Am I using my AMD-V laptop features on my VBOx?

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 02:41

OK..

Got a new laptop with AMD processor which has AMD-V virtualization extensions. I installed VirtualBox and Windows2003 as a guest. I noticed later that the option was disable on my laptop BIOS and VirtualBox itself so I enable both.

How can I know if my Windows2003 virtual machine is indeed using my AMD-V capabilities? I checked on the VirtualBox log and found this:

0:00:02.625 SVM - AMD VM Extensions = 0 (1)

It looks like is enable but my Windows2003 guest is not using it, am I right? Yes! It is enable on my motherboard. Yes! I did check AMD-V at VirtualBox. By the way, my VirtualBox version is 3.0.4. I am running a Compaq Presario CQ60-418DX AMD Dual-Core 2.1GHz. My host Os is Ubuntu Jaunty.

Post by **Perryg** » 6. Sep 2009, 02:56

When turning the VT-x/AMD-v in bios of a laptop a lot of people have found that they needed to completely power down their laptops (including taking the battery out) and let it set for as much as 30 minutes then put it back and power it back up again.

Now if you were able to install a 64 bit OS then it means that it is good to go. Only catch that you might have is if the host is not 64 bit then some people are saying that they can only use one processor with a 64 bit guest on a 32 bit host.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:07

Perryg wrote:When turning the VT-x/AMD-v in bios of a laptop a lot of people have found that they needed to completely power down their laptops (including taking the battery out) and let it set for as much as 30 minutes then put it back and power it back up again.

Now if you were able to install a 64 bit OS then it means that it is good to go. Only catch that you might have is if the host is not 64 bit then some people are saying that they can only use one processor with a 64 bit guest on a 32 bit host.

Power down my laptop? wow! ... well, I can give a try. What is kind of weird is that when the guest is running, there is an icon that states I am using AMD-v extensions, like a little CPU, right corner at bottom? ... the Nested Paging is enable also but is not working; got an icon or something in VirtualBox that says is not enable (but box is checked)

Besides the VirtualBox log, does it generates a process that I can check via shell with "ps -fe" ?

Yeah, my Ubuntu is the 64bit/AMD but the guest is 32 bit, Windows 2003 Enterprise edition.

Post by **Perryg** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:11

Well there you have it. Sounds like it is working like it should. Keep in mind that the 32 bit guest will not use the power of the 64 bit extensions though. You should be able to see and use SMP though, and PAE.

Post by **Perryg** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:13

One more thing. You should really try to download and install a 64 bit guest OS. That way you can see the difference in the way VirtualBox handles things.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:23

Perryg wrote:Well there you have it. Sounds like it is working like it should. Keep in mind that the 32 bit guest will not use the power of the 64 bit extensions though. You should be able to see and use SMP though, and PAE.

HI Perry

But why the VirtualBox log says 0(1) ? ... should read, 1(1) , no? also, how can I check SMP? I selected two CPUs for Windows shows just one; maybe is because is 32bit, not sure.

I can try and install Windows 2008 but I'll have to redo everything. I am running Oracle on it and just patching Micro$oft takes like 1 hour. If I recall well, WIndows 2003 64 bit is not supported by VirtualBox; Windows 2008/64bit though, it is.

Post by **Perryg** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:37

But why the VirtualBox log says 0(1) ? ... should read, 1(1) , no? also, how can I check SMP? I selected two CPUs for Windows shows just one; maybe is because is 32bit, not sure.

The o = guest and the 1=host so the reading looks right since it is a 32 bit guest.

I selected two CPUs for Windows shows just one; maybe is because is 32bit

If you install the Windows OS before you turned on all the hardware-v stuff then Windows installed with the single processor kernel. You would need to install the SMP kernel to actually get SMP working. Windows is funny about that and it is kind of touchy installing it after the fact, but there are a lot that have managed to do so.

I am not sure about the statement on Windows 2003 though. I would need to check on that.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 03:48

The o = guest and the 1=host so the reading looks right since it is a 32 bit guest.

You mean, if the version of Windows 2003 Enterprise I'm running as a guest is 32bit, I won't be able to use the AMD-V virtualization extensions capabilities of my host?

Regarding your comment about SMP and IO APIC, I did not install WIndows with those enable I know it for sure. So, I guess I'm stuck (for not say other word and change s for f, lol) ... so, only option is reinstall. On device manager Windows detects two processor but if you open Task Manager, the Performance Tab shows one only which indicates it is not using SMP I guess...

Post by **Perryg** » 6. Sep 2009, 04:37

You can still update the kernel but I would not install anything else until you do so you will not waste too much time if you can't update the kernel.
Anyway it is late here so more tomorrow, good luck and enjoy VBox.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 20:30

Well... I just installed Windows 2003 64bit and still showing 0(1) in VirtualBox log. But the lower right icon says AMD-V virtualization enable!

Post by **vbox4me2** » 6. Sep 2009, 20:39

See the quickclic FAQ for amd tests and what to look for in the logs.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 20:41

vbox4me2 wrote:See the quickclic FAQ for amd tests and what to look for in the logs.

Sorry, I skipped my morning coffee

.. do not understand. Can you elaborate a bit more, please? is a string you want me to look for inside the VirtualBOx log?

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 20:52

I've decided to upload my Vbox log and this screenshoot; maybe it will explain my point better ...

Post by **vbox4me2** » 6. Sep 2009, 21:15

00:00:02.139 HWACCM: AMD-V features
00:00:02.140 HWACCM: 32-bit and 64-bit guest supported.
So it should all work, amd-v that is.

jocampo · Post by **jocampo** » 6. Sep 2009, 21:23

vbox4me2 wrote:00:00:02.139 HWACCM: AMD-V features
00:00:02.140 HWACCM: 32-bit and 64-bit guest supported.
So it should all work, amd-v that is.

I don't want to be a pain

... but I am an skeptical man and want to learn, lol ... what about this line?

0:00:02.625 SVM - AMD VM Extensions = 0 (1)

I've been using VirtualBox for a while but I am not an expert. That said I thought the initial zero is for the guest and means, the feature is not being used.

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