VT in VMWARE or Parallels

[Jimbode]

Ok new to the forums, and fairly new Mac switcher. Know a lot about Windows and Linux systems and have used VMWare in the past for Linux on Windows.

The problem I'm having is that just recently I've upgraded the processor in my Mac mini to a T7200 so that when Leopard is released, I'll have support for the supposed 64 bit part of the OS.

I've found out that the processor supports VT-x allowing me to install a 64 bit guest OS on a 32 bit host OS.

How can I enable this permenantly? I realise Mac mini's are a bit flaky on this and I've followed all the steps from this link: http://forums.parallels.com/thread3273.html.

Somehow I managed to enable it by fluke and it would work once but once only after a reboot. None of the problems other users have experienced. The sleep and wake up never worked. And now I've somehow managed to stop it working.

Please can someone help with some more recent info that the above link.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Ok new to the forums, and fairly new Mac switcher. Know a lot about Windows and Linux systems and have used VMWare in the past for Linux on Windows.

The problem I'm having is that just recently I've upgraded the processor in my Mac mini to a T7200 so that when Leopard is released, I'll have support for the supposed 64 bit part of the OS.

I've found out that the processor supports VT-x allowing me to install a 64 bit guest OS on a 32 bit host OS.

How can I enable this permenantly? I realise Mac mini's are a bit flaky on this and I've followed all the steps from this link: http://forums.parallels.com/thread3273.html.

Somehow I managed to enable it by fluke and it would work once but once only after a reboot. None of the problems other users have experienced. The sleep and wake up never worked. And now I've somehow managed to stop it working.

Please can someone help with some more recent info that the above link.

No, you can not, under any circumstance, run a 64-bit "guest" OS on a 32-bit "host". That is not what VT-x does. VT-x enables a deeper-down hardware level of virtualization that allows the guest OS virtualized "full" access to the CPU. Before VT-x (and AMD's equivalent,) the virtualization software (Virtual PC, VMWare, etc,) had to do some translation of processor commands for the guest machine. With VT-x, the virtualization software just passes ALL CPU commands straight through. This just makes virtualization run a little faster.

As for running a 64-bit guest OS, Parallels doesn't support it at all. VMWare does, on 64-bit hardware, on a 64-bit host OS. (Meaning Leopard.) Although VMWare's documentation seems to imply what you are explaining, (that VT-x allows 64-bit guests on a 32-bit host,) which is odd, since it is technically incorrect. That's not at all what VT-x does.

 

[Jimbode]

I've done it once with VMWare. I've had Ubuntu64 running as a guest on Tiger. But i can't get VT-x to 'stick'. Damn I wish I'd taken a screen shot.

VT-x enables a deeper-down hardware level of virtualization that allows the guest OS virtualized "full" access to the CPU.

including the EM64T part of the CPU if VT-x is enabled.

I mentioned Parallels because if you run up a VM in Parallels, it will tell you weather it is using VT-x or software mode. Esentially the only way I can tell if VT-x is enabled.

 

[Jimbode]

Ok the solution is here http://www.vmware.com/community/thread.jspa?threadID=79604

Unfortunately i can only run a 64 bit host with one virtual cpu, after firing up parallels to set the lock bit.

Still on the 15 day trial for Parallels and don't really want to purchase it just so I can set a Lock bit.

Here are some screen shots:
Picture 1
Picture 2