Hardware Virtualization is required to use Windows Sandbox or virtual machine software like VMware or VirtualBox. This article shows how you can enable virtualization on Asus PCs (Motherboard or Laptop).
Recently, I upgraded my desktop PC with a new Asus motherboard, AMD processor, and Nvidia GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). For whatever reason, hardware virtualization is disabled on many Asus laptops and motherboards. My case is nothing different. Generally, most users don’t need the virtualization feature. However, if you want to use Windows Sandbox or install the operating system in virtual machine software like VMware or VirtualBox, the virtualization feature should be enabled.
In this how-to article, we’ll guide you through the process of enabling hardware virtualization on your Asus PC. Just follow the steps closely, and you will have it in just a couple of seconds.
Table of contents:
Steps To Enable Virtualization on Asus
You can enable virtualization on your Asus PC in BIOS/UEFI. All you have to do is go to the Advanced BIOS/UEFI settings and turn on the virtualization option. Follow the below steps.
1. Boot into WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment).
You can access UEFI from WinRE. To open WinRE, open the Settings app with the Windows key + I keyboard shortcut, navigate to the Windows Update > Advanced options > Recovery page, and click on the Restart Now button next in the Advanced startup section.
2. Open BIOS/UEFI on your Asus PC.
The above action takes you to the WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) screen. Here, navigate to the Troubleshoot > Advanced options page and click on the UEFI Firmware Settings option.
3. Activate ‘Advanced Mode’ in Asus UEFI.
Hardware Virtualization is an advanced feature that can only be accessed via the advanced UEFI screen. To access it, click on the ‘Advanced Mode’ option at the bottom right corner or press the F7 key on your keyboard.
4. Go to the Advanced tab > CPU Configuration in UEFI.
Once you are in Advanced Mode, click on the Advanced tab. This is where you will find most of the UEFI advanced options.
5. Turn on Virtualization in Asus UEFI.
Depending on your platform. i.e., Intel or AMD, follow the relevant steps given below.
Intel platform users:
In the advanced tab, click on the CPU Configuration option and then select ‘Enabled’ from the SVM Mode dropdown menu.
AMD platform users:
In the advanced tab, click on the CPU Configuration option and then select ‘Enabled’ from the Intel (VMX) Virtualization Technology dropdown menu.
6. Save virtualization settings in Asus UEFI.
After making the required changes, press the F10 key on your keyboard and click the Ok button. This action saves the changes and reboots your computer.
Once the system has been rebooted, hardware virtualization is enabled in your Asus computer. If you want, you can check whether virtualization is enabled using free apps like SecurAble (https://www.grc.com/securable.htm). You can now enable Windows Sandbox or use virtual machine software like VMware or VirtualBox.
What Is Hardware Virtualization?
Simply put, hardware virtualization is a technology that enables a single physical machine to run multiple virtual machines, each with its own operating system and applications. The virtual machines (guests) are completely isolated from the physical machine (host). This can be especially useful for running legacy applications, testing software in different environments, or isolating potentially harmful programs.
For example, if you want to try a Linux distro or install a Windows insider built, rather than installing directly, you can do that in a virtual machine software like VirtualBox. That way, you don’t modify or lose access to your current operating system. i.e., Windows.
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That is all. It is that simple to turn on virtualization on an Asus laptop or motherboard.
I hope this simple and easy how-to guide helped you.
If you are stuck or need help, send an email, and I will try to help as much as possible.
