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I own a mac and I need to test a Windows Server 2016 environment with Docker on it. So I run Windows Server on a virtual machine.

I can successfully install Docker ToolBox on the virtual machine, but when I run the Docker Quickstart Terminal it says:

"This computer doesn't have VT-X/AMD-v enabled. Enabling it in the BIOS is mandatory."

From what I have read here and there this could be related to nested virtualisation not being enabled, but I'm not sure. And if this is the cause how do I enable it ?

I've tried both with VirtualBox and Parallels Desktop, but I have the same error for both. Also the production system will probably run on some other (cloud) virtualisation technology, so I need to really understand the requirements.

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    The requirement is for the VM to support VT-X passthrough - that's it - hopefully your cloud provider allows for this, so do, some don't. Meanwhile have you checked that your CPU supports this, again not all do.
    – Chopper3
    Apr 20, 2017 at 12:37

2 Answers 2

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You need to enable the features on the in the VM settings in your virtualization software. For Parallels, it looks like this would cover it.

http://kb.parallels.com/en/116239

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If you have an Intel core-i* Mac, it is extremely likely that VT is already enabled in the BIOS.

But you must ALSO enable VT support in the Windows virtual machine because the Docker Engine uses Windows Hyper-V (to run a very lightweight VM to run the containers).

For Parallels @Cory Knutson has given a pointer.

I use VMware Fusion 8 on a Core i7 mid-2012 MacBook Pro.

The virtual machine settings for each VM include Processors & Memory -> Advanced which has a check box [ ] Enable hypervisor applications in this virtual machine.

This is not selected by default!

Oracle Virtual Box has a similar setting for each VM.

You will have to check with your cloud provider if VT can be enabled in their VMs.

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  • This made me curious so I enabled VT in a Windows 10 Pro VM running on VMware Fusion 8.5 on macOS Sierra 10.12.4 on my mid 2012 Core i7 MacBook Pro. I had to up the memory for the VM to 4096 MB and lower the memory that Docker wanted to use to 1792 MB but at that point docker started. I tested by running the super-small Alpine Linux image with no problems.
    – lcbrevard
    Apr 30, 2017 at 18:56

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