[Solved] Win7 virtual machine sees VT-x disabled when it isn't

[MarkAdams]

Greetings. If this is not the right place to ask this question, please feel free to move it.

A little information:
- Host is Linux 4.4.36-server-2.mga5
- VirtualBox Graphical User Interface Version 5.1.10 r112026
- Windows installed from en_microsoft_windows_7_home_premium_SP1_64bit_X17-58997.iso
- FreeDOS installed from FD12CD.iso
- Motheboard is an Asus H81M-A

I have installed a Windows 7 (64-bit) machine and a FreeDOS machine in VirualBox. The FreeDOS machine works just fine, but Windows will not start. It fails immediately with this error:

Code: Select all

Failed to open a session for the virtual machine Win7.

VT-x is disabled in the BIOS for all CPU modes (VERR_VMX_MSR_ALL_VMX_DISABLED).

Result Code: NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: ConsoleWrap
Interface: IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

The motherboard is an Asus H81M-A. I have enabled VT-x in the BIOS and it made no difference. Windows 7 still refuses to start and throws the error above.

Does anybody have any ideas?

Thanks.

Mark

[socratis]

I have enabled VT-x in the BIOS and it made no difference.

If VT-x was disabled and you enabled it, you have to completely shut down the computer. As in take out the power plug for at least 10 seconds. A soft reboot isn't enough in most cases.

[MarkAdams]

I've run into that at work but never on a machine at home. Nevertheless, I fully reinitialized the desktop and it did not resolve the issue. Still getting the same error.

Here is a log file. I'm still looking on my end, but if you think of anything else, please let em know

http://pastebin.com/K8J9M5KT

Mark

[socratis]

Please ZIP the log file and attach it here, locally. See the "Upload attachment" below the reply form.

Please go thoroughly through the FAQ: I have a 64bit host, but can't install 64bit guests.

[MarkAdams]

Okay, looking at the FAQ:

1. Processor supports virtualization:

Processor Number i5-4430
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) ‡ Yes

2. BIOS supports virtualization:

According to the documentation, it does support virtualization and there is a setting present in BIOS. That setting is "enabled". Oddly, the BIOS information in lshw does not list virtualization:

Code: Select all

BIOS Information
        Vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
        Version: 0909
        Release Date: 01/06/2014
        Address: 0xF0000
        Runtime Size: 64 kB
        ROM Size: 8192 kB
        Characteristics:
                PCI is supported
                APM is supported
                BIOS is upgradeable
                BIOS shadowing is allowed
                Boot from CD is supported
                Selectable boot is supported
                BIOS ROM is socketed
                EDD is supported
                5.25"/1.2 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/720 kB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                3.5"/2.88 MB floppy services are supported (int 13h)
                Print screen service is supported (int 5h)
                8042 keyboard services are supported (int 9h)
                Serial services are supported (int 14h)
                Printer services are supported (int 17h)
                ACPI is supported
                USB legacy is supported
                BIOS boot specification is supported
                Targeted content distribution is supported
                UEFI is supported
        BIOS Revision: 4.6

3. Other systems using virtualization:

There is no other virtualization of any kind on this system, no debugger running and no antivirus because it's a Linux system.

4. Choose 64-bit template for guest OS:

Windows 7 64-bit is setup under the 64-bit version of the guest OS template.

See attached log file.

Thanks for the assistance. I do genuinely appreciate it.

Mark

[socratis]

00:00:00.278590 VMSetError: VT-x is disabled in the BIOS for all CPU modes

I hope you understand the error message. It's more than clear

[MarkAdams]

It does seem clear. My question would be why am I getting this message when VT-x is clearly set to "Enabled" in BIOS settings, and all other indicators are that VT-x virtualization is supported on the CPU and the Mobo BIOS?

Can you shed any light on that?

Edit: Also curious as to why FreeDOS works just fine. Not really familiar with FreeDOS, but shouldn't it also require virtualization?

[MarkAdams]

Thanks for cleaning that quote up for me. I guess.

It's late here. I'm headed to bed. If anybody has any ideas please let me know.

Happy Boxing Day, etc.

I'm out for the night.

[socratis]

Virtualization is one thing, VT-x is another. To keep it simple, VT-x is needed for virtualizing 64-bit guests, more than 1 CPU guests and any Windows guests greater than Win8. That's why FreeDOS is running fine. Win7-32 would run fine, albeit slow.

Again, check again the BIOS settings for "VT-x". Did you shutdown completely the host? The log has never been shown to lie, so, since I don't have your computer in front of me, you got to do some searching...

[mpack]

Also, please give us the exact wording of the BIOS option which you believe is the virtualization feature.

[MarkAdams]

Shut down and booted to dos.

Verified VT-x setting enabled:



According to Intel's documents, VT-d is it:
https://software.intel.com/en-us/articl ... io-devices

Shut down again and disconnected power for at least 10 seconds.

After machine was up, attempted to open Win7 virtual machine.

Saw same error:

Code: Select all

VT-x is disabled in the BIOS for all CPU modes (VERR_VMX_MSR_ALL_VMX_DISABLED).


Result Code: 
NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component: 
ConsoleWrap
Interface: 
IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

Still scratching my head.

[Martin]

VT-d is not VT-x
VT-d is just for a very specific way of passing through devices to a virtual machine.
VT-x is the general hardware virtualization feature.
So there must be another virtualization setting in your BIOS which isn't enabled.
It is probably somthing like "Intel virtualization technology" in the CPU section.

[MarkAdams]

Okay, based on that tip I located this page. Sure enough, it was buried under the cpu configuration.

At this point Win7 is loading and all seems well.

I do appreciate the help.

Mark