Testcomplete is running really slow on Azure Virtual Machine

Hi Gayatripenub,

There are a couple of simple things I do in these cases.  I setup performance counters in my project.  I will also setup the performance counters in Windows.  You need to know what you are looking for so it will take some research into which counters to use.

Adding Performance Counters
https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/testing-with/advanced/monitoring-performance/adding-counters.html

Performance Counter Options
https://support.smartbear.com/testcomplete/docs/working-with/managing-projects/properties/performance-counters.html

Use images from a bug report...

.... This lead me to ProcessMon from SysInternals to get a clearer picture of the issue from outside of TC the check to see if TestComplete was eating the memory or at least contributing to the problem...

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

The previous monitoring was using counters from the System not specific to the process. Using ‘ProcessMon’ I was able to see a clearer picture of the issue and confirm Blake’s finding that the app is 32 bit and will struggle at the 2 gig point, I have duplicated this without TestComplete just plugging line items in from the keyboard and the memory use is the same. TestComplete is just faster and doesn’t make Order Entry mistakes like me. 😉

As always, ... If you find my posts helpful drop me a like! 👍 Be sure to mark or post the solution to help others out and/or to credit the one who helped you. 😎 

What has changed during that time?

If your execution time jumped from ~8 hrs to 13–14 hrs, something in the environment, configuration, or application has likely changed. Here are a few things worth checking:

1. Application Updates

• Has the AUT been updated recently? Even small UI or control changes can affect how quickly TestComplete identifies objects.
• If possible, run tests against an older build to confirm whether the slowdown originates in the app.

2. Environment / VM Setup

• Any recent Azure VM changes (size, SKU, region, or storage type)?
• Windows updates or patches installed around the time the issue began?
• Any new antivirus, endpoint protection, or background processes?
• Note: Azure Standard SSDs have IOPS caps — heavy read/write during logging or screen capture can trigger throttling and extend test times.

3. TestComplete/TestExecute Configuration

• Check your project’s Log settings — excessive screenshots or detailed event logging can add significant overhead.
• Review SmartWait and NameMapping behavior. If objects take longer to resolve, small delays multiply across long test suites.

4. Resource Monitoring

• During execution, use Task Manager, PerfMon, or Azure Monitor to track CPU, memory, and disk usage.
• Sustained high utilization often points to throttling or contention at the VM level.

5. Baseline Comparison

• Run a small subset of tests on a local workstation or a freshly created VM with identical specs.
• If those runs complete in normal time, the slowdown is most likely tied to Azure infrastructure or resource configuration.

If you can share:

• TestComplete/TestExecute version numbers
• Azure VM SKU (e.g., D4s_v3)
• Whether the AUT or OS was updated recently

For reference, you might also review: 

• Enhancing TestComplete Performance
• Managing Log Files
• Find and Remove Unused Mapping Items

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