Hi, I would like to confirm which processors support the HVM full virtualization mode. I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, thus I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. According to them VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come out. I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none at all. I would like to know whether this is really true. I have read reports of programs who write NVRAM locations to work around the BIOS and enable VT. Is this possible? Or maybe is it possible to run some program in Solaris to enable VT? In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running Windows and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the MacBook Pro will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it. Any hints appreciated. Cheers, Douglas This message posted from opensolaris.org
On Fri 12/07/07 at 05:48 AM, tellmebout-solaris@yahoo.com wrote:> > I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 > processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. > > Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, thus > I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. According to them > VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come out. > > I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none at > all. I would like to know whether this is really true.It''s true. That is, it''s true that their BIOS doesn''t support it. If they tried to claim that the CPU doesn''t support it, they lied.> In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this > notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running Windows > and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the MacBook Pro > will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it.I just installed nv78 on a shiny new Thinkpad T61p, and almost everything worked out of the box: nVidia driver, ethernet, wifi, and VT. (OK, I had to turn on VT in the BIOS, but at least they let me). Audio doesn''t work, but I haven''t spent any time digging into that yet. Nils
Additional conflicting info: 1. Compiling and running the program listed at Joe Bonasera''s blog entry (Detecting Hardware Virtualization support for xVM) gives me an "yes". 2. Wikipedia "x86 virtualization" entry says that the only Core 2 Duo processors that don''t support virtualization are the T52x0, T5300, T54x0, T5500 with stepping "B2", E4x00 and E2xx0. I don''t know if my T5500 has stepping B2 or not. -- Doug This message posted from opensolaris.org
Intel Core Duo T2600 and higher have virtualization support. James On Dec 7, 2007, at 5:48 AM, Douglas Atique wrote:> Hi, > > I would like to confirm which processors support the HVM full > virtualization mode. > > I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo > T5500 processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. > > Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, > thus I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. > According to them VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come > out. > > I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none > at all. I would like to know whether this is really true. > > I have read reports of programs who write NVRAM locations to work > around the BIOS and enable VT. Is this possible? Or maybe is it > possible to run some program in Solaris to enable VT? > > In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this > notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running > Windows and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the > MacBook Pro will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it. > > Any hints appreciated. > > Cheers, > Douglas > > > This message posted from opensolaris.org > _______________________________________________ > xen-discuss mailing list > xen-discuss@opensolaris.org
I think T5500 has no virtualization support. So your Sony Vaio bios simply does not has the option: http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/core2duo.htm Steven James Cornell wrote:> Intel Core Duo T2600 and higher have virtualization support. > > James > > On Dec 7, 2007, at 5:48 AM, Douglas Atique wrote: > > >> Hi, >> >> I would like to confirm which processors support the HVM full >> virtualization mode. >> >> I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo >> T5500 processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. >> >> Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, >> thus I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. >> According to them VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come >> out. >> >> I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none >> at all. I would like to know whether this is really true. >> >> I have read reports of programs who write NVRAM locations to work >> around the BIOS and enable VT. Is this possible? Or maybe is it >> possible to run some program in Solaris to enable VT? >> >> In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this >> notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running >> Windows and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the >> MacBook Pro will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it. >> >> Any hints appreciated. >> >> Cheers, >> Douglas >> >> >> This message posted from opensolaris.org >> _______________________________________________ >> xen-discuss mailing list >> xen-discuss@opensolaris.org >> > > _______________________________________________ > xen-discuss mailing list > xen-discuss@opensolaris.org > >
Please check a previous thread with the subject with "Sony VAIO VGN-FE48G" Although the model is different, Carlos Almedia has sent some useful points to BIOS hacks. Check if that helps. thx - Amol Douglas Atique wrote:> Hi, > > I would like to confirm which processors support the HVM full virtualization mode. > > I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. > > Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, thus I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. According to them VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come out. > > I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none at all. I would like to know whether this is really true. > > I have read reports of programs who write NVRAM locations to work around the BIOS and enable VT. Is this possible? Or maybe is it possible to run some program in Solaris to enable VT? > > In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running Windows and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the MacBook Pro will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it. > > Any hints appreciated. > > Cheers, > Douglas > > > This message posted from opensolaris.org > _______________________________________________ > xen-discuss mailing list > xen-discuss@opensolaris.org >
Sorry that at closer look of T5500, stepping L2 has Virtualization Technology: http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ProcFam=2643&sSpec=&OrdCode Steven Wong wrote:> I think T5500 has no virtualization support. So your Sony Vaio bios > simply does not has the option: > http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/core2duo.htm > > > Steven > > > James Cornell wrote: > >> Intel Core Duo T2600 and higher have virtualization support. >> >> James >> >> On Dec 7, 2007, at 5:48 AM, Douglas Atique wrote: >> >> >> >>> Hi, >>> >>> I would like to confirm which processors support the HVM full >>> virtualization mode. >>> >>> I own a Sony VGN-N38ZW which is equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo >>> T5500 processor and its BIOS doesn''t present any options to enable VT. >>> >>> Since the machine is pretty new it is still in the warranty period, >>> thus I opened a case on Vaio support site to ask about this. >>> According to them VT is not supported and no BIOS updates will come >>> out. >>> >>> I don''t trust the explanation they gave me, because there was none >>> at all. I would like to know whether this is really true. >>> >>> I have read reports of programs who write NVRAM locations to work >>> around the BIOS and enable VT. Is this possible? Or maybe is it >>> possible to run some program in Solaris to enable VT? >>> >>> In case this is really true and I won''t be able to use VT on this >>> notebook, does anyone recommend any other notebooks for running >>> Windows and other stuff on top of OpenSolaris? I have heard that the >>> MacBook Pro will do it, but I am afraid SXCE won''t run on it. >>> >>> Any hints appreciated. >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Douglas >>> >>> >>> This message posted from opensolaris.org >>> _______________________________________________ >>> xen-discuss mailing list >>> xen-discuss@opensolaris.org >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> xen-discuss mailing list >> xen-discuss@opensolaris.org >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ > xen-discuss mailing list > xen-discuss@opensolaris.org > >
The following is a copy of a case I opened at Sony Vaio eSupport site in UK. I just wanted Vaio owners to take note of it. Cheers, Douglas Case 2772471 BIOS updates for Intel VT (virtualization) support ~ Status: Open Created: 29-Nov-2007 Serial number Description Warr. End Date Product 28204365-5000415 VGN-N38Z/W NL3 30-Jul-2008 VAIO Please find below the case history. It is presented in a chronological order so that the updated information will always be shown at the bottom of the page. To jump directly to the lastest update in your case,click here. Notes 29-Nov-2007 Douglas Atique *** NOTES 29-Nov-2007 Action Type: Info 1. Installed service pack: Other Still using service pack: no 2. Boot language: English 3. Detailed problem description: I am interested in using virtualization software with hardware support (Intel VT), which is allegedly supported by the processor. However, the support seems to be disabled and the BIOS setup program doesn''t present an option to enable it. Thus I want to check with you if there is any chance to get a BIOS update for this. 4. Checked for upgrades or patches: yes 5. Additional SW: I am using Solaris Express Community Edition (always the latest build, available from http://opensolaris.org/) 6. Additional HW: There is no hardware involved, except the notebook itself. 7. Extra memory added: no 8. Additional remarks: Booting with this image (http://ftpsite.vmware.com/download/vt.iso) might give you more information on the problem. Notes 05-Dec-2007 Donal *** NOTES 05-Dec-2007 Action Type: Info Dear Mr Atique, Thank you for contacting us. There is currently no BIOS update available for your model. I will escalate to our head engineers to see if the processor does support Intel VT and if there is a BIOS update. I will respond as soon as I have more infromation. Thank you for your time. Best Regards, Donal Sony Vaio Team. Notes 07-Dec-2007 Donal *** NOTES 07-Dec-2007 Action Type: Info Dear Mr Atique, Thank you for you patience. Our engineers have advised that VT is not supported and there is no BIOS update scheduled. Please update the case if you have any queries. Thank you for your time. Best Regards, Donal Sony Vaio Team. Notes 07-Dec-2007 Douglas Atique *** NOTES 07-Dec-2007 Action Type: Info Could you give me a more detailed and technical explanation of why VT is not supported? Thanks in advance. -- Douglas Notes 11-Dec-2007 Ian *** NOTES 11-Dec-2007 Action Type: Info Dear Mr. Atique. Thank you for your reply. I''m afraid we can not offer a more satisfactory response than this, the lack of support for this feature by an executive decision by Sony Japan. There may be no technical reason for this only procedural however I''m afraid there are currently no plans for Sony to offer support for this feature in future. Regards, Ian Sony VAIO eSupport Team This message posted from opensolaris.org