E8400 virtualization missing

vid512 · ‎01-21-2009

Hello,

Recently I ordered Intel Core2Duo E8400 CPU and Intel DG33BU motherboard. Both these are supposed to support VT-x, and I already used virtualization on identical combination elsewhere. But when I have put the machine together, I found out that it beheaves as if there was no virtualization present. BIOS doesn't give me option to enable/disable virtualization, and CPUID.1 returns with virtualization-support flag (ECX bit 5) set to false.

Do you have any idea what's the problem?

Following is log from Intel CPU Identification Utility.I would have posted log from Intel Chipset Identification Utility too, but it doesn't support 64-bit Vista. However, if that log would be cruical in resolving this problem, I can install some other OS and post it too.

Intel Processor Identification Utility
Version: 4.00.20081113
Time Stamp: 2009/01/22 01:43:07
Number of processors in system: 1
Current processor: #1
Active cores per processor: 2
Disabled cores per processor: 0
Processor Name: Intel Core2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00GHz
Type: 0
Family: 6
Model: 17
Stepping: A
Revision: 0
Maximum CPUID Level: D
L1 Instruction Cache: 2 x 32 KB
L1 Data Cache: 2 x 32 KB
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Packaging: LGA775
EIST: No
MMX: Yes
SSE: Yes
SSE2: Yes
SSE3: Yes
SSE4: No
Enhanced Halt State: Yes
Execute Disable Bit: Yes
Hyper-Threading Technology: No
Intel 64 Architecture: Yes
Intel Virtualization Technology: No
Expected Processor Frequency: 3.0 GHz
Reported Processor Frequency: 3.0 GHz
Expected System Bus Frequency: 1333 MHz
Reported System Bus Frequency: 1333 MHz

Thank you

Martin Mocko

David_O_Intel1 · ‎02-04-2009

I talked with several people internally about your issue. Discussion seemed to conclude that BIOS support for VT-x is crucial for enabling this capability. As such, you'll need to ask your system/board manufacturer to providean Intel VT-xsupported BIOS.

To explain further:

"The BIOS only modifies IA32_FEATURE_CONTROL MSR to enable/disable and/or lock/unlock the VMX. The information returned by CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] should explicitly indicate whether CPU is VT-x capable.

This is where the confusion starts:

I took a known VT-x capable CPU (E8500) and plugged in a board which has BIOS that does NOT support VT-x. CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] returned 0x0 i.e. CPU does not have VT-x capability.

Now I plugged in same CPU into a board which has BIOS that supports VT-x. Now CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] returned 0x1 i.e. CPU has VT-x capability.

So there is something that BIOS is doing to hide the VT-x capability in CPU, even though VT-x is fused ON in CPU hardware.

We are working tofind acause for this behavior. But in the meanwhile,customers should look fora BIOS with VT-x support from their system providers."

levicki · ‎02-22-2009

Quoting - David Ott (Intel)

I talked with several people internally about your issue. Discussion seemed to conclude that BIOS support for VT-x is crucial for enabling this capability. As such, you'll need to ask your system/board manufacturer to providean Intel VT-xsupported BIOS.

To explain further:

"The BIOS only modifies IA32_FEATURE_CONTROL MSR to enable/disable and/or lock/unlock the VMX. The information returned by CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] should explicitly indicate whether CPU is VT-x capable.

This is where the confusion starts:

I took a known VT-x capable CPU (E8500) and plugged in a board which has BIOS that does NOT support VT-x. CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] returned 0x0 i.e. CPU does not have VT-x capability.

Now I plugged in same CPU into a board which has BIOS that supports VT-x. Now CPUID.1.ECX[bit 5] returned 0x1 i.e. CPU has VT-x capability.

So there is something that BIOS is doing to hide the VT-x capability in CPU, even though VT-x is fused ON in CPU hardware.

We are working tofind acause for this behavior. But in the meanwhile,customers should look fora BIOS with VT-x support from their system providers."

David, have you realized he has an Intel board? If you guys can't write a proper BIOS with VT support, then who can?

David_O_Intel1 · ‎02-23-2009

Martin,

Can you give me more details on the BIOS so I can be more specific when inquiring internally on your behalf?

-d

David_O_Intel1 · ‎03-02-2009

I've followed a chain internally to find the BIOS owner. The issue has been brought to their attention and will be addressed shortly.

David_O_Intel1 · ‎03-02-2009

Martin,

Engineering told me that they cannot reproduce the problem. In order to pursue, they needto verify whichBIOS is beingused here.

Could you provide this information?

David Ott

denifia · ‎03-14-2009

Quoting - David Ott (Intel)

Martin,

Engineering told me that they cannot reproduce the problem. In order to pursue, they needto verify whichBIOS is beingused here.

Could you provide this information?

David Ott

Hi David,

I have been searching the web with the same issue and would like to provide you with details of my system so you may investigate.

CPU: INTEL CORE 2 DUO E7400 2.80GHz 3MB
Motherboad: Intel DG33BU and I just upgraded the firmware to 0517

The bios version says...
DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203

When I go to the security tab of the bios I only get the following options...
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Expansion Card Text - Disabled
Chassis Intrusion - Disabled
XD Technology - Enabled

I do hope you can help me out. I am trying to run ESXi and have a guest 64bit OS (Windows SBS 2008) but when I attempt to install it, it says cpu is not compatible with 64-bit mode.

Thanks for your time and effort.

Luke.

denifia · ‎03-15-2009

Quoting - denifia

Hi David,

I have been searching the web with the same issue and would like to provide you with details of my system so you may investigate.

CPU: INTEL CORE 2 DUO E7400 2.80GHz 3MB
Motherboad: Intel DG33BU and I just upgraded the firmware to 0517

The bios version says...
DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203

When I go to the security tab of the bios I only get the following options...
Set Supervisor Password
Set User Password
Expansion Card Text - Disabled
Chassis Intrusion - Disabled
XD Technology - Enabled

I do hope you can help me out. I am trying to run ESXi and have a guest 64bit OS (Windows SBS 2008) but when I attempt to install it, it says cpu is not compatible with 64-bit mode.

Thanks for your time and effort.

Luke.

My bad. Just figured out that the E7400 does not have VT :(

Never mind.

Luke.

vid512 · ‎03-17-2009

Quoting - David Ott (Intel)

Martin,

Engineering told me that they cannot reproduce the problem. In order to pursue, they needto verify whichBIOS is beingused here.

Could you provide this information?

David Ott

Problem appeared with BIOS Version DPP3510J.86A.0407.2008.0218.0923.

Later I upgraded BIOS to version DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203, and option to enable virtualization appeared in the BIOS settings.

Note that colleague of mine had same CPU and same MB with same BIOS version (0407), and virtualization did work for him, without having to upgrade BIOS version.

So far it seems it was only an issue of old BIOS, and problem is solved for me (virtualization works).

David_O_Intel1 · ‎03-19-2009

Good. Thanks for posting.Your problem and resolutionis instructive to others.

David

toony · ‎04-15-2009

Quoting - David Ott (Intel)

Good. Thanks for posting.Your problem and resolutionis instructive to others.

David

Hi,

I've got a strange "issue" there.

I've got a DG33BU motherboard for 1 year with an Q9300 CPU. VT works fine.
In march 2009, I've upgrade my BIOS to newest release 0517.
The bios version says : DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203

All works fine.

These days, I've bought a Q9650 CPU. I've simply change my old CPU (Q9300) with the new one (Q9650).
After reboot, VT is not enabled, and there is no BIOS option in Security tab to enabled it.
The bios version ever says : DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203

I've try to power off/power on, reset BIOS options to default values, search the web, but nothing except this thread. In doubt, I've tried to re-update my BIOS (release 0517) with the newest BIOS (release 0517). I've re-used my boot CD that I burn in march - no re-download BIOS file (I use CD image BIOS update).

After update and reboot, it's possible to enable VT in security BIOS tab...
The bios version ever says : DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203

All works fine now.

sahire · ‎06-04-2009

Quoting - vid512

Problem appeared with BIOS Version DPP3510J.86A.0407.2008.0218.0923.

Later I upgraded BIOS to version DPP3510J.86A.0517.2009.0107.2203, and option to enable virtualization appeared in the BIOS settings.

Note that colleague of mine had same CPU and same MB with same BIOS version (0407), and virtualization did work for him, without having to upgrade BIOS version.

So far it seems it was only an issue of old BIOS, and problem is solved for me (virtualization works).

Hello,

Presently I am also facing the same "virtualization missing" issue.
The configuration is as following
Intel core2 CPU, E8400 3.00GHz, EM64T capable.

and the BIOS version is
PRG3110H.86A.0065.2009.0421.1559

Both CPU and BIOS support VT-x. In BIOS under security tab I get the "Virtualization Technology" as enabled.

However, the output of "Intel Processor Identification Utility" shows "Intel Virtualization Technology: No"

I am not able to use virtualization at all.

Does anyone know, what is the problem?

Best Regards,
Sahire

David_O_Intel1 · ‎06-05-2009

Something of a long shot, but try a cold reboot. (Unplug power cable for a minute or two between shutdown and reboot.) It has occasionally been reported that changes in VT bios settings need a cold reboot to be properly observed. (Among many possible BIOS issues.)

David Ott

levicki · ‎06-14-2009

Quoting - David Ott (Intel)

Something of a long shot, but try a cold reboot. (Unplug power cable for a minute or two between shutdown and reboot.) It has occasionally been reported that changes in VT bios settings need a cold reboot to be properly observed. (Among many possible BIOS issues.)

David Ott

Another thing to do is to load setup defaults after BIOS flashing.

playground21 · ‎10-17-2009

Hi,

I think I'm having the same problem. I'm not seeing an option for enabling VT in the bios.

I have installed ESXi 4.0 on

Intel E8500, 3.16 MHz, 6MB cache

Intel Desktop Board DG33TL
8G RAM

When trying to install ubuntu 32bit via vsphere client, the vm hung during installation. After that happened, the vm won't be able to power down. It stopped at 95%. I had to restart ESXi.

I have tried it a couple of times, same thing happened.

Thank you

roberthenfield · ‎11-18-2009

I encountered the same problem today on a brand new system with the E7400 processor on a gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L Rev 1.1 board Bios F8 & F10. Tried the same processor on theGA-G31M-ES2L board but rev 2.1 and also on an Asrock m31 board no virtualization option in BIOS. However when we put an E5300 processor on these boards the option to enable virtualization was present on all boards - in all cases with the E7400 in all BIOS versions there was no such option. Proves the problem is with the processor not the boards?

We have decided to avoid the E7400's in future as is appears there may bea manufacturing problem - hopefully the Q8300 won't have the same problem as we need the virtualization for Windows 7 pro.

Edit

Found this elsewhere on the Intel website:

E7400SL9BY VT No
SLGQ8VT No
SLGW3VT Yes

The Q8300 is also manufactured wiith and without VT, but fortunately I randomly received the processor with VT! Its a minefield!!

Since one rarely buys processors by sub classification it makes it very hard for suppliers/retailers and PC builders to know what they have - not very sensible - clearly we need to keep away from the E7000 series for Windows 7 PCs

nweissma · ‎10-01-2011

assume an intel sysbo. how can i determine whether a later bios will allow forvirtualization?

assume oem sysbo, manufactured by intel. if no oem bios allows for virtualization, then installingan intel VT-supporting bios is notan option?

post #1, D. Ott states: ".. fused ON (in cpu).." in concrete terms, what exactly is meant by "fused on"?

Cosimo_D_ · ‎02-03-2016

Hi, I've a intel e8400 3ghz cpu installed. I've enable vtx feature in the bios, but I can't to initialize esxi 5.5 virtual machine. When start esxi installer is displayed following error message:

"Preferred mode unvailable. Using Intel VT-x/EPT instead.

This host does support EPT."

After clicking ok, is displayed following errore message:

"Virtualized Intel VT-x /EPT is not supported on this platform.

Continue without virtualized Intel VT-x /EPT?"

After clicking ok, it continues to instal until getting system information. It is displayed to enable vt-x /EPT but I've enable vt-x by bios.

With virtual box I can install esx 3.5 only but not 5.5.

What is the problem?

In the feature of intel e8400 there is specified vtx.