vboxpci: IOMMU not found (not registered)

[eelstrebor]

This isn't a virtualbox issue but maybe someone has a solution. IOMMU is enabled in the kernel and virtualization is setup in the BIOS but I'm getting this message. The CPU is capable of virtualization according to its specs (Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-4460 CPU @ 3.20GHz). I tried using intel_iommu=on in grub but that causes a kernel panic. This happens on both of my boxes using a GigaByte Z97-HD3 board.

[Perryg]

Virtualization as in VT-x is not the same as VT-d. That said VT-d will only give you access to a small set of instructions and not all that useful. What are you trying to accomplish?

[eelstrebor]

My understanding is that the BIOS has to support virtualization in order for IOMMU to work. The only BIOS settings that I see are "Intel Virtualization Technology" and "VT-d" - both are enabled. What I'm trying to do is pci(e) passthrough. IOMMU is suppose to allow this but before the IOMMU support can be installed the BIOS is suppose to be setup to do virtualization and VT-d. The chipset is suppose to be set for ICH9 also, There may be other settings that I'm unaware of. Anyway, pci(e) passthru isn't working. When I do --pciattach <pci device>, I don't get any errors but the VM won't boot - doesn't matter which Windows I'm trying to launch. Windows 10 is weird because I get a "starting VM" message and it hangs at 0% but then I eventually get an additional window indicating starting 2 of 2 and it hangs at 20%.

[Perryg]

What is the device you are trying to pass through?

Post the results of the following from the host terminal

Code: Select all

cat /var/log/kern.log | grep IOMMU

[eelstrebor]

What is the device you are trying to pass through?

pci(e) passthough so that the Windows guest can see my TBS6922SE PCIe DVB card.

Post the results of the following from the host terminal

Code: Select all

cat /var/log/kern.log | grep IOMMU

May 10 11:00:46 server2 kernel: [ 26.812895] vboxpci: IOMMU not found (not registered)
May 10 11:03:38 server2 kernel: [ 0.027906] DMAR-IR: IOAPIC id 8 under DRHD base 0xfed91000 IOMMU 1

[Perryg]

Your kernel statement is correct but I see that the kernel log does not see IOMMU being enabled nor the following:

Code: Select all

DMAR: IOMMU enabled
DMAR-IR: IOAPIC id 1 under DRHD base  0xfbffc000 IOMMU 1
DMAR-IR: IOAPIC id 2 under DRHD base  0xfbffc000 IOMMU 1
vboxpci: IOMMU found

Which should show if VT-d is enabled in BIOS. At this point is would be the BIOS or mother board. Not much I can do to help you there but you should check with your mother board manufacture to see what it needs. Maybe a BIOS update??

That said I doubt that even if it is fixed that you will have success as PCI pass through is very tricky. The last time I tested it took me two days and lots of hacking to get it to work and I like to think I know what I am doing.

[ucrasher]

Hi,
there is (an old) issue listed:
https://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/12506

I had PCI-passthrue working perfectly until I did a kernel upgrade from 3.2 to 3.5.
Something must have been changed that broke this.

It is also very critical if the BIOS works 100% correct. There are mainboards that do not work (even if they claim to support VT-d).