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Can't use more than 1 processor core
Posted: 13. Nov 2014, 13:29
by zoran404
In the virtual machine settings > system > processor tab
I can't change the number of processors. It's fixed to 1 and all virtual machines I create feel slow.
How do i change this?
Re: Can't use more than 1 processor core
Posted: 13. Nov 2014, 16:00
by Perryg
1) 64-bit guests need hardware-virtualzation enabled in the hosts bios.
2) when creating the 64-bit guest you must select 64-bit in General -> Basic -> version.
3) If running Windows as host you must make sure hyper-v or xp mode is not enabled on the host. MS does not play well and wants it all.
This is also needed for 32-bit guest that need SMP and then you must enable io/apic as well in the settings.
Re: Can't use more than 1 processor core
Posted: 13. Nov 2014, 16:05
by mpack
If your VMs are slow then I doubt that adding idle CPU cores will help. Probably you just need to install the Guest Additions, and check if Windows Update or antivirus is doing a lot of I/O.
Re: Can't use more than 1 processor core
Posted: 13. Nov 2014, 18:58
by zoran404
Perryg wrote:1) 64-bit guests need hardware-virtualzation enabled in the hosts bios.
2) when creating the 64-bit guest you must select 64-bit in General -> Basic -> version.
3) If running Windows as host you must make sure hyper-v or xp mode is not enabled on the host. MS does not play well and wants it all.
This is also needed for 32-bit guest that need SMP and then you must enable io/apic as well in the settings.
Sorry I didn't mention my guests were 32-bit Windows XP and Android 4.4 (aka linux 32-bit) And I'm running win8.1 64-bit.
How would I it for those?
mpack wrote:If your VMs are slow then I doubt that adding idle CPU cores will help. Probably you just need to install the Guest Additions, and check if Windows Update or antivirus is doing a lot of I/O.
I googled guest additions and found that they are installed from iso file that I "insert" to the virtual machine. But no idea which ones I would need and where to get them?
PS. I need this for testing programs on those operative systems.
Re: Can't use more than 1 processor core
Posted: 13. Nov 2014, 19:06
by mpack
You might find the
official VirtualBox user manual more consistently relevant than Google. Your installation includes a PDF copy.
In the case of the XP guest, and assuming autorun is enabled, then the GAs installer should start as soon as you select "Insert Guest Additions CD". Otherwise browse inside XP to the CD drive and run the VBoxGuestAdditions.exe file yourself.
Android is not a supported guest, so there are no GAs for it. Android is
not an alias for Linux btw.