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[Bug]: vboxdrv triggers kvm_amd probe on Intel systems #629
Description
Version
7.2.6
Host OS Type
Linux
Host OS name + version
Arch linux 6.19.6-arch1-1
Host Architecture
x86
Guest OS Type
Linux
Guest Architecture
x86
Guest OS name + version
No response
Component
Other
What happened?
On an Intel-based system, the kvm_amd kernel module is being probed during boot, resulting in the message:
kvm_amd: CPU 1 isn't AMD or Hygon
This occurs even though:
The system uses an Intel CPU
kvm_intel loads correctly
No AMD-related virtualization should be involved
The message appears immediately before vboxdrv initialization and VirtualBox reports finding KVM symbols:
kvm_amd: CPU 1 isn't AMD or Hygon
vboxdrv: module uses symbol (...) from namespace module:kvm,kvm-amd,kvm-intel
vboxdrv: Found KVM hardware-virtualization symbols
- This behavior was initially reported upstream to the Linux kernel, where it was suggested that the trigger likely comes from VirtualBox (vboxdrv) interacting with KVM symbols.
- The issue is harmless but creates confusing and unnecessary log noise.
- Blacklisting kvm_amd prevents the message, suggesting it is not required for VirtualBox operation on Intel systems.
How can we reproduce this?
1- Install VirtualBox on an Intel-based Linux system
2- Ensure KVM is available (kvm_intel loads normally)
3- Reboot the system
4- Observe dmesg output during early boot
Did you upload all of your necessary log files, screenshots, etc.?
- Yes, I've uploaded all pertinent files to this issue.
Activity
cybersnow02 commentedon Apr 16, 2026
I also seen this in my VBox.log when looking at something else. Maybe it is trying to distinguish if this is an AMD or Intel CPU about CPU capabilities. Then, it throws this error but it might actually not preventing VBox to work as usual. Maybe just avoid reporting this error in the code?
Doaxan commentedon Apr 29, 2026
Same here
29.04.2026 17:13 kvm_amd CPU 8 isn't AMD or Hygontachi commentedon May 29, 2026
I've the same and the supposedly errors seems to have no effect on VirtualBox.
Similar with another issue #640
RSpliet commentedon Jun 5, 2026
I have the same issue but backwards on Fedora 44 (and 43). From my current kernel 7.0.10 on an AMD system when modprobing vboxdrv:
The inability to load vboxdrv prevents me from starting a VM. I seem to be able to work around this issue by unxz'ing the module, and then running depmod.
cybersnow02 commentedon Jun 6, 2026
@RSpliet Did you download the latest release from virtualbox? If still not working, did you download the latest testbuild? Might not be related to this actual issue. You should open a new ticket for this error you get.
RSpliet commentedon Jun 6, 2026
@cybersnow02 Actually you're (at least mostly) right. Turns out there were two issues.
Number 2 is entirely self inflicted: I have a shell script to decompress, sign and re-compress the modules such that the kernel doesn't reject the module. Apparently the recompression generated a file that could not be decompressed by the kernel's XZ decompressor. Re-compressing the module files with
xz -C crc32 --lzma2=dict=1MiBresolves this issue.Issue 1 is probably the same issue as this ticket. It is however harmless in that it doesn't prevent vboxdrv from being loaded. So my apologies for the earlier noise.
cybersnow02 commentedon Jun 7, 2026
@RSpliet Yes, the module must be signed/compressed a special manner. hehe
AndyFx12 commentedon Nov 6, 2026
Issue is still present on 7.2.22.