Virtualization Technology Enable on CoreDuo Laptop? (SZ2XP/C)

[nbody]

I recently tried to use VMware Workstation on my new Vaio Laptop to install 64-bit Redhat Enterprise 4. VMware complains that the CPU supports VT technology but that it is not enabled. Usually one would expect to be able to enable VT from the BIOS, but there is no such provision on this laptop. Any comments from the VAIO gurus on how one can enable VT on the sony laptops? Do I need a new BIOS?

[kee-lo_]

Hi

The BIOS is locked - as you've found out. Sony engineers think that VT is not needed so they switch it off. The only way to get around that would to have an engineer's password for the BIOS, which I doubt you'll get from them

[philfree]

If you have the ROM file of your BIOS (an updated BIOS is available on Vaio-link). You could then use Phoenix BIOS Editor (available from the web)), unveil hidden BIOS option and flash your BIOS with the modified ROM. Of course, this is VERY, VERY risky, do it only if you know what you're doing, your laptop may get bricked.

Edit: I downloaded the bios file for SZ2 on Vaio-Link and ran it though Phoenix Bios Editor, (Unfortunately I only have V1 which is not fully compatible with newer Bioses but can confirm that VT Technology is disabled by default in the BIOS see: http://philch.free.fr/files/sz2bios.jpg ). Again if you want to go this way be EXTREMELY careful and find the newer version of PBE (I did not...).

[nbody]

Thanks for the information. I hope to have some time now in the new year to look into this again. I am also a little nervous about BIOS related issues and may wait a bit to see if SONY might include the VT switch in a future BIOS update. Anyway, I'll keep you posted. For now I have made the machine a dual boot with Fedora and this seems to work quite well. One weirdness is that occasionally the X screen comes up in reverse video and rebooting fixes this (usually the first time), so I guess the video driver under linux still needs a bit of work.