Virtualisation

VirtualBox

Architecture : AMD Ryzen

Platform issue : Microsoft Windows 10 ( status = solved , solution = reliable )

Summary :

Virtualbox has issues with Microsoft Virtualisation Based Security and/or Hyper-V on Windows 10

A proven solution

This may not be the best solution or overkill, but it works realibly.

Disable Virtualisation Based Security
    gpedit.msc > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > 
    Device Guard > Enable Virtualisation Based Security ( must be set to disabled) )

Disable the boot loader option hypervisorlaunchtype
    run cmd as adminstrator and execute 
    bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off

Remove Anything Hyper-V from Programs and Features by unchecking Hyper-V under Windows features.

Notable Issues

• 64 bit operating system options are not available under settings for any VM, only 32 bit is listed

Notable configuration issue

• Despite ADM SVM enabled in the BIOS there is an error reporting such is not enabled or available

  AMD-V is not available (VERR_SVM_NO_SVM).

  Resultcode: E_FAIL (0x80004005)

  Component: ConsoleWrap

  Interface: IConsole {872da645-4a9b-1727-bee2-5585105b9eed}

Verify the state of you setup

Per usual Microsoft Windows is a mess and it is hard to know for sure what is what. What we need to know is not only if AMD SVM is enabled but also if Microsoft Virtualisation Based Security is disabled. Take note this imposes a real security downgrade.

run msinfo32.cpl and watch for virtualisation based security and see if is being executed.

I found about about VBS (virtualisation based security) by installing the AMD Ryzen Master software the AMD Ryzen homepage which does NOT run with VBS enabled.

At this point, i am quite certain it is VBS which stops VirtualBox from running 64 bit machines. (18/08/2018)

Potential Causes

• Possible interplay with Hyper-V (disable all hyper-v services by setting them to manual or disable)
• Possible interplay with Microsoft Windows Defender or other Anti Virus
• One one forums a bios version is reported to actually disable svm when enabled is selected, sigh
• Unclear real root causes, most likely bugs

Fix Strategies (non of which proven to work, yet )

Virtualbox vs Hyper-V

This page has valuable information

Virtualbox Forums

The FAQ page contains a number of clues which are well thought.

The additional notes copied below are reliable and worth testing

Additional Notes for Windows Hosts ( check and/or correct both, then reboot)

1. To check the status of Hyper-v in Windows 10, | Run | OptionalFeatures.exe, and look for the "Hyper-V" option. The box should be empty, not checked or shaded. If you want to be absolutely sure that Hyper-v is gone then open an administrator command console and type "bcdedit /set hypervisorlaunchtype off". Make sure to fully power down and reboot the host after changing the Hyper-v setting.

2. On some Windows hosts with an EFI BIOS, DeviceGuard or CredentialGuard may be active by default, and interferes with OS level virtualization apps in the same way that Hyper-v does. These features need to be disabled. On Pro versions of Windows you can do this using gpedit.msc (set Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Device Guard > Turn on Virtualization Based Security to Disabled. CredentialGuard should be similar. On non-Pro version of Windows you'll need to Google for the equivalent registry hacks.

a simple attempt at fixing things ( which worked once for now )

Go to programs, select virtualbox and choose to change it, then select repair, then reboot

A simple procedure ( which worked once for now )

Resource: https://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/

1. Download the VirtualBox executable of choice and open a cmd shell on the download location

2. Extract the executable from cmd ( Virtualbox....exe -extract)

3. cd %HOMEPATH%\Local Settings\Temp\VirtualBox

   make sure you are at the right drive where %HOMEPATH% is located

   cd to the appropriate drive letter if you do not see the virtualbox installers (x86 and amd64 files)

You now see a .cab file, a .exe file, a .msi file

Regarding the .msi file various options are possible
use msiexec to execute the .msi file

The installation option will fresh install or offer to repair or remove

msiexec /i VirtualBox-.....-MultiArch_amd64.msi

The option to reinstall also has various options

msiexec /fa VirtualBox-.....-MultiArch_amd64.msi   

will perform a full reinstall, a reboot is suggested

msiexec /fu VirtualBox-.....-MultiArch_amd64.msi

will repair the registry settings, a reboot is suggested

In case you like to investigate

msiexec /?
show all extra options