How to confirm your PC supports hardware virtualization

Although OEMs have been shipping hardware virtualization in PCs for three years, hardware virtualization is not available in all PCs—so even if your PC is new, it may not have hardware virtualization. Additionally, those PCs with hardware virtualization have it turned off by default, so you will need to turn on the hardware virtualization capability before you can use it.

To determine whether your PC supports hardware virtualization:

Step 1. Does my PC have a CPU with support for hardware virtualization?

• Download and run the Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool

  • If you receive the message “This computer does not have hardware-assisted virtualization,” your computer does not meet the hardware requirement for Windows Virtual PC, but you can still use Windows 7 XP Mode by running this hotfix. Be aware that XP Mode will run much better if hardware-assisted virtualization can be enabled.

  • If you receive the message “Hardware-assisted virtualization is not enabled on this computer,” go on to Step 2 below.

  • If you receive the message “This computer is configured with hardware-assisted virtualization,” download and install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode.

Step 2. Does my PC BIOS support hardware virtualization, and is it turned on?

Instructions to turn on hardware virtualization in your PC BIOS are specific to OEM models. It is important that after changing your BIOS settings the PC is completely shut down at the power switch before restarting so that the new BIOS settings can take place.

Examples for some models of some computer manufacturer’s BIOS settings are below:

Sample instructions for your PC

Dell systems

• Depress the F12 key when boot menu text appears at startup

• Select BIOS setup and depress the Enter key

• Using the mouse, expand the Virtualization Support menu item by clicking on the plus to the left of Virtualization Support and select Virtualization

• Check the Enable Intel Virtualization Technology checkbox

• Click Apply

• Click Exit

• Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

HP systems

• Depress Esc key when prompted at startup

• Depress the F10 key to Configure BIOS

• Scroll to System Configuration using the arrow keys

• Select Virtualization Technology and depress the Enter key

• Select Enabled and depress the Enter key

• Depress the F10 key to save and exit

• Select Yes and depress the Enter key

• Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

Lenovo ThinkPad systems

• Depress the blue ThinkVantage key when prompted at startup

• Depress the F1 key to enter the BIOS setup utility

• Using the arrow keys, scroll to Config and depress the Enter key

• Scroll to CPU and depress the Enter key

• Scroll to Intel® Virtualization Technology and depress the Enter key

• Select Enabled and depress the Enter key

• Depress Enter key to continue

• Depress F10 key to save and exit

• Select Yes and depress the Enter key

• Fully shut down (power off), wait a few seconds, and restart your computer

Acer

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Asus

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Samsung

PCs capable of supporting Windows XP Mode have already been enabled and do not require additional configuration.

Panasonic

• Depress the F2 key when boot menu text appears at startup

• Select "Advanced" menu in Setup Utility

• Change "Intel® Virtualization Technology" setting from "Disable" to "Enable"

• Depress F10 to exit Setup Utility

• Select "Yes" in confirmation menu

• Depress Enter to exit confirmation menu.