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Enabling Intel Virtualization (VT-x)

Anonymous
2019-11-13T21:39:38+00:00

The processor in my Surface Laptop (1st gen) is an i7-7660U.  This processor supports Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) and Intel VT-x with Extended Page Tables, see this Intel page about the processor.  The Intel Virtualization technology is enabled via the BIOS and is off by default.  The UEFI BIOS in my Surface Laptop does not have an option to enable the Virtualization support that is built into the processor.  Installing Hyper-V doesn't enable the processor virtualization support, I have tried, which is only done via a BIOS setting, which seems to be missing from the UEFI BIOS in my Surface Laptop.

I am doing mobile development which runs mobile emulators.  The mobile emulators need the VT-x support enabled for them to work optimally.  When installing the emulators, even with Hyper-V installed, it states that hardware virtualization support is not present.  To resolve that, VT-x needs to be turned on in the BIOS.

I have read many articles on the internet that state that Hyper-V must NOT be installed and that I need to go into the UEFI BIOS to enable VT-x.  I have tried installing Hyper-V, checking the BIOS, uninstalling Hyper-V, checking the BIOS.  Nothing seems to work.

Any assistance that anyone can provide to help me resolve this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Steven Perry

Surface | Surface Laptop | Install and update

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-11-14T13:56:39+00:00

    You probably noticed that the BIOS in the Surface Laptop (as well with any other Surface) is stripped down and does not have the full settings capability of a standard PC BIOS.

    Not in the BIOS and not under Windows Features, you can't do it.  The CPU is quite capable of doing it - no feature to turn it on.

    I do not know if Intel would have anything that could be downloaded to activate that feature and also a few other features the CPU offers.  You can go to intel.com and explore there.  Don't count on it, though.

    It is a shame, though.  The Surface Laptop (1st gen) is a great machine and use mine for the Windows Insider builds.  But that BIOS is worthless!

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-11-13T22:43:11+00:00

    First of all, you need to be running Windows 10 Pro and not HOME.  If you are still in "S" mode, that won't work either.  You can upgrade to HOME for free via the Store app but Pro will cost.

    After you do that (if not currently running Pro), right click on the Menu and select "Apps & Features" and there, type in the search box "Windows Features" (without quotes) and on the right side of the screen, a list of features available for Windows 10 will appear and check for virtualization.  Pro adds the virtualization features among many other things compared to the HOME version.

    If you do decide you need Hyper-V, it will be in that list as well.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-11-14T14:46:04+00:00

    Some additional information...

    I tried installing the Intel HAXM tool for running emulators and I receive the following error during install:

    "This computer does not support Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) or it is being exclusively used by Hyper-V. HAXM cannot be installed. 

    Please ensure Hyper-V is disabled in Windows Features, or refer to the Intel HAXM documentation for more information."

    Help?

    Thank you,

    Steven Perry

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-11-14T14:30:40+00:00

    I have tried what you suggested with no luck.  Not sure why Microsoft would disable these features.   I found a video on YouTube that shows how to "Hack" the CPU registers to enable it but it doesn't seem to match my CPU and I am concerned about disabling my laptop if I even try it.

    Anyone else has any thoughts on this?  How about someone from Microsoft?

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-11-14T13:15:53+00:00

    Within "Windows Features" there are several entries that seem to relate to Virtualization.  They are:

    1. Hyper-V
    2. Virtual Machine Platform
    3. Windows Hypervisor Platform
    4. Guarded Host (Requires #2)

    I have enabled all of these as well as a subset, none of these features enable the VT-x support built into the Processor.  The VT-x support is only enabled via a BIOS setting, from all the reading I have done and from Inte's own website.

    In other words, I have tried what you have suggested above and none of it enables the VT-x support within the processor.  So back to my original question, how do I enable the VT-x support that is built into the processor when UEFI doesn't have the appropriate settings to do so?

    Thank you,

    Steven Perry

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