VT-X disabled by firmware update?

Is there an easier way to determine if VT-x is enabled without having to install Developer Tools?

 

Something Overlooked?

I found this thread after getting the VT-x disabled message when I started Parallels today. It worked yesterday (after first installing) without a message, as others have stated. I've tried the various sleep/pulling-the-plug etc tricks, without success.

There's a lot of talk about whether VT-x is enabled on different firmware/serial combinations. But isn't it overlooking the elephant in the room? Couldn't it simply be a bug, sorry a "feature", with Parallels that's causing it to be disabled, or reported as disabled?

Why did it work first time but give an error after the Mac is rebooted? I'd say there's two possible choices:

1. It didn't detect the setting was disabled the first time it ran.​

2. It changed something that didn't manifest until after a reboot.​

Does Parallels install/change anything that could related to the firmware settings?

Has anyone tried restoring a Mini (does this only happen to Minis?) from a backup or to a clean install... Then run the vtx-check pre and post installing Parallels to see what happens (can you restore the firmware too? - I don't know.)


Just a couple of thoughts.

Chris

P.S. Nice work Parallels people.

 

This problem happened sometimes on Mac Minis some time ago. Now with the latest firmware and Mac OS updates it supposed to be fixed. Did you have installed the latest firmware and software updates?

 

Yes I have the latest firmware. But I didn't install it until after the problem manifested. Could that be relevant?

 

Hmm... I don't know really. We did reproduce Mac Mini VT-x lock issue in our labs and have opened the ticket in Apple support. Not long ago they told us that with latest updates it fails to reproduce. So we rechecked it in our labs again - it doesn't reproduced anymore with latest updates.

 

Interesting...Today it's working ok again. I guess the firmware update and a couple of extra reboots did the trick.

 

My VT-x still disabled

Hardware Overview:

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: 1.25 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MM11.004B.B00
Serial Number: YM6094QPU36
SMC Version: 1.3f4

daveschroeder's test returned the following:
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used

 

Mac Mini Cored Duo 1.66 GHz
Boot Rom MM11.0048.800
Serial # G86221VTU39
SMC version 1.3f4


VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used
(100: coreservicesd)tfp: failed on 0:

 

Still having issues, too

I've been monitoring this thread for about a month, since I got my Mac Mini and started using Parallels, and I've yet to be able to get Parallels working in VT-X mode. I've got the latest firmware, I've tried the "sleep" trick, I've done everything except the trick described in another thread.

My Mac Mini info is as follows:
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.B03
Serial Number: G86167Q2U36
SMC Version: 1.3f4

The output from dmseg is as follows:
Parallels Workstation Hypervisor started.
Parallels Workstation VMM Main driver started.
com_parallels_kext_Pvsvnic: Ethernet address 00:01:23:45:67:89
netsmb_dev: loaded
smbfs_smb_qfsattr: (fyi) share 'NTFS', attr 0x700ff, maxfilename 255
smbfs_smb_qfsattr: (fyi) share 'NTFS', attr 0x700ff, maxfilename 255
VT-x is supported (reported by CPUID), but locked in MSR and can't be used

This hasn't been a huge issue for me, as Parallels is still running Windows faster on my Mac than it was on my desktop PC, so it's been very usable. I just hate knowing that there's more out there and I can't get to it....

-Eriq

 

Thanks for reporting eon - we will investigate this.

BTW: Did you check About->More info->Virtualization mode? Did show Software mode when VM is running?

 

I also had a problem with VT-x not being enabled (Mac Mini Core Duo received & updated the day 10.4.7 came out). Part of the update was the Mac mini SMC Firmware Update.

I installed Parallels after the updates and restart and got the following message every time:

Your CPU supports Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) but it is currently disabled (locked by firmware). Virtual machine will be started without VT-x support (in software virtualization mode).

I noticed that the default Parallels folder (inside Applications) was locked. Hmm. I copied Parallels to the desktop and ran it from there. Same thing.

When I ran it earlier this evening... from the Parallels folder... no message.

Could it have somehing to do with permissions? I haven't looked around to see if the Parallels folder should be locked, but haven't done anything else relating to Parallels since the initial Mac Mini update and Parallels install.

Just a thought. Haven't repaired permissions yet...

 

Manual Firmware Update Fixed VT support

I've had all the problems with the mac-mini not supporting virtualisation until i went to

http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macminiearly2006smcfirmwareupdate.html

and manually updated the firmware regardless, software update not telling me to install the update.

My mini was purchased in June, however the Early 2006 update worked fine.

 

After adding a KVM switch to my setup, I started up Parallels only to find that the problem returned. Repairing permissions had no effect. Changing the permissions of the Parallels folder to what most applications are set to... had no effect. Bummer...

 

VT-x fixed on my Mini...actions I took

Just FYI to file under it didn't work, but now it does for VT-x on the Mac Mini.

I bought my Mini in March. Have been keeping it up to date and following Parallels to look for the GA launch. It happened, I bought it, and here's whats happened since last Friday.

1) Went to Software Update and updated everything to current. 10.4.7, iTunes, QT...then restarted.
2) Installed Parallels and immediately got the dreaded 'locked in firmware' VT-x message every time I started up a VM.
3) Looked around on this forum and saw the recent post about the 1.0.1 upgrade and the SMC firmware update. I checked Info and had the following:

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: MM11.004B.B00
Serial Number: YM6120BTU39
SMC Version: 1.3f4

4) Since the SMC was up to date, I then went out and got the early 2006 1.0.1 firmware update and applied it.
5) After the power on that applied the firmware, still no go. VT-x was disabled when starting my WinXP VM per the warning message.
6) Shut down, then powered up again. VT-x still disabled.
7) At this point, I went to bed, leaving the Mini up. Sleep mode kicked in, and in the morning I woke her up and bingo! VT-x was working! No warning message. Here's the way I look now:

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.B03
Serial Number: YM6120BTU39
SMC Version: 1.3f4

Confirmed thru the Parallels app he also thought VT-x was working.

Don't know if the above helps anyone, but a couple of observations.

- The SMC firmware went on via Software Update a while ago (month or two ago...)
- The 1.0.1 firmware did not, and only after I went and got it and applied it yesterday.
- I've seen people talk about Sleep mode...since that seemed to be involved here, I wonder if it isn't in the equation somehow.

 

Thanks! It worked for myself as well.

It's amazing how these things are so much like people. All it needed to work correctly was a little nap...

 

Excellent! Glad it helped!

 

After my success with Parallels, I tried to install the Boot Camp Beta. After all, I had what I thought was a completely updated Mini (including the Mac mini SMC Firmware Update). However...

... when I tried to run the Boot Camp Assistant Beta, I was informed that my firmware was out of date. Apparently, the ROM was out of date (this is what the "1.0.1" update is all about). Now that the 2nd *firmware* update is out of the way, Windows is being installed...

I'll have to see what effect this has on Parallels. I did set my Mini to never sleep in Preferences. I wonder if this is what was wrong (at least for the ROMs that I didn't know were out of date).

I'll have to see if I can NOT put it to sleep occasionally and get away with it.

 

Yep, About->More Info->Virtualization Mode shows "Software Mode 2"

Otherwise, the product has been running very well. I'm impressed that it's actually running Windows and the few Windows apps I have to run better than my Dell desktop that I had been using.

Now if I could just get this pesky virtualization mode thing cleared up...

-Eriq

 

This may sound strange, but have you run the Boot Camp Assistant Beta?

I know you're using Parallels, but I didn't find out that my Boot ROMs were out of date until I ran the program. My SMC firmware was up-to-date and listed in the Installed Updates section of Software Update. The Boot Camp Assistant Beta told me my firmware (Boot ROMs?) were out of date and when I updated the Boot ROMs, the Boot Camp Assistant Beta was able to run. I haven't had a problem with Parallels since.

Mac mini (early 2006) SMC Firmware Update [shows in Software Update]:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macminiearly2006smcfirmwareupdate.html

Mac mini (early 2006) Firmware Update 1.0.1 [does NOT show in Software Update]:
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/macminiearly2006firmwareupdate101.html

 

I just got a Macmini and updated to 10.4.7 and the firmware to 1.3F4, loaded Parallels and get the VT-x disabled message...then no boot disk.

Sorry I paid my $50 up front...