Check Whether Your PC Can Run a Virtual Machine

**systeminfo** ends with a Hyper-V block that lists VT-x support, the firmware setting, second-level translation and data execution prevention. Each line has to say Yes.

systeminfo | Select-String -Pattern 'Hyper-V', 'Virtualization Enabled In Firmware', 'Second Level Address Translation', 'Data Execution Prevention'
Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name,NumberOfCores,VirtualizationFirmwareEnabled,SecondLevelAddressTranslationExtensions,VMMonitorModeExtensions

**HyperVisorPresent** is true when any virtualization-based feature holds the CPU extensions. That is fine for Hyper-V, and a blocker for a competing product.

Get-ComputerInfo -Property HyperVisorPresent,HyperVRequirementVirtualizationFirmwareEnabled,HyperVRequirementSecondLevelAddressTranslation,HyperVRequirementVMMonitorModeExtensions
Get-CimInstance Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object HypervisorPresent,Manufacturer,Model
bcdedit /enum {current} | Select-String -Pattern 'hypervisorlaunchtype'

Hyper-V itself exists only on Pro, Enterprise and Education. The management tools install on Home, the hypervisor does not.

DISM /online /Get-CurrentEdition
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-All | Select-Object FeatureName,State
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online | Where-Object FeatureName -match 'Hyper-V|VirtualMachinePlatform' | Select-Object FeatureName,State

Memory integrity, a running sandbox or an emulator can hold the platform while Hyper-V is off. Disabling them is not always necessary, but it is worth knowing which one is active.

Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_DeviceGuard -Namespace root\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceGuard -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object VirtualizationBasedSecurityStatus,SecurityServicesRunning
Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Containers-DisposableClientVM | Select-Object FeatureName,State
Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'vmware|virtualbox|qemu|vmcompute' } | Select-Object Name,Id

A machine that passes the checks can still fail at start. Enabling the feature and creating one small VM is the only proof, and it is reversible.

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V-All -All -NoRestart
Restart-Computer
Get-VMHost | Select-Object Name,VirtualMachinePath,LogicalProcessorCount,MemoryCapacity
New-VM -Name 'Probe' -MemoryStartupBytes 2GB -NoVHD -Generation 2 | Select-Object Name,State

A short note with the CPU, the firmware state and the result saves the next person from repeating all four checks.

Get-CimInstance Win32_Processor | Select-Object Name,VirtualizationFirmwareEnabled | ConvertTo-Json
Get-ComputerInfo -Property HyperVisorPresent | ConvertTo-Json
Get-VMHost -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name,LogicalProcessorCount,MemoryCapacity | ConvertTo-Json
Get-VM | Select-Object Name,State