PC Shopping: How do I tell if a PC is VT-capable (MS Virtualization)?

[Al Dykes]

I'm beginning to shop for my next PC (Windows 7) and want the ability
to use the virtualization. I recall the noise about Sony not updating
the BIOS on an otherwise VT-capable PC which pissed off some owners.

I could print out a list of VT-compatible Intel chips and the
comparable AMD chips, but it's not always easy to find what chip is in
a retail machine and it seems to take a friendly BIOS, anyway.

Will a "Windows 7 ready" sticker, if such exists, include VT
compatibility?

 

[Paul]

I'm beginning to shop for my next PC (Windows 7) and want the ability
to use the virtualization. I recall the noise about Sony not updating
the BIOS on an otherwise VT-capable PC which pissed off some owners.

I could print out a list of VT-compatible Intel chips and the
comparable AMD chips, but it's not always easy to find what chip is in
a retail machine and it seems to take a friendly BIOS, anyway.

Will a "Windows 7 ready" sticker, if such exists, include VT
compatibility?

Well, you made my day. I find out my processor doesn't support VT-x.
Coverage is really hit and miss. Thanks, Intel. The other funny bit,
is my cheesy $60 motherboard, supports enabling it

http://ark.intel.com/VTList.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD-V#AMD_virtualization_.28AMD-V.29

"Not all recent Intel processors support VT-x as Intel uses
the feature to segment their market"

"AMD markets its virtualization extensions to the 64-bit x86 architecture
as AMD Virtualization, abbreviated AMD-V. It is still referred to as
Pacifica, the AMD internal project code name.

AMD-V capability is also available on Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2 family
of processors with "F" or "G" stepping on socket AM2 (not socket 939),
Turion 64 X2, and Opteron 2nd generation[2] and 3rd-generation[3], Phenom
and Phenom II processors. Only Sempron processors except Sable and Huron
do not include support for AMD-V."

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/05/r2e-microsoft-intel-goof-up-windows-7s-xp-mode.ars

Maybe they'll have a sticker that says "half ready", for situations like mine.

Based on the following link, I have a *suspicion* the "capable" sticker will
only cover the upper requirements, and not the optional ones. After all,
one of the distinctions of Windows 7, was the ability to run on lower
horsepower equipment when compared to Vista. So I don't see Microsoft
excluding PCs, because they don't support the optional section. For example,
I don't expect all PCs to ship with TPM overnight, because Windows 7 is coming.
So the Windows XP mode issue will likely be left as a surprise.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/system-requirements

I recommend the "do your homework" approach.

Paul

 

[David B.]

How is it Intel's fault that you purchased a PC that doesn't support
virtualization?

--


------

I'm beginning to shop for my next PC (Windows 7) and want the ability
to use the virtualization. I recall the noise about Sony not updating
the BIOS on an otherwise VT-capable PC which pissed off some owners.

I could print out a list of VT-compatible Intel chips and the
comparable AMD chips, but it's not always easy to find what chip is in
a retail machine and it seems to take a friendly BIOS, anyway.

Will a "Windows 7 ready" sticker, if such exists, include VT
compatibility?

Well, you made my day. I find out my processor doesn't support VT-x.
Coverage is really hit and miss. Thanks, Intel. The other funny bit,
is my cheesy $60 motherboard, supports enabling it

http://ark.intel.com/VTList.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD-V#AMD_virtualization_.28AMD-V.29

"Not all recent Intel processors support VT-x as Intel uses
the feature to segment their market"

"AMD markets its virtualization extensions to the 64-bit x86
architecture
as AMD Virtualization, abbreviated AMD-V. It is still referred to as
Pacifica, the AMD internal project code name.

AMD-V capability is also available on Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2
family
of processors with "F" or "G" stepping on socket AM2 (not socket 939),
Turion 64 X2, and Opteron 2nd generation[2] and 3rd-generation[3],
Phenom
and Phenom II processors. Only Sempron processors except Sable and
Huron
do not include support for AMD-V."

http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/05/r2e-microsoft-intel-goof-up-windows-7s-xp-mode.ars

Maybe they'll have a sticker that says "half ready", for situations like
mine.

Based on the following link, I have a *suspicion* the "capable" sticker
will
only cover the upper requirements, and not the optional ones. After all,
one of the distinctions of Windows 7, was the ability to run on lower
horsepower equipment when compared to Vista. So I don't see Microsoft
excluding PCs, because they don't support the optional section. For
example,
I don't expect all PCs to ship with TPM overnight, because Windows 7 is
coming.
So the Windows XP mode issue will likely be left as a surprise.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/system-requirements

I recommend the "do your homework" approach.

Paul

 

[Al Dykes]

How is it Intel's fault that you purchased a PC that doesn't support
virtualization?

Well, figure out from this how the machine you like in the store (or
on the Internet) will run VT.

This HP machine is nicely priced at the store down the street. It has
an Intel E5300 CPU.

HP full spec sheet for machine HP Pavilion p6110f PC
http://www.shopping.hp.com/shopping/pdf/ny428aa.pdf

Per the Intel web site, The E5300 chip model and clock speed has 5
variations and only 2 run run VT.

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=35300#specs

Actually, I just sent HP a pre-sales question about is.


If I can't get a positive answer from HP, It's AMD for me. Apparently
the AMD chips are clearly identified for AMD's version of VT-x.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

The only real way to know is to download and install the Intel CPU
Identifier and install/run it and it will tell you if virtualization is
supported. I guess you could take a CD into the store with the download
burned on it, and test it, but I'm not sure the stores will be happy about
that!

 

[David B.]

May be the only option, you can't trust what the salesman tells you, and if
they want to make a sale I'd think they'd let the utility be run.

 

[David B.]

Good point, but I wouldn't put all the blame on Intel, HP should provide
more detailed info on which CPU they used.

 

[Al Dykes]

May be the only option, you can't trust what the salesman tells you, and if
they want to make a sale I'd think they'd let the utility be run.

Yes, but in their defense, they don't know what kind of virus you
might be infecting the machine with.

 

[David B.]

True, but in their minds that installed 30 day demo of Norton or MacAfee
should be quite sufficient in protecting the PC

 

[Al Dykes]

The only real way to know is to download and install the Intel CPU
Identifier and install/run it and it will tell you if virtualization is
supported. I guess you could take a CD into the store with the download
burned on it, and test it, but I'm not sure the stores will be happy about
that!

It also seems to require a BIOS awareness.


For the HP desktop I'd buy right now, I got this not-helpful message
back from HP pre-sales support.


Thank you for your interest in Hewlett-Packard.

Unfortunately, I do not have information regarding compatibility
between Windows 7 and Windows Virtualization as this is third party
software. I recommend contacting Microsoft for more information.

I apologize for any inconvenience and hope this solution is helpful.

Features of the HP Pavilion p6110f (NY428AA) include: ...

The CPU chip listed in the specs (E5300) comes from Intel in 5
variations, only two of which can do VT-x

http://ark.intel.com/Product.aspx?id=35300#specs

 

[Al Dykes]

Good point, but I wouldn't put all the blame on Intel, HP should provide
more detailed info on which CPU they used.

last night I sent HP pre-sales support a question about VT-x and here
is the unhelpful response. (It takes more than the right Intel chop to
make a machine do VT-x.)

Thank you for your interest in Hewlett-Packard.

Unfortunately, I do not have information regarding compatibility
between Windows 7 and Windows Virtualization as this is third party
software. I recommend contacting Microsoft for more information.

I apologize for any inconvenience and hope this solution is helpful.

Features of the HP Pavilion p6110f (NY428AA) include: ...

 

[David B.]

No big surprise there actually.

--


------

last night I sent HP pre-sales support a question about VT-x and here
is the unhelpful response. (It takes more than the right Intel chop to
make a machine do VT-x.)

Thank you for your interest in Hewlett-Packard.

Unfortunately, I do not have information regarding compatibility
between Windows 7 and Windows Virtualization as this is third party
software. I recommend contacting Microsoft for more information.

I apologize for any inconvenience and hope this solution is helpful.

Features of the HP Pavilion p6110f (NY428AA) include: ...


--
Al Dykes
News is something someone wants to suppress, everything else is
advertising.
- Lord Northcliffe, publisher of the Daily Mail