If your processor does not support Virtualization Technology then you can’t run Windows 8 in Virtual Box….you will get a black screen of death. In order to find out if your CPU supports hardware Virtualization Technology you can download the Intel Processor Identification Utility here http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/processors/toolspiu/

Run it and look if Virtualization Technology is enabled…see the bottom of this picture

Intel Processor Identification Utility

if it is enabled then you need to turn it on in your BIOS, to see how to configure BIOS, go to this page http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/support/configure-bios.aspx

After BIOS has been configured, you need to do a reboot, shut down, wait about 10 seconds and then start up again.

Now you are ready to make the changes in Virtual Box

Click on settings, then system and then on the motherboard tab, click on Enable IO APIC

Enable IO APIC

On the Processor tab, click on Enable PAE/NX

Enable PAE_NX

Finally on the Acceleration tab, click on both Enable VT-x/Amd-v and Enable Nesting Paging

EnableVT

Now you are all set…have fun

windows 8 metro start screen