WSL 2 or Hyper-V cannot run inside a Hyper-V virtual machine

Troubleshooting guideSources checked: 2026-09-05FaultNote editorial team

What to do first

WSL 2 or Hyper-V cannot run inside a Hyper-V virtual machine. The host may not expose CPU virtualization extensions to the guest, or the setting may be attempted while the VM is running. Record the current state before changing it, use only the supported Windows path described below, and verify the same operation again after any required restart.

This is a general troubleshooting guide, not an announcement of a current outage.

Affected products and symptoms

Product: Hyper-V nested virtualization
Versions and conditions: Windows 11 (confirm the edition and hardware requirements for the feature)
Error codes and identifiers: 0x80370102

Symptoms

WSL 2 or Hyper-V cannot run inside a Hyper-V virtual machine.
The same condition can persist after a retry or restart.

Causes and conditions

The host may not expose CPU virtualization extensions to the guest, or the setting may be attempted while the VM is running.

Before you start

Save open documents and allow time for a Windows restart if required.
Run administrative actions only on a personally managed PC or with administrator approval.
Save the diagnostic command output so the before and after states can be compared.

Precautions

Do not bulk-delete registry entries, system folders, credentials, or storage metadata.
Do not run unofficial scripts or unknown drivers with administrator rights.

Hyper-V nested virtualization troubleshooting sequence: Identify the physical host and guest; Check the state with Get-VMProcessor; Repair through the supported path; Check virtualization inside the guest; Verify under the same conditions — Procedure overview created by FaultNote. Read the precautions and full instructions before changing settings. Read the full steps

Step-by-step instructions

01
Identify the physical host and guest
#
Run the configuration commands on the Hyper-V host, not inside the VM. Check the target name in Hyper-V Manager, shut down the guest normally, and confirm its state is Off. Do not proceed from Saved or Paused state.
02
Check the state with Get-VMProcessor
#
Shut down the target VM and check the exposure setting in an elevated PowerShell window on the host.
Command or path
```
Get-VMProcessor -VMName "VMName" | Select-Object ExposeVirtualizationExtensions
```
03
Repair through the supported path
#
Expose CPU virtualization extensions to that VM, start the guest, and then enable the required Windows virtualization feature inside the guest.
Command or path
```
Set-VMProcessor -VMName "VMName" -ExposeVirtualizationExtensions $true
```
04
Check virtualization inside the guest
#
Replace VMName with the actual Hyper-V Manager name, retaining quotes around names with spaces. Start only that VM, then check systeminfo.exe and launch WSL or Hyper-V inside the guest. Cloud VMs also require support from the provider.
05
Verify under the same conditions
#
Run systeminfo.exe and repeat the original operation once under the same conditions. If it succeeds, verify again after a restart and record the setting that changed.
Check that no new critical event with the same timestamp and component appears in Event Viewer.
Command or path
```
systeminfo.exe
```

Check the result

The feature starts, connects, or completes without the original error.
The verification command reports the expected enabled, healthy, or connected state.
The result remains correct after a Windows restart and no new matching critical event appears.

If the problem continues

If the same code persists, provide the full message, Windows build, command output, and occurrence time to the PC administrator or Microsoft Support.
If hardware requirements, organization policy, or server settings are responsible, ask the owner to make the change instead of bypassing it on the client.

Scope of this guide

Troubleshooting guide — Restore the feature so it starts, connects, or completes normally and passes the same verification after a Windows restart.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change ExposeVirtualizationExtensions while the VM runs?

Fully shut down the target VM first and change it from the host. A saved or running VM may reject the setting.

Should I enable it on every VM?

Enable it only where required because nested virtualization affects performance and security design.

Official sources and dates

Run Hyper-V in a Virtual Machine with Nested Virtualization ↗

Source publication or resolution date: Not specified. Sources checked: 2026-09-05. The check date is not the date the problem first occurred. Interface labels can vary between versions and display languages.

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