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StinkyEmptyAfterlife

Member

Registered: 2026-05-29

Posts: 12  

[SOLVED] Using VMs with Devuan as host

Hello, today I am hoping to get some help with running VMs with Devuan 6 as the host machine. The guest machine is likely to vary a lot depending on the task but typically Linux-based. I was able to install Oracle VirtualBox and create a VM with Debian 13 as guest, but when I try running it I get this message:

VM Name: Debian

VT-x is being used by another hypervisor (VERR_VMX_IN_VMX_ROOT_MODE).
VirtualBox can't operate in VMX root mode. Please disable the KVM kernel extension, recompile your kernel and reboot (VERR_VMX_IN_VMX_ROOT_MODE).
Result Code:
NS_ERROR_FAILURE (0x80004005)
Component:
ConsoleWrap
Interface:
IConsole {6ac83d89-6ee7-4e33-8ae6-b257b2e81be8}

How do I disable the KVM kernel extension & recompile? Looking for a permanent solution hopefully. Thanks!

StinkyEmptyAfterlife

Member

Registered: 2026-05-29

Posts: 12  

Re: [SOLVED] Using VMs with Devuan as host

Oh, and since it seems relevant, my PC runs an Intel processor.

JayneCobb

Member

Registered: 2025-08-18

Posts: 8  

Re: [SOLVED] Using VMs with Devuan as host

I had this issue as well with VBOX. I did the following:

sudo modprobe -r kvm_amd kvm kvm_intel

Then add them to the blacklist in /etc/modprobe.d. If you don.t have a blacklist then create one, blacklist.conf.
Add the lines below, then save and reboot.

blacklist kvm_intel
blacklist kvm_amd
blacklist kvm

Cheers!

rolfie

Member

Registered: 2017-11-25

Posts: 1,455  

Re: [SOLVED] Using VMs with Devuan as host

Well, it depends on the kernel you use. No issue with 6.12, starts with 6.13 to I think 6.18 (not 100% sure, I am still on 6.12 and there it still works). Then its fixed again.

StinkyEmptyAfterlife

Member

Registered: 2026-05-29

Posts: 12  

Re: [SOLVED] Using VMs with Devuan as host

Thanks for the help! Worked just fine. I have some bigger fish to fry now since when I tried to install Devuan to my main PC it got pretty messed up

Last edited by StinkyEmptyAfterlife (Yesterday 05:35:35)