Round and round with x64

[The_Anomaly]

Hi

I've read so many of the x64bit posts about running a guest x64 system on my machine and to be honest I have tried everything! I agree with other posters like Darkon in: http://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19467 - I have similar hardware to him.

I personally don't think you're listening and keep locking the forums pointing to the one solution in configuring a machine for x64 hosting. I have downloaded apps from AMD and tested with confirmation that my system is AMD-V compliant. I have turned on and off the setting in the BIOS. I have a x64 OS - Vista Ultimate and x64 version of VBox. I am trying to install Vista x64 with the x64 OEM disk provided. It boots loading the files (first screen with grey bar) and then goes blank (smaller VB window usually seen before booting into windows) - never to return, but windows see's vbox as running and not as unresponsive. I have also made sure that my VM is "Windows Vista (64bit)" and that PAE/NX is is or off (tried both), also tried with nested paging on / off, AMD-v on / off and various other combination's! I have tried all the different drivers enabling and disabling SATA etc... It will not boot the install disk of Vista x64!!

Any other suggestions?

[Perryg]

Well it could be that the OEM version install is not liking the fact that you are installing it in a virtualizer.
Try installing WIn7RC/64 or any 64 bit Linux OS and see if it works. If so then it must be the OEM disk.

[The_Anomaly]

I don't think its the disk because if I turn off AMD-V or set the OS to windows 32bit the install fails on the boot CD before even loading the files saying error loading 64bit kernel etc...

The one thing I have picked up is the whole ticked but not enabled scenario with the nested paging (shows in the right bottom corner - chip icon says its disabled). Its on and ticked in the settings and my AMD motherboard says virtualization is there and on BUT how does one know if the motherboard supports nested paging? I might buy a board that says "virtualization" friendly and it is BUT it doesn't support nested paging. What's the point? How can one tell? I did find another thread of someone who got this to work ONLY when nested paging was enabled. Motherboard manufacturers don't exactly give you the specs right down to what modules are supported on their systems... I have the Asus M3N-H HDMI with an AMD 5200+ cpu if that helps us solve this.

[The_Anomaly]

Here's a misconception: Its only partly got to do with the motherboard! Both CPU and motherboard need to support virtualization AND some cpu's only support aspects of virtualization (that's dumb!)

Started looking into this and it seems ONLY AMD K10 chips have nested paging. Investigated some System info software like Everest-PC (old version) which tells me my cpu supports some of the virtual mode extensions. The one I think is most important is the Vanderpool extensions. See screenshot.

Can anyone confirm if this would hinder the running of a guest x64 system on a x64 host?

more info found: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/For ... f4cec5c916

[fixedwheel]

Everest-PC (old version) which tells me my cpu supports some of the virtual mode extensions. The one I think is most important is the Vanderpool extensions.

Vanderpool = intel VT-x and (as of today) wont be found on any AMD CPU; whereas Pacifica = AMD-V ... and thats what Everest found enabled on your AMD CPU

Well it could be that the OEM version install is not liking the fact that you are installing it in a virtualizer.
Try installing WIn7RC/64 or any 64 bit Linux OS and see if it works. If so then it must be the OEM disk.

+1