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- Virtualization option greyed out / disabled in BIOS - HP Eli...

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07-09-2023 04:06 AM - edited 07-09-2023 04:27 AM
I'm using Oracle Virtualbox on my HP desktop to set up a virtual machine. The VM won't start because it needs virtualization turning on in my PC's BIOS (a reconditioned HP Compact Elite 8300 slimline desktop, running Windows 10).
The Virtualization Technology (VTx) option is both disabled and greyed out in the BIOS (I'm getting to this via the Security options - Security >> System Security). In fact, almost all of the other settings under security are also greyed out.
I've tried a few things so far which don't enable the options:
1. Reset BIOS to default settings
2. CMOS reset (following procedure of pulling the power cable out, pressing power switch to drain residual charge, holding CMOS reset button, removing CMOS battery for a while, etc.). The CMOS resets but the options remain greyed out.
3. Installed HP Protect Tools to see if someone has disabled the options - unfortunately this won't run under Windows 10. Doesn't work in compatibility mode either as far as I can see.
4. Installed HP Performance Advisor and tried changing the settings from there. I can see the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option but when I change it, it just reverts back to disabled. It seems I cannot change any settings that are greyed out using the Performance Advisor.
5. Installed HP Client Security Manager (which I believe is the replacement for HP Protect Tools). This doesn't seem to have any ability to alter the BIOS settings at all.
6. Downloaded HP Bios Configuration Utility and tried changing settings through this (using the biosconfigutility64 /setconfig: command. This doesn't change the greyed out settings. I am able to change anything not greyed out using this tool though.
7. I downloaded a BIOS update for the PC and updated the version to K01 v02.98, but the options remain greyed out.
I am kind of stumped as what to do next. So far I've not been able to enable the greyed out options at all.
My next thought was to perhaps install an older version of Windows on a partition to see if I could get the HP Protect Tools maybe running on that instead. Seems very long winded though!
Any suggestions for further things to try?
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07-09-2023 04:20 AM - edited 07-09-2023 04:25 AM
OK, I managed to resolve my own problem. Solution below for posterity and hopefully to save people some time!
I still can't 'ungrey' the greyed out options, and I have no idea why they remain greyed out. But I was able to change the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option, although it remains greyed out in the BIOS. It seems that the BIOS must be password protected for the HP Bios Configuration Utility to be able to change it. So:
1. I set a password in the BIOS - the password wouldn't save at first until I figured out that the previous owner of the PC had removed the BIOS password jumper. Once I found and put the jumper back into position, I was able to then save the password
2. Using the HPQPswd64 program in that comes with the HP BIOS Configuration Utility, I set up an encrypted password file (pass.bin). Note: make sure you save the password file to somewhere like C:\temp, and not in program files - it took me a while to figure out that if you save the file to a protected Windows directory, it doesn't work; but there's no feedback to say it failed.
3. Open a command prompt and output the current BIOS settings using the command:
biosconfigutility64 /getconfig:C:\temp\config.txt
4. Edit the config.txt file to change the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option to *Enable
5. At the command prompt, run setconfig and include your encrypted password file:
biosconfigutility64 /setconfig:C:\temp\config.txt /CurSetupPasswordFile:C:\temp\pass.bin
This enabled the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option (you can verify this by either checking the BIOS, or running
biosconfigutility64 /getconfig:C:\temp\config.txt
again and checking the config.txt file to verify that the setting has updated.
Like I say, the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option still remains greyed out in the BIOS, but at least I'm able to change it now! Would be useful to know why I still have greyed out options, but as long as I can edit them using the BIOS Configuration Utility, it's fine I suppose.
07-09-2023 04:20 AM - edited 07-09-2023 04:25 AM
OK, I managed to resolve my own problem. Solution below for posterity and hopefully to save people some time!
I still can't 'ungrey' the greyed out options, and I have no idea why they remain greyed out. But I was able to change the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option, although it remains greyed out in the BIOS. It seems that the BIOS must be password protected for the HP Bios Configuration Utility to be able to change it. So:
1. I set a password in the BIOS - the password wouldn't save at first until I figured out that the previous owner of the PC had removed the BIOS password jumper. Once I found and put the jumper back into position, I was able to then save the password
2. Using the HPQPswd64 program in that comes with the HP BIOS Configuration Utility, I set up an encrypted password file (pass.bin). Note: make sure you save the password file to somewhere like C:\temp, and not in program files - it took me a while to figure out that if you save the file to a protected Windows directory, it doesn't work; but there's no feedback to say it failed.
3. Open a command prompt and output the current BIOS settings using the command:
biosconfigutility64 /getconfig:C:\temp\config.txt
4. Edit the config.txt file to change the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option to *Enable
5. At the command prompt, run setconfig and include your encrypted password file:
biosconfigutility64 /setconfig:C:\temp\config.txt /CurSetupPasswordFile:C:\temp\pass.bin
This enabled the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option (you can verify this by either checking the BIOS, or running
biosconfigutility64 /getconfig:C:\temp\config.txt
again and checking the config.txt file to verify that the setting has updated.
Like I say, the Virtualization Technology (VTx) option still remains greyed out in the BIOS, but at least I'm able to change it now! Would be useful to know why I still have greyed out options, but as long as I can edit them using the BIOS Configuration Utility, it's fine I suppose.