Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
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Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by Broytsch »

I'm trying to create a new VM for the Windows XP ISO, that I have downloaded, in my Win 10 laptop.

This is what happens. I have the settings etc in a separate Virtualbox running successfully the same VM in my Win 10 desktop PC , so I follow these as far as I can see when I try to create an identical new VM in the laptop:-

1. NAME AND OS: Same as already entered as in desktop PC. NEXT highlighted, so I click to proceed.

2. MEMORY SIZE: I had entered, successfully, around 3000 MB in the desktop. The laptop has a less large HDD, but it's still huge, so I enter 1024 MB (as recommended by H2S Media's guide to this job). NEXT highlighted, so I click to proceed.

3. HARD DISK FILE TYPE: In the desktop I chose the default CREATE A VIRTUAL HARD DISK NOW. in laptop, same default highlighted, so I click it.

4. HARD DISK FILE TYPE VDI (Virtual Disk image) highlighted as default, so, as on desktop PC, i click on NEXT.

5. STORAGE ON PHYSICAL HARD DISK: Dynamically allocated is default, as it was on the desktop PC, so I choose same on laptop, and click NEXT.

6. FILE LOCATION AND SIZE: Here I can't compare with what I created on the desktop because this setting now hidden. On laptop, the default name of the virtual hard disk is pre-entered as

C:\Users\[name]\Virtualbox\VMs\Windows XP\Windows XP.vdi

i had selected the size of the OS as 10.00 GB in the desktop for this step, so I do the same in the laptop, and click CREATE.

I am then returned to the general page for the VBox (the GUI?)

WHAT NOW SHOWS IN THE VBOX SETTINGS FOR THE VM WHERE THE DEFAULTS/OPTIONS LISTED ABOVE SHOW

GENERAL: BASIC

Name: Windows XP

Type: Microsoft Windows

Version: Windows XP (32 bit)

These are the same as on the successful job on my W10 desktop, but, on my laptop, at the bottom of the GENERAL window, is this message:-

Invalid settings detected

with a warning triangle in a box to the immediate right of this message. Clicking on the triangle reveals the following message;-

SYSTEM ACCELERATION PAGE:
The hardware virtualisation is enabled in the Acceleration section of the System page although it is not supported by the Host system. It should be disabled in order to start the virtual system
.

SYSTEM: ACCELERATION

Against PARAVIRTUALIZATION INTERFACE i have selected NONE, but the error message at the bottom of this window is unchanged.

None of the other options in that drop-down offer cancellation of paravirtualization. I have tried all these, but the error message remains.

Below PARAVIRTUALIZATION INTERFACE is:-

HARDWARE VIRTUALIZATION
The only options here are to leave "Nested Paging" disabled or to enable it. Neither affects the error message.

If I try to run the VM with this invalid setting, which does not appear to be correctable, the Windows will not run. There is an error message when it fails to start:-

Not in a hypervisor partition(HVP+0)
(VERR_NEM_NOT_AVAILABLE).

AMD-V is disabled in the BIOS (or by the Host
OS) (VERR_SVM_DISABLED).

Result Code: E_FAIL (0x80004005)

Component: ConsoleWrap

Interface: IConsole
{872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-55855105b9eed}


Can someone help me on this one, please?

I don't know if there any other obstacles to the VM being able to run until I can eliminate this one!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by scottgus1 »

This series of errors are because your host computer does not have VT-x available for Virtualbox to use.

Either your PC BIOS does not have the "Virtualization Technology" (VT-x/AMD-V/SVM) turned on, or something on the PC, like Hyper-V or 3rd-party antivirus, is interfering. Go through every part of
I have a 64bit host, but can't install 64bit guests

You're probably running Virtualbox 6.1.something, which requires VT-x for all VM OS's & 32 or 64 bit.

Paravirtualization is a comm channel provided by modern virtualization-aware OS's to talk to the hypervisor they're running on. XP was not virtualization-aware, so this setting will do nothing for XP.

Nested Paging may probably not help XP but it may help the host OS run a VM better. Leave it enabled.
Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by Broytsch »

Many thanks.

Most compendious and helppful (including the link to the locked thread). I appreciate very much your willingness to put the time required into helping me.

Firmware virtualisation is not enabled in the BIOS (I saw these settings at systeminfo via the C:\ prompt). I am going at least to try to enable this.

I am currently waiting for a series of Windows updates to install. These are very overdue because, until yesterday(!), this laptop PC was very rarely used.

While waiting for completion of the updates I have noticed (4) on your checklist:-

I have looked at General > Basic > Version in the my VBox settings for the VM. The Windows XP that I have downloaded is the ISO image version and is 32-bit. In the dropdown in Version, Windows operating systems from 3.1 to 10 are listed, plus a last option for "Other Windows". All versions are marked 32-bit, with no 64-bit options, so I don't see how I can (nor why I need to) create my template for a 64-bit version of XP.

The version of XP running successfully in my Win 10 desktop PC is 32-bit. (Firmware Virtualisation is enabled, obviously by default, in that machine's BIOS.)The Windows 10 is 64-bit, as on the laptop.

I've probably misunderstood what you mean, so would you mind clarifying, please?
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by scottgus1 »

If you are only getting 32-bit OS choices in Virtualbox, that's another sign that Virtualization Technology is not on, being used by 3rd-party AV, or on Windows Hosts Hyper-V is in the way.

On a 64-bit PC with VT enabled, you'll have the option to make 64-bit VMs too.

For Virtualbox 6.1.x the option to run without VT enabled is removed. It is required now for all VMs regardless of bittedness.

If your VM has a vbox.log and you can see these words in it somewhere:

Attempting fall back to NEM

then it means Hyper-V is enabled and needs to be disabled. See HMR3Init: Attempting fall back to NEM (Hyper-V is active).
Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by Broytsch »

Thanks again for all your help.

I do need the XP to be 32-bit because I need thIs OS only to run some old, but brilliant, DOS business programs. With a printfil licence,these can then print, despite the absence on the Host of a parallel printer port. ('ve got several XP machines, but they are old. When they break down terminally I buy a (second-hand one. These are rare (with a parallel printer port),and pricey. This source will quickly disappear as there are fewer and fewer firms still running XP (at least, in the UK).

Two of these programs will run in any older version of Windows up to XP, or in a DOS 5.0 machine, but the third one would apparently8 not do so. I tried to install it in my first XP computer. No go. I then discovered that it had been re-configured to run (solely, as it turned out) in the XP emulator, for which the installation was now by USB drive (not floppy).

It would handle fully all my old files, but i found later that the pre-XP version still running on my even older Win 98 machine treated files created in the XP machine as read-only. So I HAVE to have XP for this program, and the two even older "genuine DOS" programs run fine in the XP emulator.

So, you see, I'm just an unusual type of computer user, and not a software enthusiast. So I get baffled easily by installation etc problems!

BACK TO THE VM

I did switch off Virtualisation by the CPU.

But the problem, or main problem, that was preventing the VM from finding the OS file (which was in its normal place, in Downloads) was "simply" (ha,ha!) in the Storage settings in the VBox. Try as I might, I could not find a way of entering an optical drive showing the address of the ISO. So the BIOS of the VM could not find the Windows in order to start it running.

My wife got bothered about the toll which all this grief was exacting on me, so I showed her that I needed to provide a file for the Host's empty optical drive E (a non-existent drive), and that there seemed no way of doing it.

When I tried to open a file for this drive it was rejected. However, I found that the default path to the file was taking the machine to the wrong file (albeit it, how I do not know, also called Windows XP). This one was NOT in Downloads. My wife must then, as in the Wizard of Oz, waved a magic wand. I went to Downloads and OPENED the file, this link then being immediately grabbed by the VBox.

And then, lo and behold, when I clicked to run the VM, SETUP started.

All now seems well.

Many thanks again. I've now got more insights thanks to you, Socratis, and mpack!
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by mpack »

Broytsch wrote: I do need the XP to be 32-bit
Scott was not suggesting otherwise. XP is always 32bit (in practice), and finding a 64bit version wouldn't fix the problem. The fix is to find out why VT-x is not available.
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by scottgus1 »

Broytsch wrote: I do need the XP to be 32-bit
mpack wrote:Scott was not suggesting otherwise.
Absolutely. You're perfectly free to run a 32-bit or even 16- or 8-bit OS on a 64-bit-capable host. XP 32-bit will be just fine.
Broytsch wrote:I did switch off Virtualisation by the CPU.

If this really means you turned it off, you didn't have to. And if your Virtualbox is still running with it off, it means you're not running 6.1.x Virtualbox, which requires VT-x to be on.

The original error in this topic:
Broytsch wrote:Not in a hypervisor partition(HVP+0)
(VERR_NEM_NOT_AVAILABLE).

AMD-V is disabled in the BIOS (or by the Host
OS) (VERR_SVM_DISABLED).
does not relate to your VM being unable to find an installation ISO or CD. It only means that VT-x could not be used by Virtualbox for the earlier stated reasons.

Disabling VT-x will also disable Hyper-V, but also means you'll be stuck on earlier no-longer-developed Virtualbox versions 6.0.x or earlier. Your host OS will eventually be unable to run these older Virtualboxes one day.
Broytsch
Posts: 39
Joined: 22. May 2021, 12:19

Re: Problem when creating a new virtual machine in Virtualbox in Win 10

Post by Broytsch »

Well, thanks for all the feedback!

THIS ALL RELATES TO MY RECENT, AND EVENTUALLY SUCCESSFUL, ATTEMPTS TO INSTALL WINDOWS XP PRO 32-BIT AS VM, IN A COPY OF VIRTUALBOX DOWNLOADED ONTO MY WINDOWS 10 LAPTOP

I don't understand about V-TX, or why the fix is to find out why it is not available.

The notes that Scott sent me suggested that the VM installation problems might have been caused by virtualisation NOT being enabled for the laptop's CPU. I checked this in two ways and found that it was indeed OFF. So, in the BIOS settings, I turned it ON.

I am indeed running VBox 6.1.2. If this won't work properly without the Host CPU having virtualisation enabled, then that may be why the VBox Storage facility would not at first link up with the disc image of the OS sitting in the Host's downloads folder. However, after enabling virtualisation in the CPU, and turning it off in Windows Defender, as also instructed in the notes that Scott so kindly sent, Storage still failed to link up with the OS (nominally in "Host drive E". (Yes, I was wrong. There is a drive E:\ in the Host!). It was only when I then went to the Downloads folder and OPENED the file containing the OS that Storage immediately showed it in Host Drive E. Yippee - the VM then started to install! (And completed installation).

It's all very mysterious to me! However, of one thing there is no doubt (at present!). That is that Windows XP Pro 32-bit with SP3 is running in the copy of VBox that i installed on my laptop, and that it seems to run fine for my very limited purposes.

Two things are still puzzling me (aside from the apparent issue with V-TX):-

1. The USB Settings for the VM in the laptop offers only a Controller for USB 1.0, whereas the same setting in VBox in my W10 desktop PC offers 1.0 and 2.0. However, the VM attaches my two USB 2.0 drives, and these work normally with my DOS programs.

2. I did as Scott's notes advised as regards Virtualisation in Windows Defender running on the laptop. I turned it off, ignoring the warning from Microsoft not to do so. That was yesterday. Today, I decided to try turning it on again, and to turn it back off if the VM would not run.

HOWEVER, I found that the little-used laptop had UPDATES waiting to be installed yesterday. These were completed. This morning, I went to what I thought was Windows Defender, to find that it is now WINDOWS SECURITY. The only option at the point where, yesterday, I disabled virtualization in this AV software now shows something with a different name (don't remember what). This feature is shown OFF and there is no option to turn it on. I Googled this, and found out why.

So I don't know if turning virtualization back on in this software would have upset the VBox, or not!
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