Easy Way to Determine If CPU Supports Windows 7 Virtual PC (XP Mode)

Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode (XPM, previously known as Virtual Windows XP or VXP) are two new optional components for specific editions of Windows 7 operating system. Windows Virtual PC is the Virtual PC (VPC) for Windows 7 which allows user to run virtual machines for virtualization with additional features, such as Windows XP Mode, which allows user to access and run applications installed in virtualized instance of Windows XP on Windows 7 host desktop for backward compatibility.

With much improved functionalities, Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode must be tempting many Windows 7 users. However, Windows Virtual PC system requirements (Windows XP Mode is actually just a virtual machine running pre-activated Windows XP which utilizes features of Windows Virtual PC) have been much different from Virtual PC 2007 SP1. The most significant change is the requirement of hardware-assisted virtualization technology (VT) support.

Hardware virtualization technology or VT is built-in natively by CPU processors. In Intel chip, the VT is called Intel VT, while AMD calls it AMD-V. The VT capability in the processor on the computer is built onto the the tiny piece of chip, and cannot be added or removed using any manual process. And even if the CPU features VT, it must be enabled in BIOS.

Most newer CPU includes VT operation by default. However, some older or even current processors available for purchase for DIY or operating on OEM computer may not support VT. When there is no VT support, Windows Virtual PC may fail to install or cannot be powered up and started virtual machine with following error message:

Cannot Windows Virtual PC host process. Check the System event log for more details.

Windows Virtual PC requires hardware-assisted virtualization. There is no hardware-assisted virtualization support in the system.

Hardware Virtualization Support for Windows Virtual PC 7

Instead of browsing through the long list of Intel processor’s feature list or AMD CPU’s feature to confirm the existence or non-existence of VT support, there is an easier way to quickly determine whether there is hardware virtualization system on the system. That’s by using SecurAble, a small utility that display status of CPU maximum bit length, DEP and virtualization support.

SecurAble

Just download and run SecurAble (no installation required). The status of hardware virtualization feature on the CPU processor is quickly display on screen. If it’s a “Yes” or “Locked On”, the Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode can be used properly. If it’s a “No”, then you’re out of luck. However, there is another possibility that the result may display as “Locked Off”, which means the VT support is currently disabled by BIOS. In this case, just restart the computer and access the BIOS configuration to enable and turn on hardware virtualization support. Else you face the following error when try to launch Windows Virtual PC 7 virtual machine.

Virtual machine could not be started because hardware-assisted virtualization is disabled. Please enable hardware virtualization in the BIOS settings and try again.

Hardware-assisted Virtualization Off

Another tool that can be used to detect hardware virtualization support on CPU is HAV Tool from Microsoft.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 1:21 pm and is filed under Windows 7. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

12 Responses to “Easy Way to Determine If CPU Supports Windows 7 Virtual PC (XP Mode)”

  1. mark
    December 13th, 2009 21:37
    12

    securable says hv on big green yes but havedetectiontool says its not on. when looking in my bios it is set to enabled. ive tried disable cold boot enable cold boot then checking but its still being stupid

  2. Download Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode Final RTM 7600.16393 » My Digital Life
    October 10th, 2009 03:32
    11

    [...] 2009. Windows Virtual PC requires hardware-assisted virtualization, thus it’s recommended to check and verify system supports hardware virtualization (VT) or not prior to downloading and installing. The main purpose of Windows Virtual PC, an optional component [...]

  3. Hardware-Assisted Virtualization (HAV) Detection Tool Free Download » My Digital Life
    October 10th, 2009 03:25
    10

    [...] modern CPU has hardware-assisted virtualization capability built-in though. For user who want to verify, check, determine or get to know whether his or her PC computer supports hardware-assisted vi…, there is a software utility named SecurAble which able to display hardware virtualization support [...]

  4. Windows 7 Usage Guides, How-To Hacks, Tips and Tricks (Complete List) » Tip and Trick
    August 19th, 2009 01:30
    9

    [...] Easy Way to Determine If CPU Supports Windows 7 Virtual PC (XP Mode) [...]

  5. 墨色竹
    August 13th, 2009 22:52
    8

    My computer Hardware Virtualization is “Locked Off” but my BIOS configuration don’t have the option to Unlock it. Do you have any guide to Unlocked it?我的电脑是ACER的，我也有这个问题，估计是要刷BIOS吧？

  6. Angelo
    August 12th, 2009 05:14
    7

    For P8400 current SecurAble tool seems to be obsolete.
    I’ve enabled Virtualization at BIOS but this tool still dispays “Locked” state

  7. Windows 7 Virtual PC And Windows XP Mode RC Direct Download Links » My Digital Life
    August 6th, 2009 01:32
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    [...] a new virtualization runtime engine for Windows 7 which requires hardware-assisted virtualization (how to check if system supports hardware VT), while Windows XP Mode, formerly known as Virtual Windows XP (VXP), provides [...]

  8. Pasha
    May 20th, 2009 22:57
    5

    My computer Hardware Virtualization is “Locked Off” but my BIOS configuration don’t have the option to Unlock it. Do you have any guide to Unlocked it?

  9. Nomad
    May 8th, 2009 03:53
    4

    I have used that tool to detectr VT on my Toshiba Satellite laptop (win7 RC x64 installed).
    Hands up !
    I have to say even though I have no option in BIOS to enable/disable VT (its enabled by defult on all Toshiba laptops if CPU supports it) and my CPU is Intel Core2Duo T7200 – Windows VirtualPC still comes up with this error message.
    Hands down :(

  10. sothy
    May 6th, 2009 19:11
    3

    My computer Hardware Virtualization is “Locked Off” but my BIOS configuration don’t have the option to Unlock it. Do you have any guide to Unlocked it?

    PS: My laptop is VAIO VGN-AR520E.

    Thanks.

  11. John L. Galt
    May 6th, 2009 07:46
    2

    There is a caveat here, though, basically, although Securable will show you if VT is supported by the hardware, there are other mitigating factors as well – something that I learned the hard way when beta testing VMWare Workstation 6.5. To sum it up, my system, although *fully* supporting Intel’s VT extensions and even with having it enabled in the BIOS, simply would not allow me to load any 64bit OS in VMWare.

    I finally tracked it down to a driver issue, as I noted in the eVGA forums (as my motherboard is an eVGA 780i) – see http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.asp?m=539321 for my original post, and http://www.evga.com/forums/tm.asp?m=539321&mpage=1&key=&# for the ‘fix’ that got me working again.

    Now, with Windows 7, I find that only cold booting will allow my VT to work correctly – any other resume (sleep, hybrid sleep, hibernate) b0rks VT completely.

  12. How to check if your CPU Supports Windows 7 Virtual PC | Virtualization Spotlight
    May 5th, 2009 18:57
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    [...] clever people at mydigitallife.info have put together a nice little guide to check if your CPU will cut the mustard with [...]

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