Hardware and Firmware Requirements for 64-Bit Guest Operating Systems

Details

This article addresses wanting to install virtual machines with 64-bit guest operating systems, including the hardware and firmware requirements for the host machine.

This article can also be used when you experience the following error in VMware Converter during the conversion wizard, even if the destination appears to be 64-bit capable:

Cannot import 64-bit sources to 32-bit

Solution

VMware's virtual machine monitor has traditionally used segmentation to provide isolation between the guest operating system and the virtual machine monitor. This is necessary because the guest operating system and virtual machine monitor share the linear address space.

AMD

Segmentation support not present in the initial AMD64 processors (Revision C and earlier) while running in long mode. As a result, AMD64 processors prior to revision D do not have an efficient mechanism for isolating the virtual machine monitor from 64-bit guest operating systems.

A limited form of segmentation was reintroduced in long mode, in revision D AMD64 processors. As a result, AMD64 processors must be revision D or later to run 64-bit guest operating systems.

Note: Because AMD Opteron and Turion processors do not ship in revision D, AMD Opteron and Turion 64 processors must be revision E or later to run 64-bit guest operating systems.

Note: 64-bit guests are not supported for ESX versions 2.5.x and earlier.

For AMD Opteron-based systems, the processors must be Opteron Rev E and later.

To ensure your processors support AMD64, please reference the following link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_microprocessors

Intel

Intel CPUs require EM64T and VT support in the chip and in the BIOS.

Intel EM64T CPUs do not have segmentation support in long mode. If the Intel EM64T CPU is VT-capable, it comes with hardware virtualization support (Intel's Virtualization Technology). This hardware virtualization support allows Workstation and VMware Server to work around the lack of segmentation, making it possible to run 64-bit guest operating systems on Intel EM64T VT-capable CPUs.

Notes:

(1) Firmware/BIOS support is required to enable Intel Virtualization Technology. Some systems (particularly laptops) do not have the necessary firmware/BIOS support to enable Intel Virtualization Technology, and cannot run 64-bit guest operating systems.

(2) In multi-processor systems, all processors must support compatible VT implementations. At a minimum, all processors must implement the same VMCS revision ID. In multi-processor systems with mixed processor steppings, 64-bit guest operating systems may not be supported.

Note: 64-bit guests are not supported for ESX versions 2.5.x and earlier.

Many servers that include CPUs with VT support might ship with VT disabled by default, and VT must be enabled manually. If your CPUs support VT but you do not see this option in the BIOS, contact your vendor to request a BIOS version that lets you enable VT support.

To ensure your processors support VT, see http://compare.intel.com/pcc/default.aspx?familyid=5&culture=en-US .

VT should be listed under 'Other Intel Technologies' if it is a feature of the CPU.

32-Bit CPUs

VMware Workstation and VMware Server require a 64-bit CPU to run a 64-bit guest operating system. While it is theoretically possible to emulate a 64-bit instruction set on 32-bit hardware, doing so results in unacceptable performance degradation.

VMware distributes a free utility that can be used to determine whether or not your CPU is suitable for running 64-bit guest operating systems. You can download the Processor Check for 64-Bit Compatibility utility from the VMware Web site, at http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/drivers_tools.html .

Tip: This tool is already included in the VMware Server installation package.

Workstation 5.5 and higher and VMware Server (all versions) support virtual machines with 64-bit guest operating systems only on host computers that have one of the supported 64-bit processors:

AMD Athlon 64, revision D or later
AMD Opteron, revision E or later
AMD Turion 64, revision E or later
AMD Sempron, 64-bit-capable revision D or later (experimental support)
Intel EM64T VT-enabled processors (experimental support)

Note: In shopping for a processor that is compatible with Workstation or Server 64-bit guests, you may be unable to determine the revision numbers of a given vendor's offering of AMD Athlon 64, Opteron, Turion 64, or Sempron processors. At this time, the only reliable way to determine whether or not any of these processors is a revision supported by VMware software is by noting the manufacturing technology (CMOS). Any of the AMD Athlon 64, Opteron, Turion 64, or Sempron processors whose manufacturing technology is 90nm SOI (.09 micron SOI) is compatible with Workstation or VMware Server 64-bit guests. Using this information, you should be able to determine — with the help of your vendor, or from the AMD Web site ( http://www.amd.com ) — whether a particular Athlon 64 or Opteron processor model is compatible with Workstation or Server 64-bit guests.

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KB Article: 1901
Updated: Jan 14, 2009

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Product Versions:
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VMware Server 1.0.x (Linux Hosts)
VMware Workstation 6.5.x (Linux Hosts)
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VMware ESX 3.5.x
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VMware Workstation 6.0.x (Windows Hosts)
VMware Server 1.0.x (Windows Hosts)
VMware ACE 2.0.x
VMware Server 2.0 (Windows Hosts)
VMware Workstation 5.5.x (Linux hosts)
VMware Workstation 6.5.x (Windows Hosts)
VMware Converter 3.0.x

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