3 ms·

The cheap one does not have VT support on the CPU which means that virtual machines run much slower than on the CPUs that do have VT where they run at native or

by babul 18y ago

The cheap one does not have VT support on the CPU which means that virtual machines run much slower than on the CPUs that do have VT where they run at native or near native speeds (depending on the VM software you use). This becomes particularly important if you want to run a virtual Windows under heavy load or run many virtual machines.

tptacek 18y ago
Speaking as someone who has actually worked on a hypervisor on VT-x on a 1st-gen MB, I call totally unforeseeable bullshit on you. Sucks to be you! ;) In fact, every Intel Mac runs at least Intel Core, and VT-x very slightly predates Core (you can get P4 parts that have it). It is in fact slightly easier to run a hypervisor on the original Core, and thus the first-gen Macbook, because the Core 2 Duo runs userland in 64 bit mode and the kernel in emulated 32 bit mode, and that's a gross oversimplification made as a small mercy. In any case, every Macbook sold today --- even the cheapest one --- runs at least Core 2 Duo, which includes not only VT-x but also the advanced I/O stuff Intel did to make TLB flushes not kill performance. Long story short: you can't buy a Macbook that doesn't do just fine with Parallels or VMWare Fusion.
- babul 18y ago
  If you are buying a new macbook today, you are right, it does not matter, they will all be fine. I was thinking about a 13" white macbook my colleague used to use which I thought had a processor that did not have VT support (as not all Intels do http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/coreduo.htm http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/coreduo...) as there was an issue about it. But, frankly, it sounds like you are probably right and I have made a mistake or am confused (I won't be 100% sure until I can ask him on Monday, and Google is not doing much to help me other than to show how fast HN is being cached - http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=does+the+first+gen+macbook+have+intel+VT&spell=1 http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&#... returns this page as the top result minutes after these comments!). So, good call :)
  - tptacek 18y ago
    I'm pretty sure I'm right: I had to hunt for an original white Macbook in 2007 because the Core 2 in the new Macbooks broke Dino's Vitriol VT-x rootkit code.

by babul 18y ago

tptacek 18y ago

Speaking as someone who has actually worked on a hypervisor on VT-x on a 1st-gen MB, I call totally unforeseeable bullshit on you. Sucks to be you! ;) In fact, every Intel Mac runs at least Intel Core, and VT-x very slightly predates Core (you can get P4 parts that have it). It is in fact slightly easier to run a hypervisor on the original Core, and thus the first-gen Macbook, because the Core 2 Duo runs userland in 64 bit mode and the kernel in emulated 32 bit mode, and that's a gross oversimplification made as a small mercy. In any case, every Macbook sold today --- even the cheapest one --- runs at least Core 2 Duo, which includes not only VT-x but also the advanced I/O stuff Intel did to make TLB flushes not kill performance. Long story short: you can't buy a Macbook that doesn't do just fine with Parallels or VMWare Fusion.

babul 18y ago
If you are buying a new macbook today, you are right, it does not matter, they will all be fine. I was thinking about a 13" white macbook my colleague used to use which I thought had a processor that did not have VT support (as not all Intels do http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/coreduo.htm http://www.intel.com/products/processor_number/chart/coreduo...) as there was an issue about it. But, frankly, it sounds like you are probably right and I have made a mistake or am confused (I won't be 100% sure until I can ask him on Monday, and Google is not doing much to help me other than to show how fast HN is being cached - http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=does+the+first+gen+macbook+have+intel+VT&spell=1 http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&#... returns this page as the top result minutes after these comments!). So, good call :)
- tptacek 18y ago
  I'm pretty sure I'm right: I had to hunt for an original white Macbook in 2007 because the Core 2 in the new Macbooks broke Dino's Vitriol VT-x rootkit code.