Intel Core 2 Duo VT support - Can it be done?

[bluehoops99]

Hi Group,

I have just bought an FZ11Z which comes with the Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 processor. One of the key attractions for me was that this processor is 64 bit and comes with virtualisation support. http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2duo/specifications.htm

This means that when I run VMWare Workstation on it I can create 64 bit Virtual Machines.

Now here comes the problem. Vmware support the processor, but to get it to work properly I need to be able to enable VT support in the BIOS, but the BIOS is rather basic and doesnt give me the option.

Anyone managed to enable VT support or know of a Phoenix BIOS upgrade I can use that will enable this (Whether or not it invalidates the warranty etc).

Thanks!

[Blencogo]

Hi bluehoops99 and welcome to Club Vaio.

I don't know why, but Sony have always disabled VT support on all Vaios. You would have to ask them for the reason.

This subject comes up from time to time but I cannot recall anyone finding a way to enable VT.

The Specifications FZ11Z like all other models have the VZ disclaimer at the bottom.

[MattWilson]

I would love to know the reason behind it.

Seems very strange.

[kee-lo_]

I'd love to know too

[bluehoops99]

The answer must lay in the BIOS settings, as looking at the BIOS it has the most minimalist set of settings I have seen for a long time!

I guess that the answer would be to get a replacement or 3rd party BIOS that will let you address the settings, but this is very much the last option, and one I am not keen to get into.

I really do need this, as demonstrating things on VMWare is part of my job, and I need to be able to run 64 bit guest machines. "Not supported" in my experience is a long way short of "Won't work".

So any guru's out there got this enabled?

[kee-lo_]

Yeah Sony lock their BIOS' - which means it's not possible to just enable it. You could request VAIO-Link to enable it - or send you a modified BIOS.

I really don't see why they've done this, yet I'm not a CPU boffin, everything is done for a reason, however crazy it may be.