Windows 2003 Server x64 as guest: AMD64 CPU failure

regli · Post by **regli** » 2. Nov 2007, 18:52

When I try to install Server 2003 x64 from within Vista x64 I get the following message:

Attempting to load an x64 operating system, however this CPU is not compatible with x64 mode. PLease install a 32-bit x86 operating system.

Obviously this is a 64 bit CPU with hardware virtualization capability. I tried both settings with the same results. Has anybody been successful installing an x64 based Windows system as guest?

Thanks for your help.

Post by **stefan.becker** » 2. Nov 2007, 19:12

How should this happen?

That doesnt work not only for you, only 32 Bit is at the Moment supported.

regli · Post by **regli** » 2. Nov 2007, 21:25

Stefan,

Thanks for the information though it is quite disappointing. Seems like VMWare (or Virtual Iron?) seem to be the only systems to really support 64 bit Windows as guests.

Any ideas as to when VB plans to implement such functionality? It looks to me like an absolute must to compete in this space.

Technologov · Post by **Technologov** » 2. Nov 2007, 21:50

Quite many virtualizers support 64-bit guests, but VirtualBox is more desktop-geared, so this feature is non-critical in desktop space - but it will be supported in 2008 I believe.

regli · Post by **regli** » 3. Nov 2007, 02:12

With the advent of Vista x64, I think 64 bit has become a neccessity even in the desktop space IMO.

I need to validate software compatibility across server and client platforms. Which product would you recommend that can handle both 32 bit and 64 bit clients and servers?

rdetmer · Post by **rdetmer** » 7. Nov 2007, 23:22

I'm running Vista 64 on a home machine and need to evaluate Visual Studio 2008 on a 64-bit virtual machine for safety. I was really disappointed to find out that VirtualBox doesn't support Vista 64 as a guest. VirtualBox looks great otherwise, but I wasted a lot of time trying because this limitation wasn't clearly stated.