Is Virtualbox incompatible with Hyper-V in Windows 10?

Question

This question is not related to How to select paravirtualization interface in virtual box

In Virtualbox 5.1.x I saw various paravirtualization options in the "Acceleration" tab of my VM settings.

I remembered Windows 10 did not install Hyper-V, so I went to "Add remove program features" (or similar) in the Control Panel and I checked the box for Hyper-V.

After two reboots I went into VBox and the Acceleration tab is completely disabled.

Is it an expected behavior? would Hyper-V work also without the Hyper-V components from Microsoft?

Solution

VirtualBox 5.x cannot run if you are using HyperV virtual machines. Basically, both systems try to get exclusive access to the virtualization capabilities in the CPUs (e.g., the Intel VT-x extensions). HyperV, that runs below the Windows Operating System, gets the access first and impedes VirtualBox uses that capabilities.

You may check more information:

• Why VirtualBox or VMware can not run with Hyper-V enabled Windows 10
• Switch easily from VirtualBox to Hyper-V

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UPDATE (10/03/2019): VirtualBox 6.0 has an experimental feature to work when Hyper-V is running. Basically, VirtualBox detects Hyper-V and executes the virtual machines using the Hyper-V capabilities.

• I had mixed experiences using VirtualBox 6.0 on Hyper-V: I had two computers where the VirtualBox works without problems, but another machine where the virtual machines froze after boot.

Comments

[daniel.heydebreck]

The question is quite old and probably you don't need this comment anymore -- but maybe someone else. Your description that the "Acceleration tab is completely disabled" sounds as when the virtual machine is currently running. Is this situation you cannot modify any settings.

[phuclv]

Why does virtualbox only have 32-bit option, no 64-bit option on Windows 7?

[danidemi]

Hi @jaime, the same happens to me, my vbox machines start but they freeze after a handful of second running.

[Jose Manuel Gomez Alvarez]

I tried the "Switch easily..." and got BSOD "system thread exception not handled" and now I can only boot up Windows with Intel Virtualization off :/