Nested virtualization
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I was trying to install Docker on Windows, but when I got to the point where I needed to enable virtualisation, I couldn’t do it. Does anyone know why? Here’s what happened:
And I can't turn it on -
Assuming you enabled nested virtualization on the xcp-ng host you also need to enabled in the vms bios settings for windows.
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@User-cxs Is there an error message when clicking on / hovering over the yellow warning symbol next to "Nested virtualization" on your Xen Orchestra screenshot?
You need that feature for Docker desktop virtualization to work in your VM.
Also: do you have PV drivers / guest utilities installed on your VM?
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I'm getting back to you. I've enabled ‘Nested virtualisation’, and I've also run the following command in PowerShell within the VM: "dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:Microsoft-Hyper-V-All /all /norestart
dism.exe /online /enable-feature /featurename:VirtualMachinePlatform /all /norestart" in a PowerShell session within the VM, but it still isn’t working. Is this normal? Is Docker not working on Windows under XCP-NG? -
@User-cxs PV drivers / Xen Tools installed? Was the system rebooted cleanly after enabling nested virtualization/Hyper-V?
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@MajorP93 I’ve tested everything and restarted the system properly (nested virtualisation enabled, Xen Tools installed, Hyper-V features enabled, full restart), but Docker Desktop still isn’t working.
Systeminfo displays:
‘A hypervisor has been detected’Hyper-V cannot therefore function fully within the virtual machine. It appears that nested virtualisation on XCP-ng (Xen) does not offer full support for Hyper-V, which prevents Docker Desktop from working.
I therefore believe this is a limitation of Xen/XCP-ng, and not a configuration issue.
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@User-cxs I have one last idea:
- shutdown your VM
- disable nested virtualization for your VM via Xen Orchestra
- SSH login on your XCP-ng host (pool master)
- execute "xe vm-param-set uuid=<UUID> platform:exp-nested-hvm=true" (UUID should be the UUID of your VM)
- start your VM and try again
By following these steps you will use Xen parameter "exp-nested-hvm" instead of "nested-virt" on your VM. This may or may not make a difference.
If that does not change anything I am out of ideas.
Best regards -
@MajorP93 I followed your steps exactly:
- Shutdown the VM
- Disabled nested virtualization in Xen Orchestra
- Enabled it again using CLI with:
xe vm-param-set uuid=<UUID> platform:exp-nested-hvm=true - Started the VM again
However, Docker Desktop still shows:
"Virtualization support not detected"At this point, it seems more like a limitation of nested virtualization with Xen/XCP-ng rather than a configuration issue.
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@olivierlambert Can you provide insights? Is nested virtualization as in running Hyper-V inside a XCP-ng VM expected to work?
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