VMWare Workstation 14 cannot run 32 bit inner guest on non- VHV enabled host VM

[ganime]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to run a 32 bit guest (CentOS 6) VM INSIDE a virtual machine. I created this 32-bit VM using VMWare Player 12.9 inside the outer VM (host) and exported it using OVF tool. But When after removing VMWare 12.9 and installing to VMWare Player 14, when I try to run the nested VM I get the following error:

This host does not support Intel VT-x.

This host does not support "Intel EPT" hardware assisted MMU virtualization.

This host appears to be running in a virtual machine with VHV disabled. Ensure that VHV is enabled in the virtual machine configuration file.

Module 'CPUIDEarly' power on failed.

Failed to start the virtual machine.

I am guessing my outer VM host does not have the VHV enabled. But shouldn't it be possible to run guest VM without VHV Support (with binary translation). This page seems to say this should be possible : Running Nested VMs.

My aim is to run this inner guest VM without any changes to the outer VM Host configuration.  I tried the following settings in the inner guest without any success.

monitor.virtual_mmu = automatic (or "software")

monitor.virtual_exec = automatic (or "software")

disable_acceleration = "TRUE"

monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

monitor.allowLegacyCPU = "true"

monitor_control.disable_longmode=1

But I am not sure if these are meant for the outer VM or the inner guest VM.

Is there no way to run a 32 bit inner guest using VMWare Workstation 14 Player?

PS I can run the guest 32 bit VM on VMWare 14 on my physical machine  without problems. It does not work inside another VM with  VHV not enabled.

[bluefirestorm]

Version 14.x no longer supports binary translation (i.e. virtual_exec and virtual_mmu both set as software). It just runs using VT-x/VMX Unrestricted Guest. You can see in the vmware.log there is a section called Active HV capabilities which lays out the VT-x capabilities that were enabled.

So you need to enable/check the "Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD/RVI" in the "Processors" settings of the outer VM. This is equivalent to adding vhv.enabled = "TRUE" manually.

[79zalo]

Hola, entiendo entonces que para anidar maquinas virtuales, esas casillas en procesador de la máquina anfitrión o host,

¿siempre te pedirá activarlas para invitar las demás máquinas virtuales en nido?

[ganime]

Thanks bluefirestorm, I will see if the system admins canchange the outer VM settings.