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Increasing the video memory assigned to a virtual machine can speed up 3D graphics, too. For example, enabling the 2D acceleration feature in VirtualBox improves video playback in virtual machines, while enabling 3D acceleration will allow you to use some 3D applications at a more reasonable speed. Tweaking some of your video settings can also improve your virtual machine’s apparent speed. RELATED: How To Enable 3D Acceleration and Use Windows Aero in VirtualBox If you’re using an older CPU with only one or two cores, it may be time to upgrade-your virtual machine will run much faster if you can give it at least two cores (if not more). If you have a computer with a multi-core CPU, you can assign more cores to your virtual machine from its settings window. A virtual machine with two or four cores will be much more responsive than a virtual machine with one, just as a computer with more cores is. Your computer’s CPU does all the work of running the virtual machine and its software, so the more CPU it can use, the better it will run. Here’s how to enable Intel VT-x or AMD-V if it’s disabled-enable it in the BIOS, then head to your virtual machine program’s settings and make sure it’s enabled there too. You may have to go into your computer’s BIOS and enable this setting yourself, even if your computer supports it.ĪMD-V is generally enabled automatically if it works on your hardware, but many Intel computers ship with Intel VT-x disabled.
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However, some computers don’t automatically enable them. Newer Intel and AMD processors generally include these features. Intel VT-x and AMD-V are special processor extensions that improve virtualization.
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RELATED: How to Enable Intel VT-x in Your Computer's BIOS or UEFI Firmware Once it’s on the list, your antivirus will ignore all files in this directory. To speed things up, you can add your virtual machine directory to your antivirus’s exclusions list. The antivirus can’t see inside the virtual machine to detect viruses running on your guest operating systems, so this scanning isn’t helpful. Your computer’s antivirus program may be scanning your virtual machine files whenever they’re accessed, reducing performance. RELATED: Antivirus Slowing Your PC Down? Maybe You Should Use Exclusions Exclude Virtual Machine Directories In Your Antivirus If you see a notification that an update is available for Guest Additions or VMware Tools, you should install it. Ensure you keep these updated with your virtual machine program.
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