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Start with the game’s current support article or the exact anti-cheat error code. Write down the feature it names—such as Memory Integrity (HVCI/VBS), TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, IOMMU, or processor virtualization. Then use Windows’ built-in msinfo32 and Task Manager checks to separate three different questions: whether the processor is capable, whether BIOS/UEFI has enabled the capability, and whether Windows is currently running the required security feature. A capable CPU with virtualization disabled in firmware will not satisfy a game, and a successful virtualization check does not prove that TPM, Secure Boot, IOMMU, or VBS are configured.
Why you must identify the game’s exact requirement first
There is no universal “hypervisor requirement” shared by every PC game or anti-cheat system. A vendor can require one security feature, several features together, or a particular combination only on certain system configurations. Riot Games says Vanguard may request different Windows security features depending on the PC; its list includes TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity (also called HVCI or VBS), and IOMMU. FACEIT documents its own checks and rollout. Those policies are examples, not a checklist that can be applied to another game.
Record the diagnostic context
- Game title and edition, if more than one exists.
- The anti-cheat name, if the game displays it.
- The complete error text and code, including punctuation.
- The date of the game’s current support article.
- Whether the problem occurs at launch, during sign-in, or after an update.
Search the exact error code in the game’s official support center. A phrase such as “hypervisor support” may refer to VBS in one product and to a firmware setting, IOMMU, or a group of requirements in another.
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Examples of why the wording matters
| Vendor example | Feature named by the vendor | How verification is described | What the result does and does not prove | Scope and remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riot Vanguard security requirements | Potentially TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Memory Integrity/HVCI/VBS, and IOMMU | Use the specific Riot article for the displayed restriction; Windows status and firmware documentation may both be needed. | A CPU virtualization result alone cannot confirm the other listed features. | Vanguard-specific guidance; enable the named feature using the computer or motherboard maker’s instructions, then restart and retest. |
| VAN: RESTRICTION: 5 | Memory Integrity, also called HVCI/VBS, must be enabled and running | Riot’s Memory Integrity instructions use msinfo32 and Windows Security status. |
“Virtualization: Enabled” in Task Manager is not, by itself, proof that HVCI/VBS is running. | Follow the restriction article, restart, and contact Riot support if the restriction remains. |
| VAN 9005 | TPM 2.0, UEFI-compliant firmware, Secure Boot, and Memory Integrity are part of the check | Follow the VAN 9005 article and verify each named condition rather than only CPU virtualization. | Passing one check does not satisfy the others. | Vanguard-specific; correct the missing firmware or Windows setting, restart, and use official support for a persistent error. |
| FACEIT Anti-Cheat | Its documentation discusses virtualization and IOMMU requirements | FACEIT asks users to identify the processor and board in msinfo32 and consult the manufacturer because Windows does not offer a simple universal IOMMU-support check. |
The Windows indicators are useful evidence, not a complete IOMMU certification. | FACEIT’s requirements and rollout can change; use its current guide and the exact model documentation. |
The examples above come from vendor support pages checked in October 2026. They illustrate why the game’s own article must control your decision.
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What “hypervisor support” can mean
CPU capability
The processor must implement a hardware virtualization extension. Microsoft’s VBS requirements call for a 64-bit CPU with virtualization extensions and SLAT (Second Level Address Translation). Intel commonly labels the extension Intel Virtualization Technology or VT-x. AMD commonly uses AMD-V, with the firmware control often shown as SVM or Secure Virtual Machine.
This is a hardware capability. A setting in Windows cannot add it to an unsupported processor, but seeing a disabled firmware switch does not mean the processor lacks it.
Firmware enablement
Even a compatible processor can have virtualization turned off in BIOS/UEFI. Manufacturers place the control under different menus and use different labels, including Intel Virtualization Technology, VT-x, SVM Mode, or Secure Virtual Machine. The location and available options vary by computer and motherboard model.
Windows VBS and the hypervisor
Virtualization-based Security uses the Windows hypervisor to isolate security functions. It has platform prerequisites beyond the existence of a CPU extension, including the processor and SLAT requirements and appropriate firmware configuration. A game that asks for VBS is asking about a running Windows security state, not merely whether the chip could virtualize a guest operating system.
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Memory Integrity (HVCI)
Memory Integrity is Windows’ name for hypervisor-protected code integrity. It is related to VBS but is a specific security feature that can be enabled or disabled. Riot’s documentation for the Memory Integrity restriction checks that HVCI/VBS is enabled and running correctly. A driver that is incompatible with Memory Integrity can prevent it from starting even when processor virtualization is enabled.
TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and IOMMU
These are separate platform features:
- TPM 2.0 is a trusted-platform module used for hardware-backed security measurements and keys.
- Secure Boot verifies approved boot components in UEFI mode.
- IOMMU controls device memory access; firmware labels can include Intel VT-d or AMD IOMMU.
A game can require one or more of them alongside VBS. Passing the CPU virtualization check is not evidence that any of these other features is enabled.
Check Windows’ current virtualization and VBS status
1. Open System Information
- Press Windows+R.
- Enter
msinfo32and press Enter. - In System Summary, note the values for Processor, BaseBoard Manufacturer, and BaseBoard Product (the latter may be called the model).
- Find Virtualization-based security. Record whether it says Running, Not enabled, or another state.
Riot’s Memory Integrity instructions use this field to determine whether VBS is actually running. If the game requires VBS or HVCI, this is the relevant Windows-state check. If the field is absent or has an unexpected value, capture the complete wording and consult the game’s support article rather than guessing.
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2. Check the quick firmware indicator in Task Manager
- Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open Task Manager.
- Select Performance, then CPU.
- Read the Virtualization line. Windows normally reports Enabled or Disabled.
This indicator answers a different question from msinfo32. “Enabled” indicates that the processor’s virtualization facility is available to Windows through firmware. It does not confirm that VBS or Memory Integrity is running, and it says nothing about TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or IOMMU.
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3. Interpret the two results together
| Task Manager virtualization | msinfo32 VBS state |
Likely interpretation | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled | Not running or unavailable | The firmware switch may be off, or the platform may not meet the requirement. | Identify the exact model and read its manufacturer BIOS/UEFI documentation before changing anything. |
| Enabled | Running | The basic virtualization path and VBS state are visible as active. | Check the game’s other named requirements, such as TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, or IOMMU. |
| Enabled | Not enabled, stopped, or otherwise not running | Firmware virtualization is available, but the Windows security feature is not active or cannot start. | Follow the game’s VBS/Memory Integrity article and investigate incompatible drivers if it directs you to do so. |
| Disabled | Running or an inconsistent state | The values do not form a normal combination or may reflect a stale reading. | Restart Windows, record the exact values again, and use official support before making unrelated changes. |
Identify the exact hardware before consulting BIOS instructions
Do not use a generic motherboard video or a menu path from a different model. From msinfo32, copy the processor name, baseboard manufacturer, baseboard product, and system manufacturer/model. For a laptop or prebuilt desktop, use the computer maker’s support page for that exact model. For a custom desktop, use the motherboard maker’s support page and revision number when one is listed.
Microsoft’s VBS documentation establishes the 64-bit, virtualization-extension, and SLAT requirements. The manufacturer’s documentation tells you whether your particular firmware exposes those capabilities, what they are called, and how to enter the correct setup screen. FACEIT likewise directs users to model-specific documentation for virtualization and IOMMU because Windows does not provide one simple check for every implementation.
Separate capability from a disabled setting
- A processor specification that lists Intel VT-x or AMD-V indicates capability, not that the firmware switch is currently on.
- Task Manager showing “Disabled” commonly points to firmware configuration, but it is not a license to change random settings.
- If the model documentation does not list the required extension or the platform is 32-bit, the game may genuinely be unsupported; confirm with the game’s support team before buying hardware.
Match the check to the exact error
When the message names Memory Integrity or HVCI
Use the game’s Memory Integrity instructions and the msinfo32 VBS field. Riot defines VAN: RESTRICTION: 5 as Vanguard being unable to verify that Memory Integrity (HVCI/VBS) is enabled and running correctly. In that case, “Virtualization: Enabled” in Task Manager is only an intermediate result. Windows must also report the required VBS state, and Memory Integrity must not be blocked by an incompatible driver or another configuration issue.
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Riot says VAN 9005 concerns a VBS setup that requires TPM 2.0 and UEFI-compliant firmware but is not detected. Its corresponding checks include TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and Memory Integrity. Check each item named in that article; do not stop after enabling CPU virtualization.
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When the message mentions IOMMU
Find the exact IOMMU wording in the game or anti-cheat article. The firmware control may be called Intel VT-d or AMD IOMMU, and Windows may not expose a definitive pass/fail indicator for every board. Record your model from msinfo32 and use the manufacturer’s manual. FACEIT’s guidance follows this model-specific approach.
When the message is vague
Do not infer a requirement from a forum post or from another game’s checklist. Search the full error text in the official support center, then ask support which feature and state they expect. Include the screenshots or logs the vendor requests, along with your Windows version and hardware model.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Change BIOS or UEFI settings safely
BIOS/UEFI screens differ by manufacturer and model. Riot explicitly warns that unfamiliar or incorrect changes can cause startup problems and recommends contacting the computer or motherboard maker. Use the following process only after the game’s article has identified the setting.
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- Read the official manual for the exact computer or board. Confirm the supported firmware mode (UEFI versus legacy) and the vendor’s method for entering setup.
- Shut down or restart and enter BIOS/UEFI using the model’s documented key or recovery option.
- Change only the named setting—for example, Intel Virtualization Technology/VT-x, AMD SVM, Intel VT-d, AMD IOMMU, Secure Boot, or a TPM option. Do not alter boot order, storage mode, overclocking, voltage, or firmware-update settings unless the manufacturer’s instructions require it.
- Save and reboot. If Windows fails to start, return to the last known settings or use the manufacturer’s recovery procedure; do not keep changing unrelated options.
- Run
msinfo32and Task Manager again, then retry the exact game. A changed firmware setting is not verified until Windows and the game both report the expected state.
Secure Boot and UEFI changes can affect an existing legacy installation. If the game requires them, follow its documented migration or recovery instructions rather than switching modes blindly.
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If the requirement still fails after enabling virtualization
Check for a Windows security blocker
If VBS or Memory Integrity remains stopped, follow the game’s article for identifying an incompatible driver. Obtain an update from that driver’s hardware manufacturer, or remove the conflicting component only when the vendor’s instructions say it is safe. A third-party driver utility is not required by the cited support guidance.
Verify every separate feature
- For TPM 2.0, use the game’s instructions or Windows’ trusted-platform tools to confirm version and readiness.
- For Secure Boot, verify the current UEFI state rather than assuming that UEFI firmware alone means Secure Boot is active.
- For IOMMU, rely on the exact board or computer documentation and the anti-cheat’s procedure.
- For VBS/HVCI, confirm the running state in
msinfo32, not just the processor indicator.
Restart and retest the same way
Many anti-cheat changes are evaluated during boot. Restart Windows after a firmware or security change, launch the same game edition, and reproduce the same action that generated the error. If the result changes, save the new error text; it may identify the next missing feature.
Escalate with useful evidence
When the error persists, use the game’s official player-support route. Provide the exact code, screenshots of the relevant Windows fields, processor and board model, Windows edition/build, and any logs the vendor requests. Do not make unrelated BIOS changes or replace a CPU or motherboard until support confirms that the required capability is absent; a replacement is an expensive remedy for only some confirmed hardware limitations.
A compact decision checklist
- Have you opened the current official article for this game and copied the exact requirement or error code?
- Does the article ask for VBS/HVCI, CPU virtualization, TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, IOMMU, or a combination?
- What does
msinfo32show for Virtualization-based security? - What does Task Manager > Performance > CPU show for Virtualization?
- What processor, computer, and baseboard models are listed in
msinfo32? - Does the manufacturer document the required extension and its BIOS/UEFI label for that exact model?
- After any approved change, did you restart, repeat both Windows checks, and retry the same game?
- If it still fails, have you sent the game’s support team the exact code and requested logs instead of changing unrelated settings?
This sequence tells you whether the problem is an unsupported processor, a disabled firmware capability, a Windows VBS/HVCI state, or another anti-cheat requirement. Only the game’s current support guidance can decide which of those states is sufficient for its anti-cheat.
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