Fixing VirtualBox Not Running: Hypervisor Detected on Windows 11 Pro 24H2
If you've just installed Windows 11 Pro 24H2 and are trying to run a virtual machine (VM) using VirtualBox, but the VM runs slowly or doesn't start at all, you may see a message indicating that the hypervisor is already running. This issue occurs because both VirtualBox and Windows 11 Pro 24H2 include hypervisors, and running two hypervisors simultaneously can cause conflicts and performance issues. This article will guide you through the steps required to resolve this issue and successfully run your VMs in VirtualBox on Windows 11 Pro 24H2.
Understanding Hypervisors
A hypervisor, also known as a virtual machine monitor (VMM), is software that enables multiple operating systems to share a single physical computer. Hypervisors can be classified into two types: Type 1, or "bare-metal" hypervisors, which run directly on the host's hardware, and Type 2, or "hosted" hypervisors, which run on top of an existing operating system.
Windows 11 Pro 24H2 includes a Type 1 hypervisor called Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHP), while VirtualBox is a Type 2 hypervisor. When both are enabled simultaneously, it can lead to a "Hypervisor Detected" error in VirtualBox, preventing the VM from starting or causing it to run extremely slowly.
Disabling Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHP)
To resolve the "Hypervisor Detected" error and allow VirtualBox to function correctly, you need to disable WHP in Windows 11 Pro 24H2. You can do this by following these steps:
- Press
Win + Xand selectWindows Terminal (Admin)from the list. - In the Terminal window, copy and paste the following command and press
Enter:dism.exe /Online /Disable-Feature:Microsoft-Hyper-V-All - Wait for the command to complete, and then restart your computer.
Enabling VirtualBox's Hypervisor
After disabling WHP, you can now enable VirtualBox's hypervisor. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the VirtualBox application.
- Click on the
Filemenu, then selectPreferences. - In the Preferences window, click on the
Systemicon, and then select theProcessortab. - Check the box next to
Enable Nested VT-x/AMD-Vand clickOKto save the changes.
Testing the Virtual Machine
After completing the above steps, restart your computer, and try launching your virtual machine again. It should now run without the "Hypervisor Detected" error and with improved performance.
In this article, we've discussed the cause of the "Hypervisor Detected" error when running VMs in VirtualBox on Windows 11 Pro 24H2 and provided a step-by-step guide on how to resolve the issue by disabling Windows Hypervisor Platform (WHP) and enabling VirtualBox's hypervisor. Disabling WHP, as a Type 1 hypervisor, will help to eliminate conflicts with VirtualBox, a Type 2 hypervisor, and allow for a more streamlined virtualization experience.