[Bug]: Virtualbox 7.2.10, Kernel 7.1, Guests don't start

[TNZfr]

Version

7.2.10

Host OS Type

Linux

Host OS name + version

KDE Neon / Ubuntu 22.04 / Linux 7.1.0

Host Architecture

x86

Guest OS Type

all

Guest Architecture

x86

Guest OS name + version

No response

Component

Host Support

What happened?

Guests don't start with error :

VMSetError: /home/vbox/tinderbox/build-VBox-7.2/svn/src/VBox/VMM/VMMR3/VMR3.cpp(341) int VMR3Create(uint32_t, PCVMM2USERMETHODS, uint64_t, PFNVMATERROR, void*, PFNCFGMCONSTRUCTOR, void*, VM**, UVM**); rc=VERR_SVM_HOST_SVME_NOT_ENABLED

VMSetError: Host API has not enabled SVME bit in EFER MSR.

Power up failed (vrc=VERR_SVM_HOST_SVME_NOT_ENABLED, hrc=NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0X80004005))

VBox.log

How can we reproduce this?

Just try to start guest with VB 7.2.10 and Linux kernel 7.1.0

Did you upload all of your necessary log files, screenshots, etc.?

• Yes, I've uploaded all pertinent files to this issue.

[TNZfr]

In order to start guests, I had to reverse to VB 7.2.8 and Linux 7.0.12.
I can't access to BIOS parameters, so BIOS parameters are unchanged between VB 7.2.10 & 7.2.8

[pgnd]

same with VB 7.2.10 on Fedora 44
https://forums.virtualbox.org/viewtopic.php?p=558420#p558420

[mamueHH]

Same with VB 7.2.10 and kernel 6.17.0-121035-tuxedo
Problem vanished after downgrading to VB 7.2.8

[pgnd]

cc: @klaus-vb

[galitsyn-oracle]

Let's track the issue in one ticket.

[TNZfr]

I removed kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0 in the Grub CMDLINE and guests start.

[mamueHH]

Let's track the issue in one ticket.

It's not obvious why "host freezes" and "guests do not start" are the same issue.

[jarmbrister]

Immediately following update to v7.2.10 every attempt to start a guest VM resulted in host kernel panic. Reverted to v7.2.8 and all VMs resumed working as expected. Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS.

[Jarnhamar]

thanks to TNZfr, removing kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0 in Grub also worked for me. Used Commands: sudo grubby --update-kernel=ALL --remove-args="kvm.enable_virt_at_load=0" --> sudo grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg