000)/\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi
❯ Windows started successfully, visit http://127.0.0.1:8006/ to view the screen...
Screenshots (optional)
No response
Source: dockur/windows