Hardware virtualization and AES CPU support enabled in NP516x BIOS?

I've seen mentions in older threads where VT-x, VT-d, and AES-NI were disabled in Sager NP5165 BIOS'es. So far I haven't found any threads that mention the problem was ever fixed. Were they?

This would be a big problem for me and I will most likely have to return the system I just ordered, if it doesn't allow me to use all three of these features (the CPU i got, i7-2860, supports all these technologies). I am a software developer and need to use a lot of VM's with this system.

Have these issues been fixed with BIOS updates (either from Sager or Clevo)?

 

Vt-x is enabled by default on all the new systems I've seen, as it's a pretty basic CPU feature. I believe a Bios update was released allowing for AES on all models with compatible CPU's as well. Vt-d though seems to be a feature that's missing even from models with compatible CPU's. It won't affect your virtualization unless you like to run a lot of simultaneous VM's.

 

Thanks. I later found some threads where people mentioned BIOS updates enabling VT-x, as well as AES-NI.

I would like to also find a way to enable VT-d. Who can we petition to get that enabled in the BIOS? Would that be Sager? Do the 81xx series support vt-d?

I wonder if there is a way to hack the BIOS'es to enable some of these features? I have never bothered looking at those custom BIOS forums but I know they exist. I even found a few today where people asked for hacks/unlocks on W150HNR but there were never any responses to their threads.

 

That's a good question. Is Vt-d enabled for Clevos with HM65 chipsets?

 

Unfortunately, no. CPUz will show that most models have support for Vt-x and AES, but not Vt-d. It's as simple as a bios update though because it's already a feature supported in hardware (via the CPU instruction sets).

 

Can you request that Sager and/or Clevo include this change in their next bios release? I'm going to contact them to ask them as well. I think there's a better chance of them doing it if more people ask them about it. I will try to post their info here when I find it next week, though i'm guessing it's simply their customer service phone # or email.