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Conflicting information regarding Virtualization, VT-x being enabled

MClif
New Contributor I
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Hi,

My Environment:

PC = HP 8000 Elite

processor = Core(TM)2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz

Memory = 8 GB

OS = Windows 10 Pro

The big picture:

I am in the process of installing Intel's System Studio IoT Edition on Windows:

https://software.intel.com/en-us/node/705839

and that wants Docker installed.

Installing Docker:

Downloaded and Installed the "Stable Channel" of "Docker for Windows" from this page:

https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/install/# download-docker-for-windows

Docker starts and after a while displays this error message:

"Hardware assisted virtualization and data execution protection must be enabled in the BIOS"

The message directed me to the following to verify Hyper-V and Virtualization where enabled, etc:

https://docs.docker.com/docker-for-windows/troubleshoot/# virtualization-must-be-enabled

Intel Processor Identification Utility says

Intel(R) Virtualization Technology: Yes

Intel(R) VT-x with Extended Page Tables: No

See the attachment: ProcessorIdentificationUtility.PNG

Hmmm VT-x = NO, sounds bad

Maybe Docker is looking at the "NO" and then issuing the error message.

I then tried to create a virtual machine via Hyper-V and that also failed

I started here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/hyper-v-on-windows/quick-start/quick-create-virtual-machine

I executed this command (warning, a long command that is entered on ONE line):

New-VM -Name $VMName -MemoryStartupBytes 2147483648 -Generation 2

-NewVHDPath "D:\Virtual Machines\$VMName\$VMName.vhdx" -NewVHDSizeBytes 53687091200

-Path "D:\Virtual Machines\$VMName" -SwitchName $Switch

And this was the result:

New-VM : Failed to create a new virtual machine.

At line:1 char:1

+ New-VM -Name $VMName -MemoryStartupBytes 2147483648 -Generation 2 -Ne ...

Therefore Docker and Hyper-V are both failing.

Now for some info that seems to contradict the above:

# 1: From the Intel page about the E8400:

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) = Yes

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) = Yes

Note: this seems to contradict what the Processor Identification Utility found.

# 2: BIOS shows the following are enabled:

Data Execution Prevention

Virtualization Technology VTX

Virtualization Technology Directed I/O

# 3: Task Manager, Performance tab:

Virtualization enabled

# 4: Data Execution Protection

I followed the steps on this page:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/912923/how-to-determine-that-hardware-dep-is-available-and-configured-on-your-computer

wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_Available

DataExecutionPrevention_Available

TRUE

wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_SupportPolicy

DataExecutionPrevention_SupportPolicy

2

"Only Windows system components and services have DEP applied"

0: DEP is enabled for all processes

Policy Level = Always On

wmic OS Get DataExecutionPrevention_Drivers

DataExecutionPrevention_Drivers

TRUE

# 5: Hyper-V

looking at Control Panel, Programs and Features,

(left side) click on "Turn Windows features on or off"

Hyper-V, Hyper-V Management Tools and Platform are ON

Given:

Intel Processor Identification Utility says

Intel(R) VT-x with Extended Page Tables: No

Assumption:

Docker is looking at that "NO" and then issuing the error message.

Question: Any idea why "Intel Processor Identification Utility" indicates NO for VT-x and the # 'd items that I listed above seem to indicate otherwise?

Thanks,

Bill

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9 Replies
idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Hi, Bill., Thank you very much for joining the Intel® Processors communities.

 

 

In order to provide the most accurate response, I will do further research on this matter, as soon as I get any updates I will post all the details on this thread.

 

 

Any further questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto

 

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idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Hi, Bill., I just received some updates from the research we are doing on this matter, and based on that information we can confirm that the processor does support VT-x and VT-d:

 

http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/318732.pdf http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/318732.pdf

 

Discrepancy between CPUID/Hyper-V and documentation can occur if the platform itself does not fully support VT-x. E.g. BIOS must support this feature as well. So, we can confirm the processor fully supports those features for virtualization and in this case we also recommend to get in contact with HP directly to check the BIOS to make sure the platform supports this feature:

 

https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto
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MClif
New Contributor I
1,801 Views

Hi Alberto,

Thanks for the research.

I will contact HP about this BIOS info:

Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) = Yes

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) = Yes

And see if they think it is telling the truth.

Stay tuned

Bill

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idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Hi, Bill., You are welcome. Perfect, yes, the best thing to do is to get in contact with HP directly to confirm that information. Once you get the chance please let us know the response provided by them.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto

 

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MClif
New Contributor I
1,801 Views

Hi,

I have had no response to the following that I submitted on 4/25/2017, to HP. It is basically the same as this:

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Boot-and-Lockup/Conflicting-information-regarding-Virtualization-VT-x-and/td-p/6094376 Conflicting information regarding Virtualization, VT-x and I... - HP Support Forum - 6094376

Today, I double checked the numbered items above and see the same results.

Looking at C:\Users\tilt\AppData\Local\Docker\log.txt I see at he end:

< beginning of the log snip-it >

[16:07:59.292][VpnKit ][Info ] vpnkit.exe: connecting to 838ee403-f3dd-496f-a10a-e844733276da:30D48B34-7D27-4B0B-AAAF-BBBED334DD59

[16:08:11.136][Linux ][Error ] Failed to start: Unable to start: The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: 'MobyLinuxVM' failed to start.

Virtual machine 'MobyLinuxVM' could not be started because the hypervisor is not running.

'MobyLinuxVM' failed to start. (Virtual machine ID 838EE403-F3DD-496F-A10A-E844733276DA)

Virtual machine 'MobyLinuxVM' could not be started because the hypervisor is not running (Virtual machine ID 838EE403-F3DD-496F-A10A-E844733276DA).

It then goes on to say:

1) Verify that the processor of the physical computer has a supported version of hardware-assisted virtualization.

2) Verify that hardware-assisted virtualization and hardware-assisted data execution protection are enabled in the BIOS of the physical computer. (If you edit the BIOS to enable either setting, you must turn off the power to the physical computer and then turn it back on. Resetting the physical computer is not sufficient.)

< end of the log snip-it >

I think that the numbered items in my original posting indicate that everything is enabled.

Back to my original question ...

Question: Any idea why "Intel Processor Identification Utility" indicates NO for VT-x and the # 'd items that I listed above seem to indicate otherwise.

Regards,

Bill

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idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Bill.: Thank you very much for providing that information.

 

 

In this case, the best option will be to get in contact with HP directly via phone:

 

1-800-474-6836

 

 

I will do further research to try to gather the information you are requesting. As soon as I get any details on I will post them on this thread.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto R

 

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idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Bill.: I just wanted to let you know that I just received some details from the research we were doing and the thing is that, since the processor was released back is 2008 there are not much information available currently.

 

We can confirm the processor supports VT-x, but in regard to the reason why the tool reports that the processor does not support it, is because the tool could be failing reading the information from the processor, a misreading.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto R

 

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MClif
New Contributor I
1,801 Views

Hi Alberto and all who have helped,

Given the end of Edison I am not going to spend any more time on this topic.

Regards,

Bill

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idata
Employee
1,801 Views

Bill.: No problem, thank you very much for letting us know that information.

 

 

Any questions, please let me know.

 

 

Regards,

 

Alberto R

 

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