Installing Windows 8/Windows Server 2012 in a virtual machine on a ESXi 5.x fails with error: "Error Code: 0x0000005D"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• Installing a Windows Server 2008 (R2) or Windows Server 2012 in a virtual machine running on an ESXi 5.x host fails.
• Installing a Windows 8 virtual machine fails to boot on an ESXi 5.x host.
• Attempting to boot Windows 8 installation media on a supported version of ESXi may result in a black screen with the message:
  
  • Your PC needs to restart.
    Please hold down the power button.
    Error code 0x0000005D
    
  • Your PC needs to restart.
    Please hold down the power button.
    Error code 0x000000C4
    Parameters:
    0x000000000078BFBF
    0x000000002000030F
    0X0000000000000000

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.5
• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.0
• VMware vSphere ESXi 5.1

Cause

This issue occurs if the No-Execute Memory Protection feature (used by the Microsoft's Data Execution Prevention technology) is disabled in the BIOS of the ESXi host.

 

This is one of the features that Windows 8 requires to operate properly.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, enable No-Execute Memory Protection in the BIOS of the ESXi host.

Note: The No-Execute Memory Protection option may be referred to differently on different systems. These are some of the variations that may be displayed in the BIOS of the server:

• Data execution bit enable
• Data execution prevention
• No Execute Memory Protection
• No Execute Page Protection

How to enable NX or XD in the BIOS

This flag can be enabled or disabled only through the BIOS of the ESXi host.

 

To enable this flag and to make your ESXi host is compatible with Windows 8 RP:

1. Restart the affected virtual ESXi host.
2. While booting, before Windows starts, press the key to go to BIOS.
   
   Note: The key to open the BIOS is different on different computers. Most computers use the keys F2, F12, or DELETE. Try each of these keys and see if you can get to the BIOS. If none of these keys work, press all the function keys (F1 to F12) repeatedly on the computer while starting the computer.
   
   
3. In the BIOS, go to the Security tab.
4. Look for the NX or XD flag.
   
   Note: For Intel processors, you see the XD flag and for AMD processors, you see the NX flag. If that is not enabled, toggle the option and enable it.
   
   
5. Save the settings and exit the BIOS settings.
6. Restart the ESXi host.

Additional Information

For more information, see What are PAE, NX, and SSE2?