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How To Enable VT-x in BIOS to Fix « Not in a Hypervisor Partition » Error in VirtualBox

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🕑 4 minutes de lecture

How to Fix ‘VT-x is disabled in the BIOS’ and Related Errors in Windows 10/11

Getting errors like « Not in a hypervisor partition » or « VT-x is disabled in the BIOS » when trying to set up VirtualBox on Windows 10/11 is kind of annoying. Mostly, it happens after a fresh install of VirtualBox, and suddenly, the VM refuses to start. The root cause? Hardware virtualization support isn’t enabled in your BIOS or UEFI settings. Sometimes, Windows might have Hyper-V turned on, which can also block VirtualBox from using virtualization features properly. These errors happen across different setups, whether you’re running Intel or AMD CPUs, and fixing them involves a couple of steps—either toggling settings in BIOS or turning off Hyper-V in Windows. Fixing these errors means enabling virtualization in your BIOS, or if that doesn’t work, disabling Hyper-V in Windows. Both methods are straightforward once you know where to look. After applying these fixes, you should be able to create and run virtual machines without hassle. Now, let’s get into how to do it step-by-step.

How to FIX: ‘VT-x is disabled in the BIOS for all CPU modes’ in Windows 10/11

Method 1. Enable Virtualization in BIOS

This method makes sense if your system’s BIOS isn’t set to support hardware virtualization. The errors come up because virtualization extensions like VT-x (Intel) or AMD-V (AMD) aren’t enabled. Enabling this support usually is enough to fix the problem—on most machines, it just takes a few minutes. When you disable it, the hypervisor like VirtualBox can’t access virtualization extensions, so that’s when errors pop up. Enabling it helps Hyper-V, VirtualBox, VMware, and other hypervisors work smoothly.

Step-1: Enter in BIOS/UEFI Setup

Here’s how to get into BIOS or UEFI. The trick is, it’s different depending on your machine. On Windows 10/11:

  • A. Enter in BIOS from Windows 10/11

    • Press and hold Shift, then click Start > Power > Restart
    • After the restart, pick Troubleshoot > Advanced options > UEFI Firmware Settings
  • B. Enter in BIOS using a key (like F2, F12, DEL)

    • Shutdown your PC, then power it on and repeatedly press the key that enters BIOS. Usually, F2, F12, F10, DEL—depends on your manufacturer.
    • Pro tip: if you’re unsure, check your manufacturer’s support page for exact keys.

If your computer prompts you to press a key, do so quickly before it boots into Windows. Sometimes it’s a bit tricky, but keep trying. Once inside BIOS/UEFI,

Step-2: Enable Virtualization in BIOS/UEFI

  • AMD CPUs: Go to M. I.T or Advanced Frequency Settings, then look for SVM Mode (sometimes called « Secure Virtual Machine ») and set it to Enable. This allows your AMD processor to run virtualizations.
  • Intel CPUs: Navigate to the Advanced tab (or sometimes called CPU Configuration) and set Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) & VT-d to Enabled. If you don’t see it, look for a similar setting under features like Security or System Configuration.

Remember to save and exit BIOS. Usually, it’s F10 or selecting Save and Exit. Once you’re back in Windows, try running your VM again. If it still fails, move to the next method.

Method 2. Disable Hyper-V in Windows Features

This one trips up a lot of folks, especially since Windows’ Hyper-V is turned on by default in some editions. Hyper-V acts like a built-in hypervisor, but VirtualBox can’t natively run alongside it unless Hyper-V is turned off. Disabling Hyper-V is pretty easy, just a couple of clicks. The reason it helps is because Hyper-V reserves virtualization extensions for its own use, so VirtualBox or VMware can’t access VT-x/AMD-V anymore.

Step-1: Open Windows Features

  • Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
  • Type optionalfeatures and hit Enter.

Step-2: Turn off Hyper-V

  • In the Windows Features window, find Hyper-V.
  • Uncheck the box next to it, then click OK.

Be aware: on some setups, Hyper-V might be grayed out or not visible. If so, you can disable Hyper-V through PowerShell or Command Prompt:

Disabling Hyper-V via PowerShell: DISM /Online /Disable-Feature:Microsoft-Hyper-V-All

Or using Command Prompt as administrator:

sc config vmms start= disabled sc stop vmms

After turning Hyper-V off, restart your PC. Now, try creating your VM again. That usually does the trick — on some setups, Hyper-V’s let-hypervisors run interference.

Wrap-up

Getting virtualization enabled or disabling Hyper-V tends to fix these pesky errors. In my experience, the BIOS setting tweak is the most reliable, but sometimes Windows just keeps Hyper-V active, so the second method is helpful. It’s kinda weird how Windows can block VirtualBox without you realizing, especially after a Windows update or clean install. But both fixes are straightforward once you know where to look. Hopefully this shaves off a few hours of head-scratching for someone. If the errors persist after trying these, it might be worth checking if your CPU actually supports hardware virtualization or if some other security setting is blocking it. Good luck!

Summary

  • Enable virtualization in BIOS/UEFI settings.
  • Disable Hyper-V in Windows features.
  • Restart after making changes and retry creating your VM.

Final thoughts

Sometimes, fixing virtualization issues is just about checking the BIOS or turning off Hyper-V. Not everything is straightforward, but once you get it enabled or disabled, VirtualBox (or other hypervisors) should run fine. Fingers crossed this helps someone avoid hours of frustration. Good luck!