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I'd like to provide a guest OS with multiple CPUs in VirtualBox. My host machine is a quad core HP Compaq and uses the Intel Core 2 vPro hardware.

However, when I try to enable the setting in vbox, I get an error that VT-x is not available. Is this something that I can enable somewhere? how do I find out otherwise whether my hardware supports it?

edit: per suggestions below, I tried using the Securable tool, and it reports that hardware virtualization is "Locked Off". The processors are reported as "Intel Core 2 Quad CPU / Q9400 @ 2.66GHz"

Joel Martinez
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9 Answers9

46

You can use the tool Securable from Gibson Research to find out if your hardware supports virtualization extensions. If it tells you that your hardware is supported, but not enabled, check the BIOS settings to enable it.

heavyd
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27

Start your PC, press F2, go to the security option and enable VT technology.

Gareth
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yash
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7

Your processor does support VT-X, you'll just need to enable it in the BIOS settings. Reboot your computer and press the specified key on the boot screen to go into the BIOS Setup and enable it.

arathorn
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5

This may not be obvious. Its sometimes called vanderpool technology in the bios without mentioning virtualisation.

JamesRyan
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5

As a side note: some laptops require you to shut down and power off the laptop after enabling VT-x in the BIOS, and removing the power cable and battery for 30 seconds. I just today had such a laptop, and found this solution here.

Daniel A.A. Pelsmaeker
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3

Reducing RAM in VirtualBox from 4gb to 2gb worked for us when we had only RDP to host machine so couldn't access BIOS.

Nakilon
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2

For me, "VT-x is not available" was highly misleading - I had my computer upgraded to Windows 10, which had turned on Hyper-V, which lead to the error message.

Disabling Hyper-V from Windows Features solved the issue. Based on comments here I'm not the only one.

Note that for example Docker in Windows 10 wants Hyper-V enabled. This means that you cannot run Virtualbox and Docker on the same Windows machine, thing Docker warns you about:

enter image description here

(outside Windows 10/Docker, Docker Toolbox is used to run Docker in Windows, which works with VirtualBox just fine)

eis
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0

On My Sony Laptop, the setting is Intel(R) Virtualization Technology, which is under Advanced tab.

Arda
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-1

We are 2020-jan. I met this issue again !

It is thanks to Windows 10 Pro's Sandbox new feauture, which has been deployed with the latest Win10 Update. When enabled, this feature will implicitly use VT, and this, in a selfish and exclusive way. So afterward Virtualbox will fail at starting any common combination Guests (Ubuntu 64, MX 64). Even the guests that were working don't start and throw the error :

Failed to open the guest

VMMR0_DO_NEM_INIT_VM failed : VERR_NEM_MISSING_KERNEL_API (VERR_NEM_MISSING_KERNEL_API).

VT-x is not available (VERR_VMX_NO_VMX).

E_FAIL (0x80004005) Component : ConsoleWrap Interface : IConsole {hexacode}

Indeed, BIOS has them enabled, that wasn't the change. There were previously running guests. And Securable tool was able to diagnose and follow up the state of the PC even after solution. Normal state and after solution : 64/Yes/Yes. When VBx Guests did not start, Securable gave 64/Yes/No.

So I had to : - go into Turn Windows Features On or Off - Disable Hyper-V - Disable Windows Sandbox - any change to this implies a Windows restart. The light way of Windows restart did not work right away for me. I recommend a PC stop/pause 10sec/start (not rational, just this way it works for me). Be perseverant.

  • Not needed to go to BIOS : because already Enabled Virtualisation options, and all worked previously
Dédé
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