Enabling CPU virtualization in BIOS

[nbotticelli]

In the BIOS of my laptop (Toshiba Portege m400 S5032 tablet) it has an option for enabling hardware based virtualization for the processor but I am not sure if it would offer any benefit for my current use.

Does enabling hardware based virtualization do anything for a system running a regular host based OS with something like VMware Server or Virtualbox installed with VM's inside of them?

Or does it only offer benefit to a system where the virtualization program is running on the 'metal' itself?

Thank You!

[bodhi.zazen]

it will enable "KVM"

VirtualBox can make use of this technology

With the guest off, In the General Tab -> Advanced -> check off the "Enable VT-x/AMD-V" box.

You can not run both KVM and Virtual box at the same time.

I am not sure if VMWare will make use of this technology or not.

EDIT: VMWare can use this technology as well

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-9150

And according to this page, server as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization

[inobe]

VT will also help running vm's on 64 bit systems !

one example: the host operating system can be 32 bit, the guest can be 64 bit only if VT is enabled....... the vm must support it for any of it to work.

list of intel cpu's that have VT ability

http://www.intel.com/cd/channel/reseller/asmo-na/eng/products/desktop/processor/processors/core2duo/feature/index.htm

[nbotticelli]

Neat. Thank you.

I'm currently using VMware server but I first started using VirtualBox last spring and so far actually like VMware server better at this point.

I'll have to try enabling it in the BIOS and then on the VM itself to see if there really is much of an improvement or not then.

[AlexanderDGreat]

How do you enable VT if it's not in the bios?

[bodhi.zazen]

How do you enable VT if it's not in the bios?

As far as I know you can not.

Call your hardware manufacturer for assistance.

[AlexanderDGreat]

Hey man, thanks for that quick reply, I was hoping there was light in my problem. Can updating the bios do it for me then? I searched 1 person in the whole www that said a bios upgrade can do the job. Don't know if it's true though...

[bodhi.zazen]

Do you know what chip (CPU) you have and what motherboard ?

[djchandler]

CPU is a T5600. According to CPU World, virtualization is supported.
(http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_2/Intel-Core%202%20Duo%20Mobile%20T5600%20LF80537GF0342M%2 0%28BX80537T5600%29.html)
There's a battery recall on that model (http://cdgenp01.csd.toshiba.com/content/pr/download/CPSC%20Posting.pdf) btw.

[dcstar]

.......
EDIT: VMWare can use this technology as well

http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-9150

And according to this page, server as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization

Apparently you need to add this to the VM's .vmx file to enable it:

monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"

[AlexanderDGreat]

Can I do it with Virtualbox? VMX files are for VMware, right? And VDI for Virtualbox.

[AlexanderDGreat]

Do you know what chip (CPU) you have and what motherboard ?

Is this for me? I have Intel DG31PR mobo, Intel E7400 C2D procie.

[bodhi.zazen]

See this thread :

http://communities.intel.com/message/74230

[AlexanderDGreat]

Hey, @bodhi.zazen, this is the ONE I'm Talking about, one person who Had The solution in the WWW!

How did you find it? It must've been very hard because for me, it was the whole afternoon. Thanks for the troubles man, will do it right away. :) More power to you!

[bodhi.zazen]

:lolflag:

Best of luck, hope it works.

[tomski]

i have never been able to use mine
i have AMD X2 64 4200+
hardware virtualization is turned on in bios
when i start my mac osx snow leopard VM it complains about using software virtualization!!!!

egrep '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy

SVM for both cores show i can use hardware VT

im so confused

[bodhi.zazen]

i have never been able to use mine
i have AMD X2 64 4200+
hardware virtualization is turned on in bios
when i start my mac osx snow leopard VM it complains about using software virtualization!!!!

egrep '(vmx|svm)' /proc/cpuinfo
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm 3dnowext 3dnow extd_apicid pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr8_legacy

SVM for both cores show i can use hardware VT

im so confused

First this is an old thread, you should probably start your won thread.

Second, be sure to describe your problem. What virtualization technology are you having a problem with ?

KVM , Virtualbox, VMWare ?

Problem with host or guest ?