Cannot create and start HyperV Podman machine if there is already one running

[jeffmaury]

Issue Description

I created and started a first HyperV Podman machine (h1). When I do the same for a second one (h2), it gets created but start is rejected with the error message:

Error: unable to start "h2": machine h1: VM already running or starting

Steps to reproduce the issue

Steps to reproduce the issue

1. podman machine init h1 --rootful --now
2. podman machine init h2 --rootful --now

Describe the results you received

podman machine init h2 --rootful --now
Looking up Podman Machine image at quay.io/podman/machine-os:5.1 to create VM
Extracting compressed file: h2-amd64.vhdx: done
Machine init complete
Starting machine "h2"
Error: unable to start "h2": machine h1: VM already running or starting

Describe the results you expected

Both podman machines running

podman info output

host:
  arch: amd64
  buildahVersion: 1.36.0
  cgroupControllers:
  - cpuset
  - cpu
  - io
  - memory
  - hugetlb
  - pids
  - rdma
  - misc
  cgroupManager: systemd
  cgroupVersion: v2
  conmon:
    package: conmon-2.1.10-1.fc40.x86_64
    path: /usr/bin/conmon
    version: 'conmon version 2.1.10, commit: '
  cpuUtilization:
    idlePercent: 99.01
    systemPercent: 0.62
    userPercent: 0.37
  cpus: 6
  databaseBackend: sqlite
  distribution:
    distribution: fedora
    variant: coreos
    version: "40"
  eventLogger: journald
  freeLocks: 2048
  hostname: localhost.localdomain
  idMappings:
    gidmap: null
    uidmap: null
  kernel: 6.8.11-300.fc40.x86_64
  linkmode: dynamic
  logDriver: journald
  memFree: 301465600
  memTotal: 809566208
  networkBackend: netavark
  networkBackendInfo:
    backend: netavark
    dns:
      package: aardvark-dns-1.11.0-1.20240628130058229856.main.10.g5ad6420.fc40.x86_64
      path: /usr/libexec/podman/aardvark-dns
      version: aardvark-dns 1.12.0-dev
    package: netavark-1.11.0-1.20240702123536284903.main.32.g49fb0c2.fc40.x86_64
    path: /usr/libexec/podman/netavark
    version: netavark 1.12.0-dev
  ociRuntime:
    name: crun
    package: crun-1.15-1.20240708144150212138.main.51.g6c158dd.fc40.x86_64
    path: /usr/bin/crun
    version: |-
      crun version UNKNOWN
      commit: 3d4f083b67cc1a967482cd6110b678be991b9ab3
      rundir: /run/crun
      spec: 1.0.0
      +SYSTEMD +SELINUX +APPARMOR +CAP +SECCOMP +EBPF +CRIU +LIBKRUN +WASM:wasmedge +YAJL
  os: linux
  pasta:
    executable: /usr/bin/pasta
    package: passt-0^20240624.g1ee2eca-1.fc40.x86_64
    version: |
      pasta 0^20240624.g1ee2eca-1.fc40.x86_64
      Copyright Red Hat
      GNU General Public License, version 2 or later
        <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/gpl-2.0.html>
      This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
      There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
  remoteSocket:
    exists: true
    path: /run/podman/podman.sock
  rootlessNetworkCmd: pasta
  security:
    apparmorEnabled: false
    capabilities: CAP_CHOWN,CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE,CAP_FOWNER,CAP_FSETID,CAP_KILL,CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE,CAP_SETFCAP,CAP_SETGID,CAP_SETPCAP,CAP_SETUID,CAP_SYS_CHROOT
    rootless: false
    seccompEnabled: true
    seccompProfilePath: /usr/share/containers/seccomp.json
    selinuxEnabled: true
  serviceIsRemote: true
  slirp4netns:
    executable: /usr/bin/slirp4netns
    package: slirp4netns-1.2.2-2.fc40.x86_64
    version: |-
      slirp4netns version 1.2.2
      commit: 0ee2d87523e906518d34a6b423271e4826f71faf
      libslirp: 4.7.0
      SLIRP_CONFIG_VERSION_MAX: 4
      libseccomp: 2.5.5
  swapFree: 0
  swapTotal: 0
  uptime: 0h 4m 13.00s
  variant: ""
plugins:
  authorization: null
  log:
  - k8s-file
  - none
  - passthrough
  - journald
  network:
  - bridge
  - macvlan
  - ipvlan
  volume:
  - local
registries:
  search:
  - docker.io
store:
  configFile: /usr/share/containers/storage.conf
  containerStore:
    number: 0
    paused: 0
    running: 0
    stopped: 0
  graphDriverName: overlay
  graphOptions:
    overlay.imagestore: /usr/lib/containers/storage
    overlay.mountopt: nodev,metacopy=on
    overlay.use_composefs: "false"
  graphRoot: /var/lib/containers/storage
  graphRootAllocated: 106769133568
  graphRootUsed: 4211679232
  graphStatus:
    Backing Filesystem: xfs
    Native Overlay Diff: "false"
    Supports d_type: "true"
    Supports shifting: "true"
    Supports volatile: "true"
    Using metacopy: "true"
  imageCopyTmpDir: /var/tmp
  imageStore:
    number: 0
  runRoot: /run/containers/storage
  transientStore: false
  volumePath: /var/lib/containers/storage/volumes
version:
  APIVersion: 5.1.2
  Built: 1720569600
  BuiltTime: Wed Jul 10 00:00:00 2024
  GitCommit: ""
  GoVersion: go1.22.5
  Os: linux
  OsArch: linux/amd64
  Version: 5.1.2

Podman in a container

No

Privileged Or Rootless

Privileged

Upstream Latest Release

Yes

Additional environment details

Additional environment details

Additional information

Additional information like issue happens only occasionally or issue happens with a particular architecture or on a particular setting

[Luap99]

This is expected, there can only ever be one running VM (WSL is the exception), see #18415

[jeffmaury]

This is expected, there can only ever be one running VM (WSL is the exception), see #18415

The error message is kinda cryptic then and I can start several HyperV machines:

• podman machine init h1 --now
• podman machine init h2
• podman machine start h2

[Luap99]

I don't have access to a windows system but looking at the code this should be impossible, it fails correctly for we with qemu and it uses the exact same code with hyperV as well. Are you sure your didn't create WSL machines there?

How should the error look in your opinion then?

[jeffmaury]

I don't have access to a windows system but looking at the code this should be impossible, it fails correctly for we with qemu and it uses the exact same code with hyperV as well. Are you sure your didn't create WSL machines there?

No I switched to provider=hyperv in containers.conf so WSL is not in the scenario

How should the error look in your opinion then?

Either can't create 2 HyperV machines or can't start 2 HyperV machines

[Luap99]

you can create as many machines as you want you just cannot have more than one running at the same time.

No I switched to provider=hyperv in containers.conf so WSL is not in the scenario

I am not sure I can follow here. You reported this bug saying it does not work but now you are saying it does work? What is the difference?

[jeffmaury]

you can create as many machines as you want you just cannot have more than one running at the same time.

No I switched to provider=hyperv in containers.conf so WSL is not in the scenario

I am not sure I can follow here. You reported this bug saying it does not work but now you are saying it does work? What is the difference?

I was just answering that WSL was not involved in the scenario as I switched containers.conf and I made sure I had no existing WSL machines

[Luap99]

Right but you reported this issue saying you cannot start more than one hyperV machine which as I said is expected.

Then you answered that in fact you can start more than one hyperV machine so that just leaves me totally confused. Which is it now? I can just look at the code here and say it works the same way on qemu, applehv, hyperV and libkrun so it should rightfully error out when you try to start another VM when one is already running.

[jeffmaury]

If I create and start the machines in 1 step then it fails. If I create the machines then start them, then it works. That's why I think multi machines are supported but the error reported is a bug