Cannot enable Nested Virtualization in Standard-Security Dv3 VM

Question

I have a Dv3 VM with standard security. I have the following error:

PS C:\Users\sysadmin> Get-ComputerInfo | Select-Object Hyper*

HyperVisorPresent : True

HyperVRequirementDataExecutionPreventionAvailable :

HyperVRequirementSecondLevelAddressTranslation :

HyperVRequirementVirtualizationFirmwareEnabled :

HyperVRequirementVMMonitorModeExtensions :

PS C:\Users\sysadmin> Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V -IncludeManagementTools -Restart

Success Restart Needed Exit Code Feature Result

------- -------------- --------- --------------

False Maybe Failed {}

Install-WindowsFeature : A prerequisite check for the Hyper-V feature failed.

1. Hyper-V cannot be installed because virtualization support is not enabled in the BIOS.

At line:1 char:1

+ Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V -IncludeManagementTools -Restart

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

+ CategoryInfo : InvalidOperation: (Hyper-V:ServerComponentWrapper) [Install-WindowsFeature], Exception

+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : Alteration_PrerequisiteCheck_Failed,Microsoft.Windows.ServerManager.Commands.AddWindowsF

eatureCommand

PS C:\Users\sysadmin>

I cannot figure out if there's something missing here to enable Hyper-V on my Windows Server 2025 Datacenter. It's on Azure, and I need nested virtualization as part of a lab.

Answer 1

Hi,

Did you verify it is set to Standard Security on Overview blade of your VM, as shown below?

Sometimes after you select Standard the portal can set it back to Trusted launch and create the VM as Trusted launch instead.

I just created Standard_D2s_v3 VM with Standard security and Windows Server 2025 Datacenter - x64 Gen2 in East US, installed Hyper-V using the PowerShell command you posted above, and after it restarted I was able to create and start new VM using Hyper-V Manager.

Can you try creating new VM with precisely same specifications as I detailed above and see if you still have issue?

Please click Accept Answer and upvote if the above was helpful.

Thanks.

-TP

Answer 2

I did not install Hyper-V. The current steps are to run Install-WindowsFeature first. However, the following requirements had to be met:

• Standard Security
• Dv3/Ev3/Dv5/etc.

It was just discovered that I did not even enable Hyper-V, nor did I know this was an intermediate step. I have tried to use the GUI but enabling did not appear evident (in the GUI!)

I ran the following command:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

Then I restarted, and only then ran Install-WindowsFeature.

It worked!

BIG GOTCHA I also had to use a standard SSD instead of a premium SSD.