Cannot create a new virtual machine in xen

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1

I have been unable to create any type of Windows VM in Xen. Every time it tells me that the processor(s) in the machine do not support full virtualization. After some research, I found several articles regarding the vmx setting in /proc/cpuinfo not showing up when the xen kernel is booted versus it showing up in the default kernel. Of course, I am not seeing the vmx extension in /proc/cpuinfo after I boot to the xen kernel. In the other posts where other people are in the same situation, the only resolution is to upgrade to the 2.6.16 xen kernel. I am already past that:

linux-vxke:~ # uname -r
2.6.31.8-0.1-xen

yet I am still unable to create any form of Windows VM. I have even seen that some people are able to create a partially virtualized Windows VM, and they report that the message is only
a warning. However, I am unable to get past this message. I am running a Dell Optiplex 760 with an Intel Core 2 Duo E7300, and I have the VT-x setting enabled in the BIOS. Has anyone else seen this situation or have any thoughts on why this is happening? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

2

techpros wrote:

>
> I have been unable to create any type of Windows VM in Xen. Every
> time it tells me that the processor(s) in the machine do not support
> full
> virtualization. After some research, I found several articles
> regarding the vmx setting in /proc/cpuinfo not showing up when the
> xen kernel is
> booted versus it showing up in the default kernel. Of course, I am
> not seeing the vmx extension in /proc/cpuinfo after I boot to the
> xen
> kernel. In the other posts where other people are in the same
> situation, the only resolution is to upgrade to the 2.6.16 xen
> kernel. I am already past that:
>
> linux-vxke:~ # uname -r
> 2.6.31.8-0.1-xen
>
> yet I am still unable to create any form of Windows VM. I have even
> seen that some people are able to create a partially virtualized
> Windows VM, and they report that the message is only
> a warning. However, I am unable to get past this message. I am
> running a Dell Optiplex 760 with an Intel Core 2 Duo E7300, and I
> have
> the VT-x setting enabled in the BIOS. Has anyone else seen this
> situation or have any thoughts on why this is happening? Any
> assistance would be greatly appreciated.
>
I have same problem with E7200.Core 2 Duo. My BIOS does not have an
option to set VT but someone told me if my CPU did it would then show
up in BIOS. From what I learned from Intel your motherboard, CPU and
BIOS must have VT hardware built in. I know my E7200 also my Intel
DX48BT2 motherboard does mention any support.I was thinking of trying
ZEN but it looks like it may be a waste of time.

Appears your E7200 lists same support as my E7300
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPC

I think the 3GHZ processor is first with support for VT (E8xxx)

If you find a solution would you please post it?

Russ
[openSUSE 11.2 (2.6.31.5-0.1-desktop, x86_64] KDE 4.3.4 release 2,
Intel Core 2 Dual E7200, 4 GB RAM, GeForce 8400 GS, 320GB Disc (2)

3

So far nothing after days of scouring other blogs and forums. The E7300 does support full virtualization, and I have it enabled in the BIOS. That’s the wierd part…when I boot to the default kernel, it (vmx) shows up in /proc/cpuinfo; however when I boot the xen kernel it disappears. Same thing happens with SLES 11. I’m still digging through a few installation and implementation guides I have found online, but nothing is working so far. I’ll post anything I can come up with…if I don’t give up first. I thought this whole partnership with Microsoft and Novell was supposed to produce great things…

4

techpros wrote:

>
> So far nothing after days of scouring other blogs and forums. The
> E7300 does support full virtualization, and I have it enabled in the
> BIOS. That’s the wierd part…when I boot to the default kernel, it
> (vmx) shows up in /proc/cpuinfo; however when I boot the xen kernel
> it
> disappears. Same thing happens with SLES 11. I’m still digging
> through a few installation and implementation guides I have found
> online, but
> nothing is working so far. I’ll post anything I can come up
> with…if I
> don’t give up first. I thought this whole partnership with
> Microsoft and Novell was supposed to produce great things…
>
I’ll do the same. Do you know if the motherboard actually has VT
logic. If I buy new CPU with VT I’m told it may show up in BIOS but I
hate to waste money. Have not gotten answer on INTEL Forum.

–
Russ
[openSUSE 11.2 (2.6.31.8-0.1-desktop, x86_64] KDE 4.3.4 release 2,
Intel Core 2 Dual E7200, 4 GB RAM, GeForce 8400 GS, 320GB Disc (2)

5

I am having the same problem. I have verified that the virtualization settings are enabled in the BIOS.

6

Well, seems that VMX capabilities of your CPU are not enabled.

Seems that this is normal behaviour:

testing:~ # cat /proc/version 
Linux version 2.6.31.12-0.1-xen (geeko@buildhost) (gcc version 4.4.1 [gcc-4_4-branch revision 150839] (SUSE Linux) ) #1 SMP 2010-01-27 08:20:11 +0100
testing:~ # cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 15
model name      : Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6400  @ 2.13GHz
stepping        : 6
cpu MHz         : 2133.000
cache size      : 2048 KB
...]
flags           : fpu de tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr mca cmov pat clflush acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht syscall nx lm constant_tsc rep_good pni est ssse3 cx16 hypervisor lahf_lm
...]

But when I look into the “xm dmesg” output, I can see that VMX is enabled:

(XEN) VMX: Supported advanced features:
(XEN)  - APIC TPR shadow
(XEN)  - MSR direct-access bitmap
(XEN) HVM: VMX enabled

From my first experiences with Xen about two years ago I know that enabling the VT-x in BIOS is sometimes not enough to get it activated. Some machines need a complete power loss before it is activated! So on my laptop for example I needed to unplug the power supply, remove the battery pack and try to start the machine so that there was no voltage left on the board.

HTH, Torsten

7

That is most often the case, but it does not have to. Had this issue with my HP laptop. The CPU was capable but the BIOS did not offer the switch to enable it. Later it was fixed with a BIOS update.

Regards, Torsten