Hardware Assisted Virtualization doesn't work with i5 2420m?

2520 should support VT based on Intel's spec page. However, I'm unable to turn in on on my T420. I have enabled in BIOS and did a complete shutdown (took out battery, unplugged AC, and waited).

When I run Windows VT check tool, it still says VT is not enabled. What is going on?

 

As long you turn on Intel Virtualization support in the BIOS, try using HWInfo32 instead and check the Processor features. Check if "VMX" is highlighted in green as that indicates Intel VT-x is enabled.

 

I'm confused. you took out the battery/unplugged the AC/ and waited. waited for what? magic VT man to stop by... have you tried to load your software and see if it reports it enabled ? or let me step back and ask what VT are you going to use?

 

Thanks Hearst. I download this tool and see.

...You need to have a complete power down after changing CPU setting in the BIOS. Haven't heard of it?

 

The i5 2520m specs are at Intel® Core? i5-2520M Processor (3M Cache, 2.50 GHz)with SPEC Code(s)SR048

Is that the proc you have?

 

Yes. My mistake. I have 2520m

 

Hi I just downloaded HWinfo32. On both T420 and T61, the VMX open is green. However, on T61, the windows VT tool says VT is enabled. However, on T420, the Windows Tool says it's not enabled.

T61 is running Win 7 Pro and T420 has Win 7 Home Premium.

T420 VT is not working because when I tried to run VMware, it says I don't have hardware virtualization.

 

Sounds like it isn't enabled in the T420 BIOS.

 

Hi,

I can guaranteed it is enabled. The machine came default with VT enabled under CPU. I loaded up the tool, didn't work. So I turned off the VT, completely power off, turn VT back on, and completely powered off.


Core Multi-Processing > Enabled
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology > Enabled

Even after several power cycle, it still says VT not enabled in Windows check tool.

Has anyone been able to run VT using Core i5 2520m and Windows 7 Home Premium?

 

That doesn't sound like the settings for Intel VT... hang on let me reboot to check the actual bios (Using an x220 but assume the bios is similar).

 

Yep. Those aren't the right toggles. The toggles you want are under SECURITY -> VIRTUALIZATION.

The toggles themselves should have VT-x and VT-d in their name.
The toggles that you were mucking with seemed to be the ones that enabled dual-core and hyperthreading respectively, which are completely unrelated to VT-x/d

 

Thanks let me try it!

 

PS. This is really strange feeling being able to reboot my machine to check things like this in BIOS without having to wait forever (the time to desktop on my vaio was something like 5 minutes....).

 

Yep it works now. Thank you very much.

BTW is there any reason VT is under security instead of CPU? On my T61, it's under CPU...

 

umm Nope thats a new one on me. I need to tell all my datacenter guys this one lol. thanks.

Glad you got it up and running. So to my other Q, what VT are you going to use?

 

Can't you use both? Or are you referring to what software platform (VMWare, HyperV, etc?)

 

Ya I don't know what is with this pull the battery thing is all about. I'm betting he read it manual somewhere that was mis-traslated or someone that didn't understand how this works told him this when changing bios settings. If that was the case then I would, and so would a ton of users with rack servers have excess downtime when switching those setting on or off. Normally you just make the change, the laptop or rack svr powers up, before it tries to boot up into the OS you power it down, then power it up, all good. You either choose say vmware, Hyper V, Xen , etc. On a laptop there's just one nic so you will end up MAX tcp window issues and the list goes when running on a laptop as you add guest OS's. Running 3 seems about the max before you start having like said tcp issues , that is if you are hosting off of those guest OS's. now if those Guest OS's are just lab testing then you can have up to 5, in vmware with 8 gigs of ram. Anymore and you will see HD performance degrade to the point were its just so slow you won't want to use it. That includes SSD, infact even though your SSD is all "that" the excess paging "writes" from all the guess OS's can really drive down the life of your SSD drive. Something to think about. Really there's only one Host to use and thats vmware. HyperV is about 2 years behind, Xen is on the way out and frankly there are alot of admins glad to see it go.
There are times that hyper-threading actually causes performance issues as well.
So in the Bios you can turn both on, VT you have have, hyper threading you do not. This is something you just have to test inside your Host, and your Guests and see which is better.
Did that answer your Q?