VT-X disabled by firmware update?

I think there may be more issues at play here, and if VT being disabled on some minis is indeed an oversight, it wouldn't be surprising to me if some mini production was not affected by this issue. I'll post more information as I receive it. I think, as you say, there has also been some confusion surrounding Duo versus Solo.

 

Here is the source for a kernel extension that can test whether VT-x is present on the processor and whether or not it can be used:

http://das.doit.wisc.edu/misc/vtx-check.zip

To use:

- Unpack the archive
- Go into the vtx-check directory and type "make" (requires that the Developer Tools have been installed)
- Load the kext with "sudo kextload MacOS/vtxcheck.kext"
- Look at "dmesg" for details; you should see a message indicating whether or not VT-x can be used on your system

It would be good if people could try this with their Mac mini and report back WITH YOUR SERIAL NUMBER:

Confirmed working:

- iMac (Core Duo) (all models)
- MacBook Pro (Core Duo) (all models)

- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM60935SU39)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM608JEJxxx)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.004B.B00, serial: YM608RPVxxx)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM610237U39)

Confirmed NOT working:

- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.004B.B00, serial: YM608QS0U36)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM608QS0U36)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.004B.B00, serial: YM6092JZVJN)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM6092JZVJN)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.004B.B00, serial: YM610237U39)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM6087PJU36)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) (firmware: MM11.0055.B02, serial: YM608R0VU36)


To be tested:

- Mac mini (Core Duo) before Mac mini (early 2006) Firmware Update 1.0 (firmware: MM11.004B.B00)
- Mac mini (Core Duo) after Mac mini (early 2006) Firmware Update 1.0 (firmware MM11.0055.B02)
- Mac mini (Core Solo) before Mac mini (early 2006) Firmware Update 1.0 (firmware MM11.004B.B00)
- Mac mini (Core Solo) after Mac mini (early 2006) Firmware Update 1.0 (firmware MM11.0055.B02)

Thanks!

UPDATE:

It's looking like it's not as clear cut as models here, since we have at least one person with a Mac mini Core Duo that DOES have VT enabled. I'm guessing it was an issue that got caught, and newer Core Duo Mac minis have VT enabled.

 

Dave, thanks for the efforts on this issue. I can't do a before/after scenario but I can verify that the test gives the expected results on my post Firmware Updater 1.0 update. I'll do that tonight (late) when I get home.

 

Dave, I ran this on my Intel Core Duo 1.66 Mini and got the following:

"VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used"

I have Firmware Update 1.0 installed and my Boot ROM Version is listed as MM11.0055.B02.

 

That's really interesting, because I just ran it against a Mac mini (Core Duo) with MM11.0055.B02 (for those not paying attention, that's the recent firmware update), and it is definitely NOT enabled.

I think it's going to come down to certain ranges of Mac minis. We're going to have to start looking at serial numbers too. This one was YM608QS0U36. What is your serial?

 

I just got my mini core duo 2 days ago. If you have a working model, how old is it? Are the newest ones enabled or are the oldest ones enabled?

 

What about running something as simple as this

sysctl machdep.cpu.features

from terminal?

You should get an output like this. I get the same output from both my Intel iMac and Intel Mac Mini.

machdep.cpu.features: FPU VME DE PSE TSC MSR PAE MCE CX8 APIC SEP MTRR PGE MCA CMOV PAT CLFSH DS ACPI MMX FXSR SSE SSE2 SS HTT TM SSE3 MON VMX EST TM2 TPR

As far as I am aware, VMX is the virtualization. Do the mac mini's that are not working with the virtualization show VMX?

Just FYI, my mac mini works fine and states VT-x is supported when running the kext.

Mine has been updated with the newest firmware (1.0.0) for bootcamp support.

Core Duo 1.66 Mac Mini
Boot ROM version: MM11.0055.B02
Serial Number: YM608JEJxxx (last 3 digits left off)
SMC Version : 1.3f2

 

VT-x Enabled

I have a Mac mini Core Duo that reports VT-x is available, but Parallels says it CANNOT USE use it, as it's been disabled by the BIOS??

My machine:
Boot ROM Version: MM11.0055.B02
Serial Number: YM60935SU39

I did update my firmware on the 6th.

vtxcheck reported: VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used

Chris

 

I should note mine also states its supported, and Parallels runs fine with VT-x. When the VM is running and if I do an Parallels Workstation->About Parallels Workstation it states "Virtualization mode: Intel VT-x"

That means it's running I would think. Virtual machine seems quite fast even on my mini.

 

Something fishy...

Okay guys... here's something interesting:

Ever since I loaded the vtxcheck.kext and then unloaded it, now when I run Parallels it SUCCESSFULLY detects VT-x support on my Mac mini Core Duo!

I'm using build 1658.24 of Parallels. About to reboot and see if it stops working again, until I load and unload the vtxcheck kext.

Could there be a bad build of Parallels floating around out there?

Chris

 

Just a quick note...

1. Any known to us MacTel has VT-capable CPU
2. VT can be locked or unlocked by corresponding BIOS controls.
3. If VT is locked by BIOS, the CPU info will still show that it's VT-capable.
4. But since VT is locked, it can never be used until unlocked.

We're now getting in contact with Apple to clear things out. Please be patient. I'm sure very soon PW will run in VT mode on any MacTels

 

Guys

As I said before - Mini Core Duo 1.66 purchased yesterday from London. No firmware updates applied by me. Serial number YM6092JZVJN:

VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used

Cheers

James

 

Yes, Mac minis that are not working do still show VMX as a CPU feature.

 

My Mac mini Core Duo now works fine- even across a cold reboot. I haven't changed anything else- all I did was go to work today.

Yesterday, every time I started the VM in Parallels I got a "VT-x available but disabled by the BIOS" message. Today, when I got home, I couldn't wait to try the vtx-check kernel extension to try to diagnose the problem. I tried it, and it reported VT-x was available AND enabled. I unloaded it again, just to be safe.

I tried Parallels again- This time, it is able to use VT-x just fine!! It seems to work now. I thought maybe the MSR was "tickled" the right way by the kext, so I tried shutting down and cold booting, to see if my Mac mini reverted back to the old state. It didn't, which is very odd.

Something seems flaky here... but i'm happy for now that it works. Good news for all you other Mac mini owners out there- might be something simple.

 

OK - updated to new Firmware 1.0 and the vtx-check util reports the same thing

VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used

Cheers

James

 

All this so weird...

 

Machine Name: Mac mini
Machine Model: Macmini1,1
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Number Of Cores: 2
CPU Speed: 1.66 GHz
L2 Cache (shared): 2 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MM11.004B.B00
Serial Number: YM610237U39
SMC Version: 1.3f2

Parallels Workstation Hypervisor started.
Parallels Workstation VMM Main driver started.
USBF: 2160.684 [0x2770e00] (Reset) USB Generic Hub @ 2 (0x1d100000)
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used

 

Machine Name: Mac mini
Machine Model: Macmini1,1
CPU Type: Intel Core Duo
Number Of Cores: 2
CPU Speed: 1.66 GHz
L2 Cache (shared): 2 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MM11.0055.B02
Serial Number: YM608RPVxxx
SMC Version: 1.3f2

VT-x works for me in Parallels and has since the beginning. I already had the bios update installed when I first installed Parallels.

I have been told that early Yonah didn't have VT-x enabled but that later Yonah processors did, however, I don't know if this is fact or fiction and the serial numbers of those that work and those that don't are all over the place. Furthermore, seeing that some people were able to go from VT-x disabled to enabled makes me wonder even more about that theory.

By the way, go to this page:

http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html

And enter your serial number. You'll get the date and location of manufacture:


Serial number: YM608RPVxxx
Model: Mxxxx Mac mini Intel Core duo 1.66GHz
Factory: YM (China (Hon Hai = Foxconn) Configured in Czech Republic?)code_to_number: RPV - UV3340W8MRT

Production year: 2006
Production week: 08 (February)
Production number: 29711 (within this week)

 

Have just installed the firmware update... and reinstalled parallels...

vtxcheck.kext reports

Parallels Workstation Hypervisor started.
Parallels Workstation VMM Main driver started.
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used

so it seems the firmware update enables VT-x on the mac mini core duo.
(well mine at least, circa march 06)

however parallels seems to crash and take the wole system with it which makes it unusable at the moment.

mike

 

kextload: MacOS/vtxcheck.kext loaded successfully
Mini:~/Desktop/vtx-check thingi$ sudo dmesg
hi mem tramps at 0xffe00000
PAE enabled
standard timeslicing quantum is 10000 us
vm_page_bootstrap: 509278 free pages
mig_table_max_displ = 71
Enabling XMM register save/restore and SSE/SSE2 opcodes
89 prelinked modules
ACPI CA 20051117 [debug level=0 layer=0]
AppleACPICPU: ProcessorApicId=0 LocalApicId=0 Enabled
AppleACPICPU: ProcessorApicId=1 LocalApicId=1 Enabled
Copyright (c) 1982, 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

using 5194 buffer headers and 4096 cluster IO buffer headers
Enabling XMM register save/restore and SSE/SSE2 opcodes
IOAPIC: Version 0x20 Vectors 0:23
Started CPU 01
ACPI: System State [S0 S3 S4 S5] (S3)
Security auditing service present
BSM auditing present
disabled
rooting via boot-uuid from /chosen: 079B5DB5-BC66-4BBD-8AA6-3C33691B2701
Waiting on <dict ID="0"><key>IOProviderClass</key><string ID="1">IOResources</string><key>IOResourceMatch</key><string ID="2">boot-uuid-media</string></dict>
FireWire (OHCI) Lucent ID 5811 PCI now active, GUID 0016cbfffe5346ec; max speed s400.
Got boot device = IOService:/AppleACPIPlatformExpert/PCI0@0/AppleACPIPCI/SATA@1F,2/AppleAHCI/AppleAHCIPort@2/IOAHCIDevice@0/AppleAHCIDiskDriver/IOAHCIBlockStorageDevice/IOBlockStorageDriver/ST98823AS Media/IOGUIDPartitionScheme/Customer@2
BSD root: disk0s2, major 14, minor 2
CSRHIDTransitionDriver:robe:
CSRHIDTransitionDriver::start before command
CSRHIDTransitionDriver::stop
IOBluetoothHCIController::start Idle Timer Stopped
Jettisoning kernel linker.
Resetting IOCatalogue.
Matching service count = 4
Matching service count = 4
Matching service count = 4
Matching service count = 4
Matching service count = 4
Previous Shutdown Cause: 3
mac 10.3 phy 6.1 radio 10.2
IPv6 packet filtering initialized, default to accept, logging disabled
yukonosx: Ethernet address 00:16:cb:a2:0c:1a
AirPort_Athr5424: Ethernet address 00:14:51:ee:bc:25
display: Not usable
[HCIController][setupHardware] AFH Is Supported
[IOAppleBluetoothHIDDriver][init] IOBluetoothHIDDriver 1.1.4
[IOBluetoothHIDDriver][init] IOBluetoothHIDDriver 1.1.4
[IOAppleBluetoothHIDDriver][handleStart][00-0a-95-43-77-c6] Done.
(42: SystemStarter)tfp: failed on 0:
(42: SystemStarter)tfp: failed on 0:
(42: SystemStarter)tfp: failed on 0:
(42: SystemStarter)tfp: failed on 0:
Parallels Workstation Hypervisor started.
[IOAppleBluetoothHIDDriver][waitForHandshake][00-0a-95-43-77-c6] Unsuccessful Handshake: e00002c2
Parallels Workstation VMM Main driver started.
(65: coreservicesd)tfp: failed on 0:
(65: coreservicesd)tfp: failed on 0:
(65: coreservicesd)tfp: failed on 0:
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used
(65: coreservicesd)tfp: failed on 0:
netsmb_dev: loaded
en1 duplicate IP address 10.0.1.253 sent from address 00:14:51:ee:bc:25
AppleRAID: terminating set "RAID Set" (70C233E9-5FC3-4C70-AF18-2489CC76612C).
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID) and can be used

This is on a mac mini and Parallels no longer gives the error message when vt-x is enabled

thingi