Page 1 of 1

Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit won't boot on Win7 host

Posted: 3. Jan 2010, 06:35
by learning
I create the virtual machine just fine, point it at the Ubuntu 9.10 iso image, but when I start the install I get an error saying that the kernel requires an x86-64 cpu but sees only an x686 cpu.

I'm running Win7 75 bit and the processor is a pentium T4300 which is a 64 bit cpu.

As an aside, it also complained that my screen is 16 bit color when in fact it's 32.

Is the host not reporting things properly to virtualbox or something?

thanks.

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit won't boot on Win7 host

Posted: 3. Jan 2010, 10:06
by airdronian
I am getting the same result trying to do a new install of Linux Mint x64 v8.0 - this was working recently (as an installed vm) and stopped working today. I run Win 7 Enterprise x64 as host. I have had a problem with defective memory recently, which I replaced. I installed the new version of VirtualBox a few days ago. I uninstalled virtualbox and reinstalled with a copy freshly downloaded.

Since the existing vm didn't work I tried creating a new one and the reinstall complains of the wrong arch (it thinks the vm processor is 32 bit) and I am trying to install 64 bit.

For my vm I can always install 32 bit, but not certain why I am getting the arch complaint now.

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit won't boot on Win7 host

Posted: 3. Jan 2010, 15:53
by Perryg
Look at the bios of the PC and make sure that hardware-v is turned on.
If it is then you can try updating the bios.
Make sure that you do not have any other hypervisor running (XP mode) or KVM which will cause this as well.

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit won't boot on Win7 host

Posted: 3. Jan 2010, 20:58
by airdronian
OK, problem solved for me. As part of my troubleshooting a memory problem I had loaded failsafe defaults in the bios at one point. This disabled the virtualization support. I turned that back on and my 64 bit Linux guest is booting.

Thanks Perry.

Re: Ubuntu 9.10 64 bit won't boot on Win7 host

Posted: 3. Jan 2010, 21:57
by learning
Thanks for the response - it turns out my processor doesn't do hardware virtualization (I had assumed that it did but then I looked more carefully). Ubuntu Desktop, which doesn't require a 64 bit processor works just fine.