Virtualisation with Intel i5-2410m ?

bawldiggle · 16 Nov 2014

Over at "eightforums.com" How to Install Windows 8 and 8.1 on VMware Player -- post #113 ... "ThrashZone" used Microsoft® Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool to determine if his "computer processor" supports Hardware-assisted virtualisation (HAV).

I have no intention of using Win8 in any form.

I have not used any virtualisation (yet) choosing to subscribe to various "virtualisation" threads here at "sevenforums.com" to build on my homework before making the leap.
- I have only just successfully partitioned an external HDD ... a slow learner!
- so virtualisation is some way off for me yet, hopefully only weeks

Q1: Would I use the Microsoft® Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool to evaluate any of my laptops or desktop PCs. ?

Q2:This is my Toshiba laptop processor but I would appreciate some help to interpret the Intel specs

Virtualisation with Intel i5-2410m ?-virtualisation.png

Q3: Would it be more efficient to use the "Intel" site search rather than (what looks cumbersome) Microsoft® Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool if I know the PCs Intel CPU model ID ?
I have several other rigs available, and I am considering (maybe) upgrading an XP machine (rig built 2012) to Win7 and plan for virtualisation on that machine ... maybe !

Thank you :)

ThrashZone · 17 Nov 2014

Hi I thought my ears were burning usually happens when someone posts my name :)
This might be worth reading too
Solved Enable virtualization in bios :/
I believe the learning point for me was VMware works with 32 bit with the options not available in bios to turn it on :/

badcrc · 17 Nov 2014

The MS tool is easy to use - just run it to get a yes/no. No means you can only do 32 bit VMware, yes means you can also do 64 bit VMware. I'm referring to a x64 host here - some claim to have run x64 guest on a x86 host, but I've never tried it.

The Intel page for my i7 2600K shows the same details as your pic, and I thought the 'I/O = No' precluded x64 VM. However, I found a value in the mobo BIOS (as in ThrashZone's link) that enabled x64 VM's. Just remember that the guest needs RAM allocated, so if your host is using say 3GB normally, if you give the guest 4GB the total RAM use is 7GB.

VMware (esp the free Player) is loads of fun - from trying out Windows 10 to firing up Windows 95 just to hear the start-up sound.