virtualbox.org

Hi, I am unable to install windows 10 under VirtualBox. Here are some preliminary details:

Host OS: Windows 7 Ultimate (32-bit)
CPU: Core2 Duo P8400 @ 2.26 GHz
RAM: 4 GB
VirtualBox version: 4.3.24 r98716
Additional Windows 10 Virtualbox settings: PAE/NX acceleration checked

When I install Windows 10 (9841 or 9926) 32-bit, I get an error which tells me: VT-x/AMD-V hardware acceleration is not available on your system:



If I press "Continue", the system eventually gives me an error and tells me to restart:

Windows 10 (9841):


Windows 10 (9926):


A restart just cycles through the above again...

Now before you tell me that I need to go into BIOS and start fiddling around to enable some feature in the advanced section; could someone please explain why I can easily install windows 10 (both versions) under WMware Workstation 10? I don't need to go into BIOS for VMware. Windows 10 runs very smoothly under VMware.

Is VirtualBox just not technically up-to-date as VMware Workstation 10 (even though there is now a WMware version 11 available). I would prefer to run all my VM's under VirtualBox as it runs all my Linux variants (Arch, Mint 7.1, Ubuntu 14.04.2 etc). However, it seems that Virtualbox is just better at virtualizing Linux, and VMware is better at virtualizing Windows...

Any insight appreciated. Thanks.

To run 64bit guests in VirtualBox, Hyper-V has to be disabled and VT-x/AMD-V has to be enabled. Any version of WIndows >7 requires VT-x/AMD-V. Even 32bit versions.

As far as why VMWare and VirtualBox are different, it's because they are different programs.

Consider that if a simple solution already exists for a problem, it may be less expensive in time and money to require that simple solution to be in place, rather than trying to figure out one's own way to simulate a different solution, and take on the resulting troubleshooting the maintain the alternate solution.

In other words, VMware may have figured out how to run VT-x-requiring guests on hosts that don't have VT-x enabled. Good. But they also have to keep that solution in place and running, which means more time & money, especially as motherboards and CPUs change. Haven't I read in various places (and I know I should try it myself and not listen to gossip) that VMware feels bloated?

Virtualbox has decided not to try to come up with a way to get around not having VT-x, but make the user enable it in the BIOS and have a CPU that supports it. Less time & money spent, and in the long run harder to break.

Just a reminder, VMWare Workstation 11 retails for $249. VirtualBox is, wait for it… free.

Thanks for the reply everyone. I have subsequently enabled VT-x in my BIOS and windows 10 runs just fine under virtualbox.

Yes, vmware feels rather bloated, and causes my system to slow down during the initial phase of loading a VM (cpu spikes to 100% continuous for about 20sec). This doesn't happen in virtualbox.