Nested Virtualisation Problem

[SzürkeWolf]

Dear Forum!

I have a little bit complicated problem. I have a virtual machine from my customer. He made this machine in VMware. I create a virtual machine in my virtual box, use he vmdk file(like a many times ago).
Now my virtual machine in my virtual box is boot fine and I can use the windows 10 inside this machine(I call this is host virtual machine). In this machine I need to use a special engineering software. This special program is create and use a virtual machine(I call this is guest virtual machine) in virtual box. The guest virtual machine use windows 10 operation system.
In my host Vbox I can't checked the "Enable Nested VT-x/AMD-V option so I use the command line mode: "vboxmanage modifyvm "HDCS" --nested-hw-virt on"

When the second windows 10 machine(this is the guest machine) running, the windows is start the booting but never finish the boot, just booting after the guest vm is freeze.

Because the original host virtual machine is made in VMware I try this in VMware and in the VMware I can boot the guest virtual machine and I can use the second(guest) VM.

I really like Vbox, so if possible, I want to use Vbox instead of VMware. Do you have any idea where is my problem in Vbox and how can I solve?

I attach a bunch of log file from guest and host vm-s and also I attached the output of lscpu and virt-host-validate.

If you need any other information please tell me!

[scottgus1]

It appears your lineup is:
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software

If this is not your setup, let us know.

n my host Vbox I can't checked the "Enable Nested VT-x/AMD-V option so I use the command line mode: "vboxmanage modifyvm "HDCS" --nested-hw-virt on"

If I have read correctly, you can't check the box because you can't turn on the command that the 'vboxmanage' command tries to force. It's like trying to pour water out of an empty glass.

Forum guru fth0 posted a list of features that a CPU needs to support nested virtualization. (I didn't copy the feature list, so I can't tell you what they are.) I suspect that one or more of the features you need is missing.

Since Virtualbox essentially makes a guest environment you can run any supported OS in, why not move the guest with the engineering software out of the first Windows 10 guest and run it on the host's Virtualbox?
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software
->
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software

[fth0]

Forum guru fth0 posted a list of features that a CPU needs to support nested virtualization. (I didn't copy the feature list, so I can't tell you what they are.)

You'll get a second chance now.

Do you have any idea where is my problem in Vbox and how can I solve?

Please read my post about Nested VT-x and VMCS Shadowing. The summary at the top of that post will probably match your situation.

[SzürkeWolf]

It appears your lineup is:
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software

If this is not your setup, let us know.

n my host Vbox I can't checked the "Enable Nested VT-x/AMD-V option so I use the command line mode: "vboxmanage modifyvm "HDCS" --nested-hw-virt on"

If I have read correctly, you can't check the box because you can't turn on the command that the 'vboxmanage' command tries to force. It's like trying to pour water out of an empty glass.

Forum guru fth0 posted a list of features that a CPU needs to support nested virtualization. (I didn't copy the feature list, so I can't tell you what they are.) I suspect that one or more of the features you need is missing.

Since Virtualbox essentially makes a guest environment you can run any supported OS in, why not move the guest with the engineering software out of the first Windows 10 guest and run it on the host's Virtualbox?
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software
->
Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > engineering software

Thank you for replying!

In my situation the correct row is the: Linux > Virtualbox > Windows 10 > Engineering software > Virtualbox.
The second Virtualbox I don't use directly. I use the engineering software, but this engieneering software need to run the second virtualbox.

[SzürkeWolf]

Forum guru fth0 posted a list of features that a CPU needs to support nested virtualization. (I didn't copy the feature list, so I can't tell you what they are.)

You'll get a second chance now.

Do you have any idea where is my problem in Vbox and how can I solve?

Please read my post about Nested VT-x and VMCS Shadowing. The summary at the top of that post will probably match your situation.

Thank you for replying!

I understund my CPU is not support the VMCS Shadowing. In this case my question is why/how work this in the VMware? My collegue laptop have a CPU without this features, he use Win10 host OS and VMware and he can use the engieneering software and the second virtualbox. I in my laptop with Ubuntu 18.04 I can't use the engieneering software in virtualbox. The VMCS Shadowing is needid only because I use Ubuntu for host OS oposite Win10?

[scottgus1]

You'll get a second chance now.

Profited thereby! The link's in my notes now. Thanks, fth0!

I understund my CPU is not support the VMCS Shadowing

My collegue laptop have a CPU without this features, he use Win10 host OS and VMware and he can use the engieneering software

To confirm this, We'd need Vbox.logs saved from the physical host PC. (not the guest's guest vbox.log as provided above in the posted zip: that Virtualbox is 5.1.30 which is not nested-virtualization-aware.) so we can look for the features fth0 posted about. (of course, we may not get the data we need from a VMware log, but we can look.)

[fth0]

In this case my question is why/how work this in the VMware?

Simply because it's another virtualization software, and VMware took other design decisions than Oracle.

Note that in my referenced posting, I'm often using phrases like "VirtualBox needs". You're not the first user stating that nested virtualization works better with a VMware hypervisor, and I'd agree that VMware hypervisors have advantages in this area so far.

The VMCS Shadowing is needid only because I use Ubuntu for host OS oposite Win10?

No. VirtualBox 6.1.12 needs the VMCS Shadowing CPU feature, independent of the host OS.

VMware

BTW, VMware is a company, that produces several different virtualization softwares. Which VMware hypervisor are you talking about?