How to Disable or Enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

For Windows 11, to turn on or off Virtualization Based Security (VBS), you need to go to the system’s BIOS or UEFI firmware settings and turn on or off hardware virtualization support. VBS creates a separate memory area by using hardware virtualization to separate it from the main OS environment. In this article we talk about how to disable or enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10.

This safe virtual mode hosts different security solutions, making the platform more resistant to advanced threats. Users usually go into the BIOS/UEFI interface when the system starts up, find the CPU or Virtualization settings, and turn on the Virtualization Technology (VT-x) or a similar option. To turn off VBS, users must do the opposite, which turns off the virtualization support.

Once it is set up, VBS makes the system safer by isolating important processes and private data. This makes it harder for sophisticated attacks to target kernel-level flaws or try to change memory. Implementing it is a proactive way to protect Windows 11 environments from new cybersecurity threats. For more information go to their official website.

How to disable or enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

How do I turn on virtualization in the Windows BIOS?

1. Enter BIOS after rebooting Windows 11/10. Click the Advanced Tab and enter to continue.
2. Select Virtualization and enable.
3. Restart the computer after saving the changes.
4. Verify HAV support on your Windows PC.
5. If your computer doesn’t have a BIOS option before OS loading, it may use UEFI. UEFI-based computers rarely have a button press prompt before OS loading. The OS will provide these settings.
6. Hold down the Shift key while clicking Restart in Windows to reboot directly to that menu. Click the Troubleshoot tile, select Advanced Options, and select UEFI Firmware Settings. After clicking Restart, your computer will boot into UEFI firmware settings.

Disable or Enable Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

Acer

1. Set the system to “ON.”
2. When BIOS Setup starts up, press the F2 key.
3. To get to the System Configuration tab, press the right arrow key. Then, press the Enter key and choose Virtualization Technology.
4. To turn it on, press the Enter key.
5. To save your changes and start Windows again, press the F10 key and choose “Yes.” Then press the Enter key.

DELL

1. Set the system to “ON.”
2. When BIOS Setup starts up, press the F2 key.
3. To get to the Advanced tab, press the right arrow key. Then, press the Enter key and choose Virtualization.
4. To turn it on, press the Enter key.
5. To save your changes and start Windows again, press the F10 key and choose “Yes.” Then press the Enter key.

HP

1. Set the system to work.
2. Press the Esc key over and over at startup.
3. To set up the BIOS, press the F10 key.
4. To get to the System Configuration tab, press the right arrow key.
5. Then, press the Enter key and choose Virtualization Technology.
6. To turn it on, press the Enter key.
7. To save your changes and restart, press the F10 key, choose “Yes,” and then press “Enter.”

Importance of Hardware Virtualization in Windows 11/10

Better compatibility with software:

• Allows you to run different operating systems (like Linux and Android) alongside Windows, which gives you access to more software and apps.

• This is helpful for developers, testers, or people who need software that isn’t available on Windows.

Better security:

• Virtualization technologies, such as Hyper-V, separate guest operating systems into separate environments, or virtual machines. This keeps any malware or security threats inside these environments.
• This keeps your main Windows system safe from harmful software or damage that happens by accident in the virtual machine.

Better management of resources:

• Allows the efficient sharing of system resources (CPU, memory, and storage) among multiple virtual machines, making the best use of hardware.
• Perfect for testing software or running applications that use a lot of resources without slowing down your main system.

Hardware Virtualization and Performance Enhancement

How to Understand Windows Virtualization:

• Hyper-V: Hyper-V is a built-in hypervisor in Windows that lets you create and manage virtual machines. This feature separates resources and lets you run virtual machines alongside Windows by using hardware virtualization extensions that are already built into your CPU.
• Memory Integrity is a security feature that uses hardware virtualization to separate kernel memory from other memory, making it impossible for attackers to add malicious code. This makes things safer, but it might slow things down a bit because it uses more memory.
• DirectStorage is a new feature in Windows 11 that speeds up resource streaming and game loading by using the GPU. This isn’t the same as traditional virtualization, but it does make access to storage better in some situations.

Effects on performance:

• If you turn on Memory Integrity, you might notice a small drop in performance, mostly when doing tasks that use a lot of resources. Most of the time, the security benefits are greater than the performance costs.
• When you use Hyper-V for virtual machines, system resources like CPU, RAM, and storage are used up. How it affects performance depends on how busy the virtual machine is and how many resources are on your system.
• DirectStorage: This feature speeds up the loading of games and the streaming of assets on hardware that is compatible, which makes it seem like supported games run faster.

FAQs