Virtualized Intel VT-x/EPT is disabled for this ESX VM. You will only be able to run 32-bit nested VMs

[NucleusVM]

I am trying to install ESXi v5 in VMware Workstation v8. When the virtual machine is booting, I get a warning message saying:

Virtualized Intel VT-x/EPT is disabled for this ESX VM. You will only be able to run 32-bit nested VMs.

This is my computer’s processor:
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU
950  @ 3.07GHz, 3068 Mhz, 4 Core(s), 8 Logical Processor(s)

What must I do to make the warning go away?

Thanks

[continuum]

attach the vmware.log please

[NucleusVM]

Attached

Thanks

[continuum]

add this lines to the vmx-file then it should work

monitor.virtual_mmu = "hardware"
monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

[NucleusVM]

Yep! No warning message now.

Thank you!

[admin]

Ulli Hankeln wrote:

add this lines to the vmx-file then it should work

monitor.virtual_mmu = "hardware"
monitor.virtual_exec = "hardware"
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
monitor_control.restrict_backdoor = "true"

This can also be done through the user interface.  Just go to VM->Settings, click on Processors, and check the box next to "Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI."

By the way, the last option is not required for any "ESX Server" guest OS types.

[NucleusVM]

Thanks for the clarification

[John_Balsillie]

Hey, I'm hoping somebody can help me out here. My problem is exactly the same as that reported at the top of the thread. No matter what I edit into my vESXi vm's .vmx file, or how I configure its processors in Workstation 8, I always get the "you will only be able to run 32 bit guests" report when I power on this vm. It looks like Workstation 8 cannot see the Intel VT capabilities of my Intel Core 2 Duo CPU.

Intel VT is enabled in system BIOS and I have attached a screen dump from the Intel CPU ID utility which also shows VT and 64 capabilities.

Why does Workstation 8 not agree? Is there something else I need to configure in Wrkstn?

Thanks all.

[a_p_]

Even though the Core 2 CPUs support VT-x, they don't support EPT. See e.g. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_Page_Table (Hardware Support) You can also take a look at the VM's vmware.log file to find out which CPU features are recognized/available.

André

[John_Balsillie]

Hi all. Thanks for your reply Andre.

I am confused as to the CPU requirements to run nested 64bit guests on an ESXi5 vm itself running on Workstation 8.

My computer has an Intel Core 2 Duo dual core cpu with 64bit and VT but no EPT (Nehalem and newer required for EPT).

When I power on an ESXi5 vm on Workstation 8, I am informed that I will only be able to run 32bit nested guests. VMware KB 1003945 makes no mention of the need for CPUs to have EPT. The article is about the ability to run 64bit vms, but does not go into the reguirements to run 64bit nested vms.

I cannot find any references that explicitly state what is required to run 64bit nested guests. Is EPT required or not?

Has anybody managed to get a 64bit vm running on a vESXi5 vm running on Workstation 8 on a Core 2 Duo equipped (no EPT) computer?

Thanks all.

John

[admin]

Virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization is required to run nested 64-bit VMs, and SLAT (EPT or RVI) is required for virtualized hardware-assisted virtualization.  See javascript:;.

[jreininger]

Andre

What should we look for in the VMs vmware.log file to ensure EPT is enabled? In my case I am running a Dell T110 w/ a Xeon x3430, I want to ensure my systems is using EPT for all my VMs what is the best way to do this?

(btw, I got this by browsing the datastore my VMs is on in the vCenter datastore browser, copied to my desktop and opened w/ Notepad++)

If I see "EPT memory type WB" = yes (as in bold below) does this mean the VM is using EPT?

2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| VPID and EPT Capabilities (0x00000f0106114141)
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| R=0/W=0/X=1 yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Page-walk length 3 yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| EPT memory type WB yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| 2MB super-page yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| INVEPT support yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 1 INVEPT yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 2 INVEPT yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| INVVPID support yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 0 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 1 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 2 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 3 INVVPID yes

Thanks.

Jonathan Reininger

[admin]

jonathan.reininger wrote:

If I see "EPT memory type WB" = yes (as in bold below) does this mean the VM is using EPT?

2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| VPID and EPT Capabilities (0x00000f0106114141)
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| R=0/W=0/X=1 yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Page-walk length 3 yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| EPT memory type WB yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| 2MB super-page yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| INVEPT support yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 1 INVEPT yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 2 INVEPT yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| INVVPID support yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 0 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 1 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 2 INVVPID yes
2011-08-30T19:05:32.002Z| vmx| Type 3 INVVPID yes

This section of the log file merely enumerates the VT capabilities of your system.  To see if your VM is using EPT, look for the HV Settings line.  If the VM is using EPT, you will see:

HV Settings: virtual exec = 'hardware'; virtual mmu = 'hardware'

[Marvilis]

This is the work around that worked for me.

Create a new VM

Choose > Custome (advanced)

Choose > I will install the operating system later

For the  Operating System Choose > Linux

Version> Red Hat Linux Enterprise Version 4 64-Bit

Keep going thru the setup for your VM and when you get to the end Click on the Customize Hardware button

Click the the Processors and choose Preferred mode: Intel VT-x or AND-V (leave the other two options uncheked)

Click on Display and uncheck 3D graphics if checked

Click on the CD Rom and mount the ESX iso

Remove any un-needed hardware

At this point click finish and make sure you dont turn on the VM.

Close vmworkstation (make sure vmworkstation is not running before going to the next step)

Go edit the VMX file of your new VM and add the line below and save the file.

monitor_control.restrict_backdoor="true"

Run vmwaorstation and install esx!

This worked for me and I'm able to run 64 Bit OS's inside my ESX VM on vmworkstation 8.

I hope this helps someone...

[admin]

Let me suggest the following alternative procedure:

1) For the guest operating system, choose "ESX Server 4" or "ESX Server 5," as appropriate.

2) On the processors tab, check the box next to "Virtualize VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI."

3) Install ESX.

[mullanp2]

Hi,

I did have this error but not now thanks to this thread.

I dont know if anyone has come across this but here goes:

I have acer aspire 9920g with Intel core 2 duo (T7700) with VT-x. ( no VT-x/ept)

The origional or most recent acer bios did not have a CPU or VT enable category so I installed a modified bios from notebookreview.com.

This new mod bios allowed me to enable VT and I thought that would be that.

I installed windows 7 ultimate x86_64 and then installed ESXi 5.

I then created a new vm and enabled VT-t only and boot from ESXi 5 .iso file.

I got the VT-x/ept is disabled message as my CPU dosent support EPT. Thats fine....

But when I continue I get the attached message saying "hardware virtualization is not a feature of the cpu or is not enbled in the bios".

I have checked and rechecked (enable/disabled) VT in the bios and Im now stuck.

Has anyone come across this issue and I apologise if this is the wrong thread

[mullanp2]

Also attached is a copy of my CPU-Z output for my Acer Aspire 9920G

Although it says Acer bios Version 1.2 it does allow me to get to the Intel-->CPU sub menu--> VT enable

[admin]

The ESXi installation warning refers to the virtual CPU, not the physical CPU.  Since you don't have EPT, virtualized VT-x is not supported, so the virtual CPU is not capable of hardware-assisted virtualization.  You should just ignore this warning and continue with the installation.

[RameshRajan]

Hi,

I have a Dell T5400 with Intel Xeon X5450 Processor. As per all the research i did this processor has Intel VT-x capabilities but does not have VT-x/EPT.

I tried all the workarounds around given by jmattson and others but was only able to avoid the error message but cannot achieve the functionality of nested 64-bit vms and fault tolerance capability.

I run Ubuntu Server and then have vmware player to run 2 ESxi 5 hosts for my home lab. Due to the non-availability of VT-x/EPT in certain(most of the) Intel Xeon processors you cannot virtualize a fully functional hypervisor (like ESXi, Xen etc). At the best what you lose is

1) vMotion

2) Fault Tolerance

3) Ability to import vmware marketplace OVF appliances because they have require a compiant ESXi.

I am still a novice and apologize if i was not accurate.

RR

[admin]

RameshRajan wrote:

I have a Dell T5400 with Intel Xeon X5450 Processor. As per all the research i did this processor has Intel VT-x capabilities but does not have VT-x/EPT.

I tried all the workarounds around given by jmattson and others but was only able to avoid the error message but cannot achieve the functionality of nested 64-bit vms and fault tolerance capability.

Though you cannot run nested 64-bit VMs on this processor, you should be able to run 32-bit fault tolerance using binary translation.

I run Ubuntu Server and then have vmware player to run 2 ESxi 5 hosts for my home lab. Due to the non-availability of VT-x/EPT in certain(most of the) Intel Xeon processors you cannot virtualize a fully functional hypervisor (like ESXi, Xen etc). At the best what you lose is

1) vMotion

2) Fault Tolerance

3) Ability to import vmware marketplace OVF appliances because they have require a compiant ESXi.

Many Xeon processors do support EPT.  The CPU needs to be based on the Nehalem architecture or later.  See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeon#Nehalem-based_Xeon.

I cannot speak to point (3), but even without virtualized VT-x/EPT, you should be able to take advantage of vMotion, and you can use fault tolerance with binary translation.  See http://www.virtuallyghetto.com/2011/07/how-to-enable-nested-vft-virtual-fault.html for some good instructions.