What is 'Long Mode'? I got this error on launch

[minusatwelfth]

"Binary Translation is incompatible with long mode on this platform. Long mode will be disabled in the virtual environment and application requiring long mode will not function properly as a result."

I am using a Paperspace VM as the host OS (win7 x64) and trying to run vmware 12 pro x64 (guest OS: win 7 x86). I managed to get nested virtualisation working by ediiting config.ini. The gpu is nvidia, 3d hard acceleration is disabled in vmware and I have no accesss to bios.

How do I fix this error and does the error affect performance?  I want maximum performance so if I have to change the guest OS to x64, I will. But I don't really understand what Long Mode is.

[bluefirestorm]

For best performance you should not use "Binary translation" even for 32-bit VMs. You should just leave it as "Automatic" in the "Virtualisation engine" - "Preferred Mode" in the Workstation VM CPU setting.

You can check if the Paperspace VM has VT-x enabled for it. You can check by running a utility such as CPU-Z or Intel Processor Identification Utility. You run this on the Paperspace VM (not the Workstation VM).

https://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/7838/Intel-Processor-Identification-Utility-Windows-Versio...

Assuming Paperspace uses Intel CPUs:

CPU-Z should show VT-x in the "Instruction".

For Intel Processor Identification Utility, it should show Intel VT-x Technology with "Yes".

You should ask Paperspace to enable it; I am assuming the hypervisor software that they use have that capability (enabling VT-x/EPT to a VM) similar to the "Virtualize Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI" checkbox in Workstation Pro VM CPU setting.

With VT-x/EPT enabled for the Paperspace VM, you should be able to run both 64-bit and 32-bit guest VMs that is running within the VMware Workstation that you installed.

[minusatwelfth]

Thanks again for your help bro, if Paperspace won't allow VT-x Technology, would I have to change any settings? Currently it's on 'automatic', 'disable binary translation' is checked and 'virtualize VT-x' is greyed out and unchecked.

[bluefirestorm]

My best guess is that VT-x is not enabled for the VM that you are running Workstation in as the "virtualized VT-x" is greyed out. VMware Workstation itself does not see the VT-x feature that it can then pass on to the other VM. You can nest multiple levels; running a VM within a VM which is itself in another VM and so on. So long as the VT-x feature is enabled from one level to next. It's a bit like the virtualisation version of the movie "Inception". The "virtualized VT-x" option is to allow you to pass on the VT-x capability to the next level VM.

You have to ask Paperspace to enable the feature that will let you run a VM within a VM. I don't know whether Paperspace will charge you extra for that or not. But you have to ask them to enable it otherwise there is not much that can be done at the VMware level.

[minusatwelfth]

Not sure if I understand what you said fully, but right now the nested virtualisation works fine on those settings, both os being win 7 (just a tad laggy). However when the host OS is win 10, it just conpletely fails, when I power on the vmware machine it crashes the host,

[bluefirestorm]

Right now you are running 32-bit (I assume that is what you meant by x86) Windows 7 VM with Workstation 12.x. So it can run without Intel VT-x and it will be using binary translation. Binary translation will have all the instructions to be executed by the VM translated through software by the hypervisor (Workstation) instead of using Intel VT-x and virtual RAM also managed by Workstation software. That is why it is slow.

AFAIK, binary translation cannot be used for 64-bit VMs in VMware Workstation. Workstation 14.x no longer supports binary translation mode.

Intel VT-x stands for Intel Virtualisation Technology eXtensions. It has been available since early 2000s. Additional features have been added over the years that make running of VMs faster and more efficient.

So without VT-x available in the Paperspace VM, you will be limited to using binary translation and 32-bit/16-bit guest OS in the Workstation VM. You will also be limited to Workstation 12.x or earlier versions.

Enabling the VT-x feature for the Paperspace VM is the equivalent of enabling Intel VT-x in the BIOS of a physical desktop/laptop/server.

Passing VT-x feature from the Workstation VM (the virtualise VT-x option) is only needed if you want to run another VM inside the Workstation VM. This is again the equivalent to enabling Intel VT in BIOS of a physical machine. But you need the Paperspace VM to have VT-x in order to be able pass it to the next level.

Bottom line, you need VT-x exposed to the Paperspace VM to be able to run Workstation 14.x inside; run 64-bit VMs inside, and also have VMs run faster with Workstation 12.x inside.

[minusatwelfth]

On host win7x64, the binary translation was disabled though and it worked fine for a while. The second paperspace vm was win10x64 and vmware 14 was running win7x86, and it still crashed the host