Fix Hyper-V Error: Virtual Machine could not be Started Because the Hypervisor is not Running

In this article, we’ll look at how to troubleshoot and fix issues that might prevent virtual machines from starting on a Windows computer running the Hyper-V hypervisor role.

In our case, an error occurred when trying to start a virtual machine from the Hyper-V Manager console:

An error occurred while attempting to start the selected virtual machine(s).

VMname failed to start.

Virtual machine VMName could not be started because the hypervisor is not running.

This error indicates that the Windows computer is not running Hyper-V services or its BIOS/UEFI settings have been changed so that the device hardware no longer supports virtualization.

Check Hyper-V Role Core Services on Windows

In order to run virtual machines on Windows, the host must have the Hyper-V role installed and the core hypervisor services must be running.

Check that the Hyper-V role is installed with the PowerShell command:

On Windows Server 2022/2019/2016:

Get-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V

On Windows 10 and 11:

Get-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-V -All

If the Hyper-V role is missing, you need to install it.

Then check the status of the two core Hyper-V services: Hyper-V Host Compute Service and Hyper-V Virtual Machine Management. You can check the services state from the services.msc console or with the PowerShell command:

Get-Service vmcompute,vmms

In our case, both services are in the Stopped state. Try starting them manually with the PowerShell command:

Start-Service vmcompute,vmms

However, the services did not start with the error:

Start-Service : Service ‘Hyper-V Host Compute Service (vmcompute)’ cannot be started due to the following error: Cannot start service vmcompute on computer ‘

Hyper-V Hardware Requirements

Next, check that your computer meets the Hyper-V role hardware and software requirements:

• Operating system: Windows Server or Windows 10/11 Enterprise, Pro, or Education editions (you cannot install Hyper-V on Windows Home);
• CPU: 64-bit Processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT) with support a number of key virtualization features: Hardware assisted virtualization (Intel VT or AMD-V), Hardware based Data Execution Prevention (DEP) (AMD NX or Intel XD), VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPUs). Refer to the CPU manufacturer’s specification for specific CPU features;
• Virtualization support turned on in the BIOS or UEFI settings.

Run the systeminfo command to check if your CPU meets the Hyper-V requirements. Scroll down to the Hyper-V Requirements section. The following items should be listed here:

• VM Monitor Mode Extensions: Yes
• Virtualization Enabled In Firmware: Yes
• Second Level Address Translation: Yes
• Data Execution Prevention Available: Yes

1. If all items are Yes, then all you need to do is install the Hyper-V role.
2. If it says “A hypervisor has been detected. Features required for Hyper-V are not displayed“, this means that the role is already installed.
3. If Virtualization Enabled in Firmware is No, you must enable virtualization support in the BIOS/UEFI settings.

Although a CPU may include support for hardware-assisted virtualization, many computers do not have this feature enabled by default. Restart the device, enter the BIOS/UEFI configuration menu, ensure that the appropriate virtualization feature is enabled.

Search for the CPU configuration section, then look for the following firmware options if available and enable them:

• Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-X), AMD-V, Virtualization Extensions, or Vanderpool;
• Intel VT-d or AMD IOMMU;
• Data Execution Prevention (DEP);
• SVM mode option (on AMD devices);
• Specific BIOS settings on HPE servers: ‘Intel(R) Virtualization Tech’ and ‘No Execute Memory Protection’.

Enable virtualization options in the firmware settings, boot Windows and install the Hyper-V role.

The configure Hyper-V to start automatically with the command:

bcdedit /set HypervisorLaunchType auto

This command adds the hypervisor autostart option to your boot configuration data file.

Reinstall Hyper-V Role on Windows

If all requirements are met and Hyper-V virtual machines won’t start, try to reinstall the Hyper-V role.

1. Run optionalfeatures command to open the Turn Windows features on or off dialog;
   
2. Go to the Hyper-V > Hyper-V Platform section and disable Hyper-V Hypervisor and Hyper-V Services features. Restart your computer and then re-enable these features.
   

On Windows 10 and Windows 11, you can reinstall Hyper-V services using PowerShell.

1. Disable Hyper-V components:

   Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform,Microsoft-Hyper-V-All,Microsoft-Hyper-V,Microsoft-Hyper-V-Hypervisor

2. Restart your computer:

   Restart-Computer

3. Enable Hyper-V features:

   Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName HypervisorPlatform,Microsoft-Hyper-V-All,Microsoft-Hyper-V,Microsoft-Hyper-V-Hypervisor

   

On Windows Server 2019/2016/2012R2, use the following commands to re-install the Hyper-V role:

Remove-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V

Install-WindowsFeature -Name Hyper-V

Uninstall Problematic Security Updates

After installing the January 2022 security updates on Windows Server R2 with the Hyper-V role, they fail with the following error:

SERVER-NAME failed to restore virtual machine state.

Virtual machine SVR1 cannot be started because the hypervisor is not running.

The following actions may help you resolve the problem:

1. Verify that the processor of the physical computer has a supported version of hardware-assisted virtualization.
2. Verify that hardware-assisted virtualization and hardware-assisted data execution protection are enabled in the BIOS of the physical computer.  (If you edit the BIOS to enable either setting, you must turn off the power to the physical computer and then turn it back on.  Resetting the physical computer is not sufficient.)
3. If you have made changes to the Boot Configuration Data store, review these changes to ensure that the hypervisor is configured to launch automatically.

The problem only occurred on Hyper-V hosts with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) native mode enabled.

This problem is caused by a bug in the KB5009624 and KB5009624 security updates. To quickly fix the problem, you can uninstall the updates using the commands:

wusa /uninstall /kb:5009624

wusa /uninstall /kb:5009595

Or you can manually download and install the KB5010794 update that addresses this bug.