Oracle VirtualBox "VT-x is disabled in the BIOS"

Question

I'm getting this error while loading an image from a Oracle virtual box. How can I fix it? I installed virtual box 4.3.12 via a remote desktop connection to a Windows 7 64-bit, 32G RAM computer.

I have checked the Intel Visualization Setting, it says yes to hardware visualization.

I saw this questions up online looks like the same issue. But I am using remote desktop control so I would not be able to change the setting at the restart page. I will be automatically logged off when I restart the this computer.

VERR_VMX_MSR_VMXON_DISABLED when starting an image from Oracle virtual box

Made

It's disabled in the BIOS. It's disabled before the operating system even gets a look in. If you want to change this, you need to change it in the BIOS. There's not some magical way to go "oh, you're on a remote connection, we'll change it in some other way" - if there were, they'd offer the same option for everyone, not just those on remote connections. – Damascene

Thanks for your comments, I know this post might sounds hilarious or even idiotic but I am actually wondering since I can't get into the BIOS page when the computer restart, is there anyway I can temperately reset the BIOS before the computer restart so it initiate the changes. I don't even know if it is feasible but I have to give it a shot as I ran out of options and I really don't want to break into my boss's office when he is away. – Made

Answer 1

if the machine does not require VT-x to work, changing the machine settings can help:

Try to change setting HardwareVirtEx in your virtual machine config file (.vbox).

It's a CPU section/ Looks like this

<Hardware version="2"> <CPU count="1" hotplug="false"> <HardwareVirtEx enabled="false"/> <HardwareVirtExNestedPaging enabled="true"/> <HardwareVirtExVPID enabled="true"/> <HardwareVirtExUX enabled="true"/> <PAE enabled="false"/> <HardwareVirtExLargePages enabled="true"/> <HardwareVirtForce enabled="false"/> </CPU>

from: https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=58820

this can also be set using VBoxManage using:

VBoxManage.exe modifyvm <machine name> --hwvirtex off

or by using the API:
void setHWVirtExProperty(HWVirtExPropertyType property, boolean value)

Substantialism

I tried doing the XML edit, and it didn't work...at all.. BUT when cd'ing into the VirtualBox folder I was able to use the VBoxManage, like @Substantialism said. And it worked perfectly. I did have to input an additional line thought: VBoxManage.exe modifyvm <machine name> --hwvirtex off and VBoxManage.exe modifyvm <machine name> --pae on – Umeh

On a Mac VBoxManage modifyvm <machine name> --hwvirtex off worked for me. – Lagunas

none of these suggestions seem to work for me, after running the VM HardwareVirtEx gets set back to true no matter what approach I take. – Coloquintida

Answer 2

The screenshot you have attached only tells whether your processor supports Virtualization or not. It does NOT states whether it actually is turned ON or not. These days most machines come preconfigured with it turned OFF.

I managed to get past the same problem by opening my BIOS (you can open BIOS by shutting down your PC, powering it back again, pressing Del or F10 key). Then look for a setting in your BIOS which turns Virtualization ON. See how the Virtualization setting was OFF on my machine which once turned on solved my problem!

Sharpie

"The screenshot you have attached only tells whether your processor supports Virtualization or not. It does NOT states whether it actually is turned ON or not." -- This is SO true. – Birthstone