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User profile for user: Markoto
Markoto Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Does Boot Camp disable Intel-VT?

I can't get a 64-bit OS running in a VM under boot camp in Vista 64-bit. Therefore my question is: does boot camp disable the Intel-VT?

Here is the background to my question: I have a Mac Pro (Early 2008) with 2 quad core XEONs E5462, which are obviously capable of VT (Intel's virtualization extension for x86 architecture). I say "obviously", because I can run Ubuntu 64-bit without problems in a VM (virtual machine) in VMware Fusion under Mac OS X 10.5.2.

But I'm unable to get the very same VM running in VMware Workstation 6.0.3 under Vista 64-bit. Therefore I'm a bit confused (and annoyed) how to get VT running under boot camp. In most forums they'd give you the advise to turn on VT in the Bios. But we all know about EFI... Anyway the problem might not be EFI, because VT is supported under Mac OS X.

From a tech guy in the VMware forum I got the following description:

With VMware Workstation 6.0.3, you should be able to check the vmware.log file for the monitor extensions that are loaded. If you see hv-vt.vmm32, then the 32-bit monitor is using Intel VT. If you see hv-svm.vmm32, then the 32-bit monitor is using AMD-V. If you see hv-none.vmm32, then the 32-bit monitor is using binary translation. Substitute 'vmm64' for 'vmm32' and you get the answer for the 64-bit monitor.


All the log-files of my 32-bit VMs running in VMware Workstation show "hv-none.vmm32", so there is no VT active under bootcamp (neither running Windows XP 32-bit nor Vista 64-bit).

So, if boot camp actually does disable the Intel-VT, is there a way of enabling it again?

Mac Pro (Early 2008), Mac OS X (10.5.2), and Vista Business 64-bit under boot camp

Posted on May 1, 2008 10:40 AM

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8 replies
User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

May 1, 2008 10:49 AM in response to Markoto

You know more than I but clarify this, did you install Vista 64-bit natively, either with BootCamp or on a non-boot drive?

I can't get a 64-bit OS running in a VM under boot camp in Vista 64-bit. Therefore my question is: does boot camp disable the Intel-VT?


BootCamp Assistant assists in partitioning is all. And isn't needed if you install Vista on its own drive.

Once Vista is running and updated, did you insert Leopard and install the Apple setup of BootCamp and other drivers?

And then, once that was running, use the latest VMware to 'adopt' the native install?

"Under BootCamp" is misleading. With BootCamp drivers, yes. They are only a set of drivers and services that Apple setup adds to vista.

I've only used Fusion, not Workstation. And I've used Vista with and without BootCamp. I didn't know VMware had any other products that ran on Mac Pro.

Vista SP1 64-bit does have UEFI support, and Intel said it would begin to support EFI (outside Itanium servers) with SP1 or Server 2008.
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User profile for user: m@rkoto
m@rkoto
User level: Level 1
4 points

May 1, 2008 11:23 AM in response to The hatter

@The hatter:

Ok, my first shot was that it's boot camp's fault that VT isn't enabled in XP 32-bit and/or Vista 64-bit. But actually I'm only trying to enable VT no matter what actually caused the problem.

BootCamp Assistant assists in partitioning is all. And isn't needed if you install Vista on its own drive.


I used the BootCamp Assistant to partition the first drive (as I didn't know, what the assistent was supposed to do "behind the scenes"). But I have installed Vista x64 and Windows XP SP3 on a second hard drive, both in its own partition. I've been working with both systems for months without problems.

Once Vista is running and updated, did you insert Leopard and install the Apple setup of BootCamp and other drivers?


Yes, of course. I even installed the latest Boot-Camp 2.1 update last week before updating Windows with service pack 3.

And then, once that was running, use the latest VMware to 'adopt' the native install?


Sorry, I don't know, what you mean here.

I didn't know VMware had any other products that ran on Mac Pro.


I'm using "VMware Fusion" under Mac OS X and "VMware Workstation" under Vista and Windows XP. The VMs are compatible for both products.

Vista SP1 64-bit does have UEFI support.


Well, it does. But still I couldn't figure out, why VT is not enabled. And how to enable it, so that I can run a 64-bit VM.
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User profile for user: m@rkoto
m@rkoto
User level: Level 1
4 points

May 1, 2008 12:18 PM in response to Markoto

I guess asking questions always helps. VMware actually has a workaround, which I assume is still undocumented. Anyway I'll tell you, what I know, because this might be a very useful tip for all Mac Pro users, who don't want to miss VT under Windows/Vista:

Apple's EFI has a number of bugs regarding VT activation. On some Mac systems,
VT is only enabled on some processor cores. On some Mac systems, VT is not
reactivated after waking the system from certain sleep states. Since it is a
Mac-specific product, Fusion has workarounds for these issues. The ideal
solution is to get an updated EFI release from Apple that fixes these bugs.

In the interim, you can try the following:

Add "hv.enableIfUnlocked = TRUE" to your system-wide VMware configuration file.
On Linux hosts, this is /etc/vmware/config. On Windows hosts, try

"C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini"
or
"C:\Users\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini"
or
"C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini"

If the firmware leaves VT disabled but does not lock it in this state, this
setting should enable VT for you.


I tested the configuration switch "hv.enableIfUnlocked = TRUE" in VMware Workstation both in Windows XP and in Vista x64. Now the Ubuntu 64-bit VM runs fine, even under Windows XP 32-bit. This means that VT can actually be enabled this way.

I guess that Apple has to hear a few more complaints about this, before they will take action and fix their EFI implementation. But you never know;-) Let's see. For now I can perfectly live with the above workaround.
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User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,990 points

May 1, 2008 2:56 PM in response to m@rkoto

Xeon processors found in Intel Macs support Intel's VT-X technology,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple-Intel_architecture#Virtualization

¹ Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT), Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (Intel® TXT), and Intel® 64 architecture require a computer system with a processor, chipset, BIOS, enabling software and/or operating system, device drivers and applications designed for these features. Performance will vary depending on your configuration. Contact your vendor for more information.

http://www.intel.com/technology/virtualization/index.htm

http://www.pseriestech.org/forum/virtualization-technology/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparisonof_virtualmachines
http://www.intel.com/performance/server/xeon_mp/virtualization.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization

VMware Workstation 6.5 Beta -
http://communities.vmware.com/community/beta/workstation6.5
http://blogs.vmware.com/vmtn/2008/04/preview-vmware.html
Preview: VMware Workstation 6.5 beta
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleI d=9077058

There is more support for 64-bit guest OSs in 6.5. So maybe take a look at it once it is more stable.

Does Fusion or any other desktop VM product from VMWare use Intel VT?


Yes, but we've found that the current generation of hardware assisted virtualization is actually slower for 32-bit guests (it's necessary for 64-bit guest to work at all). It's possible to force VT usage if you want.
http://communities.vmware.com/message/766028#766028

how Fusion handles VT in 64 bit guests

It allows you to HAVE 64-bit guests on Intel CPUs. Without VT, there IS no 64-bit guest support. It's that simple.

Please do read that whitepaper jmattson linked to. It outlines the tests which the VMware engineers performed using code recompiled to take advantage of the VT benefits vs. their prior BT code. Realize that hardware VT features do not, in and of themselves, "enable" virtualization. All they do is allow someone to write a VMM (virtual machine monitor) layer EASIER than without the support. VMware has 10+ years of coding/experience/optimizing/tuning their VMM... and as such, it outperforms the competition in all but a few cases.
http://communities.vmware.com/message/617500#617500
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User profile for user: tangerine20
tangerine20
User level: Level 1
15 points

Jun 5, 2008 3:12 PM in response to m@rkoto

m@rkoto wrote:
I guess that Apple has to hear a few more complaints about this, before they will take action and fix their EFI implementation. But you never know;-) Let's see. For now I can perfectly live with the above workaround.


I've seen complaints going back to 2006 for the Mac Pros.
It's very disappointing that Apple won't address this.

Also, I'd like to see some kind of EFI shell access where
parameters can be set, a better BIOS implementation (e.g.,
allowing booting of MBR formatted USB drives), and EFI
support for Vista/Server 2008.

Please, Apple, give us access to the full range of
possibilities on these fantastic machines!
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Does Boot Camp disable Intel-VT?

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