FC0-U71 Infrastructure Practice Question
A technician is building a virtualization host that will run multiple virtual machines simultaneously. The host needs to support hardware-assisted virtualization and provide the best performance for VMs that require direct access to peripheral devices. Which of the following CPU features should the technician verify is enabled in the BIOS/UEFI?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that any performance-enhancing CPU feature, such as Hyper-Threading or Turbo Boost, is sufficient for virtualization, when only VT-x or AMD-V provides the necessary hardware support.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Intel VT-x or AMD-V
Hardware-assisted virtualization extensions, such as Intel VT-x and AMD-V, are fundamental for running virtual machines efficiently. They enable the hypervisor to execute privileged instructions directly on the CPU and are a prerequisite for advanced features like PCI passthrough, which grants VMs direct access to peripherals. Verifying that these are enabled in BIOS/UEFI ensures optimal VM performance and functionality.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Execute Disable Bit (XD) or No-eXecute (NX)
Why it's wrong here
The Execute Disable Bit and No-eXecute bit are security features that mark memory regions as non-executable to help prevent buffer overflow attacks. They are not virtualization extensions and do not facilitate running VMs or granting direct hardware access. Although useful for security, enabling XD/NX does not satisfy the requirement for hardware-assisted virtualization in this scenario.
- ✓
Intel VT-x or AMD-V
Why this is correct
Intel VT-x and AMD-V are hardware-assisted virtualization extensions that allow a hypervisor to run virtual machines efficiently by offloading privileged instructions. Enabling these in BIOS/UEFI is essential for performance and is often required for features like PCI passthrough, which gives VMs direct access to peripheral devices. Without them, virtualization may run in slower software emulation mode.
- ✗
Intel Turbo Boost or AMD Precision Boost
Why it's wrong here
Turbo Boost and Precision Boost dynamically increase CPU clock speed when thermal and power conditions allow, improving performance for short bursts. However, they are not required for hardware-assisted virtualization and do not enable direct device access for VMs. While they can enhance overall responsiveness, the scenario specifically requires virtualization support, which these features do not provide.
- ✗
Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) or Hyper-Threading
Why it's wrong here
SMT, known as Hyper-Threading on Intel CPUs, allows a single physical core to present multiple logical processors, improving multitasking performance. It can benefit virtualization by increasing the number of vCPUs, but it is not the hardware-assisted virtualization feature itself. The host can run VMs without SMT, and direct device access relies on VT-x/AMD-V, not on SMT.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.