virtualbox.org

There is an even better solution than using multiple cryptic commands of:

• 
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpuidset

Try the following CPU profiles, of course while the VM is completely shut down, and rebooting your VM in between the changes:

• 
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Xeon X5482 3.20GHz"
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i7-2635QM"
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i7-3960X"
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i5-3570"
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i7-5600U"
  VBoxManage modifyvm "<VM name>" --cpu-profile "Intel Core i7-6700K"
  

starting with the last one (Intel Core i7-6700K) and working your way to the first one (Intel Xeon X5482 3.20GHz). For reference, here are some more information about the CPU profile chosen:

CPU                   Date     Class      Family
--------------------------------------------------------
Xeon X5482 3.20GHz    Q4'07    Server     Harpertown
Core i7-2635QM        Q1'11    Mobile     Sandy Bridge
Core i7-3960X         Q4'11    Desktop    Sandy Bridge E
Core i5-3570          Q2'12    Desktop    Ivy Bridge
Core i7-5600U         Q1'15    Mobile     Broadwell
Core i7-6700K         Q3'15    Desktop    Skylake

I'm on the market for a workstation, and it seems that all the CPUs offered have the same problem reported here.

Since I did not see any replies after socratis', can anybody confirm that the --cpu-profile command works with the following configurations?
1. Host running Ubuntu, guest running Win 7 Pro
2. Host running Windows 10 Pro, guest running Win 7 Pro

Also, does this work independently of the host CPU architecture, such as when the host is running i7, i9, or newer AMDs like the RYZEN?

So far, I seem to be having good luck with the --cpu-profile

I'm running Win7 on a Win10 host with an 8th gen i5 processor. The update messages have not returned and I am in the middle of installing updates now.

shortpasta wrote:I'm on the market for a workstation, and it seems that all the CPUs offered have the same problem reported here.

Since I did not see any replies after socratis', can anybody confirm that the --cpu-profile command works with the following configurations?
1. Host running Ubuntu, guest running Win 7 Pro
2. Host running Windows 10 Pro, guest running Win 7 Pro

Also, does this work independently of the host CPU architecture, such as when the host is running i7, i9, or newer AMDs like the RYZEN?

But there should be nothing special about Win 7 Pro + i5, so why did you have to do this?
And which cpu profile did you use?

I did it because Windows Update complained that the CPU reported by the host, an 8th generation i5 wasn't supported by Win7, so updates were disabled.

I agree, there really isn't anything special. I think I used the newest i7 listed above in the thread.

It appears to work and has updated since I had VB report the older CPU.

I don't have the same issue with Linux guests. So far, they don't care that they've been migrated to a newer CPU

shortpasta wrote:But there should be nothing special about Win 7 Pro + i5, so why did you have to do this?

Because 6'th generation i5 (and up) are not supported by Win7.
And Win8+ is an unusable atrocity of an UI design.