IdeaPad Flex 15D no virtualization option in BIOS 94CN07WW (AMD APU A6-5200)

Question

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 15D (AMD APU A6-5200) does not have virtualization option in BIOS version 94CN07WW. What this means is if one wants to run for example Virtualbox, then one would only be able to vitualize a 32-bit operating system, instead of either a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system. However, a similar model Lenovo IdeaPad S415 Touch (AMD APU A6-5200) does have the SVM option in the BIOS to enable or disable virtualizing 64-bit operating systems. December 22, 2014 8:00AM CSTWhen I  called Lenovo technical support, I initially spoke with someone who sounded as if they were from the Philippines, which is fine if they are knowledgable, and their english is fluent. Unfortunately, when I explained the technical situation, he had no idea what I was talking about. After he checked with in Level 2 quite few times, he said that the motherboard doesn't support virtualization... So, I advised him that I've been in the IT industry for 10 years, and while admittedly I don't know everything about virtualization, I have some level of knowledge on the subject having worked in all positions from Level 1 Technical Support to Systems Engineer. Hence, I proceeded to explain how virtualization is a dependency of the CPU, not the motherboard. One would of course need to have a motherboard that is compatible with the CPU in order for the computer to work at all. However, one may buy a CPU without virtualization extensions and plug it into a motherboard, or one may buy the same CPU with virtualization extensions and plug it into this same motherboard. As well, I invited him to look at Intel or AMD's website for further information on this while we were on the phone so I could help clear up any questions he had on the matter. While he didn't appear to review either website, he checked in with Level 2 again, and suggested we check forums to see if a work around exists. I quickly explained there is no work around to this type of problem, and the resolution would be to put a request into engineering to have a BIOS update pushed out that allowed enabling/disabling SVM by default. After checking in with Level 2 once again, he said if it's not an option in the BIOS, then the computer doesn't support it. I advised while this statement is something I already knew (not to mention painfully obvious at this point), it's not a technical limitation of the hardware, as the CPU supports it. The root cause is that toggling SVM enabled/disabled wasn't designed in the BIOS (i.e. this needs a BIOS update to come out to fix this problem). We briefly talked about a warranty event, how from my past experiences sometimes when one submits a laptop to a vendor and gets it returned, it comes with a BIOS version that is later than originally submitted, or one that is not available for download from the vendor website. However, he wasn't really for this idea, as I didn't have a hardware fault per-say, and I wasn't interested in insisting one a warranty event as it was frankly a low probability event to have this outcome, and it wasn't what I wanted out of the conversation anyway. So, after he checked in with Level 2 again, he said he can call me back after he investigated some more. I advised him that a call back is useless if he is the one calling me back as we already know the problem, resolution, and who would need to address it. After he began to stutter, and make incomplete sentences that made no sense, he put me on hold to check in with Level 2 again (yes he checked in with them this many times). When he came back he claimed I said earlier in the conversation that the option to enable it was available so I should just go ahead and do that. Given that this guy frankly didn't know what I was talking about to begin wtih, and now is telling me something that never even happened in the conversation, I pretty much had enough of the lack of knowledge, and customer service I was receiving, so I asked to speak to either a supervisor or the next level of support. Thankfully he transferred me to his supervisor, who sounded like he wasn't from an outsourced call center, as when I explained the situation he understood me the first time, and spoke clear and articulate english. After a very brief discussion about what he was reading from Lenovo forums and a BBB complaint similar to my inquiry, we came to the conclusion that it would need to be a customer courtesy request to the engineering department to request the SVM option become available via a BIOS update. So, with my case number in hand, I said despite him not being able to promise me the outcome I desired, he at least got the issue in front of the right people, which I appreciated. Long story short, it would be just simply really awesome if Lenovo could push out a Happy Holidays BIOS update that would allow me to enable SVM on my IdeaPad Flex 15D.  Thanks for reading.

Answer 1

I came across this issue a while back also. However, with the quickly-approaching release of Windows 10, there's another problem that I consider far more important (it is also related to the BIOS, go figure). There is no way to enable/disable Execute Disable Bit in the BIOS. Due to this, I have been unable to upgrade to the Windows 10 Insider Preview, and I fear that this will be the same case with the final release. This issue apparently affects lots of others as well. It is interesting to note that the Flex 15D drivers page no longer says that a BIOS update is not available for the laptop... It doesn't give any info about the BIOS. Get with it, Lenovo!