Linux virtual machines shut down instead of rebooting

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• Linux virtual machines shut down instead of rebooting
• Rebooting certain Linux virtual machines from within the guest OS may instead result in their unexpected shutdown
• This issue may affect latest Linux kernels (such as 2.6.24 or later).
  
  Note: RHEL 5 is not affected.
  
• If this issue occurs, you can restart the virtual machine.
• This issue likely affects Linux virtual machines that have been running for more than 30 days.
• The vmware.log file for the affected virtual machines contain the messages:
  
  Note: The important information is highlighted.
  
  vcpu-0| pciBridge7:7: ISA/VGA decoding enabled (ctrl 0004)
  vcpu-0| debugCtlLow: 0x0 debugCtlHigh: 0x0
  vcpu-0| MONITOR PANIC: vcpu-0:VMM fault: regs=0x2f94, exc=0, eip=0x84c91
  vcpu-0| Core dump with build build-171294
  vcpu-0| Writing monitor corefile "/vmfs/volumes/4abc8aab-45afc8fc-bbba-0024e83c18cd/de-file1/vmware-core.gz"
  vcpu-0| CoreDump: dumping core with superuser privileges
  vcpu-0| VMK Stack for vcpu 0 is at 0xc0000000
  vcpu-0| Saving busmem frames
  vcpu-0| Saving anonymous memory
  vcpu-0| Beginning monitor coredump
  vcpu-0| End monitor coredump
  vcpu-0| Beginning extended monitor coredump
  vcpu-0| Writing anonymous pages at pos: 408000
  vcpu-0| Msg_Post: Error
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic] *** VMware ESX internal monitor error ***
  vcpu-0| vcpu-0:VMM fault: regs=0x2f94, exc=0, eip=0x84c91
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic.report] Please report this problem by selecting menu item Help > VMware on the Web > Request Support, or by going to the
  Web page "http://www.vmware.com/info?id=8&logFile=%2fvmfs%2fvolumes%2f4abc8aab%2d45afc8fc%2dbbba%2d0024e83c18cd%2fde%2dfile1%2fvmware%2elog&coreLocation=%2fvmfs%2fvol
  umes%2f4abc8aab%2d45afc8fc%2dbbba%2d0024e83c18cd%2fde%2dfile1%2fvmware%2dcore%2egz". Please provide us with the log file (/vmfs/volumes/4abc8aab-45afc8fc-bbba-0024e83c
  18cd/de-file1/vmware.log) and the core file(s) (/vmfs/volumes/4abc8aab-45afc8fc-bbba-0024e83c18cd/de-file1/vmware-core.gz, /vmfs/volumes/4abc8aab-45afc8fc-bbba-0024e83
  c18cd/de-file1/vmware-vmx-zdump.003).
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic.serverdebug] If the problem is repeatable, please set 'Use Debug Monitor' to 'Yes' in the 'Misc' section of the Configur
  e Virtual Machine Web page. Then reproduce the incident and file it according to the instructions.
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic.vmSupport.vmx86] To collect data to submit to VMware support, run "vm-support".
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic.entitlement] We will respond on the basis of your support entitlement.
  vcpu-0| [msg.log.monpanic.finish] We appreciate your feedback,
  vcpu-0| -- the VMware ESX team.
  vcpu-0| ----------------------------------------
  vcpu-0| Exiting vcpu-0
  vmx| VTHREAD watched thread 4 "vcpu-0" died
  Worker#0| VTHREAD watched thread 0 "vmx" died
  mks| VTHREAD watched thread 0 "vmx" died

Environment

VMware ESXi 4.0.x Installable
VMware ESX 4.0.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x
VMware ESXi 4.0.x Embedded

Resolution

This issue occurs as the monitor hits a divide by zero exception and panics during the reboot of the guest operating system, causing the virtual machine to stop running.

To resolve this issue, upgrade to ESX 4.0 Update 2. You can download the update from the ESX 4.0 Update 2. For more information, see the ESX 4.0 Update 2 Release Notes. If you do not wish to update ESX as a workaround to this issue perform these steps:

1. Add the following line to the virtual machine's configuration ( .vmx) file:
   
   timeTracker.lazyApic=FALSE
   
   Note: For more information, see Tips for editing a .vmx file (1714).
   
2. Restart the virtual machine to apply changes.
   
   Note: This change may make timekeeping less accurate on the virtual machine.