Attempting to power on the virtual machine fails with the error: HPET cannot work without extended configuration device

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to power on a virtual machine that is on hardware version 4, these symptoms are experienced:

• Cannot power on the virtual machine.
• Powering on a virtual machine fails with the error:

Failed to start the virtual machine

• In the /var/log/vmware/hostd.log, you see message similar to:

<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Mounting VM complete.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VigorClientCnxDemux: VmdbCnx failed: Lost a connection to the running VMX instance.
--> Transport (VMDB) error -32: Pipe: Read failed.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VigorClientDisconnect: disconnect /vm/#2a81c0182271da01/ via /db/connection/#43/
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Unmounting VM begun.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 verbose 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Vigor client state callback 4 error Lost a connection to the running VMX instance.
--> Transport (VMDB) error -32: Pipe: Read failed.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VMDB unmount initiated for /vm/#2a81c0182271da01/.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VigorClientUnmountCb: Mount state values have changed for /vm/#2a81c0182271da01/.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VmdbDbRemoveCnx: Removing Cnx from Db for '/db/connection/#43/'
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VigorClientUnmountCb: Unmount complete for /vm/#2a81c0182271da01/.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VigorClientUnmountCb unset Vigor path on vm unmount.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Unmounting VM complete.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Reloading config state.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Libs'] VMHS: Transitioned vmx/execState/val to poweredOff
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [27480B70 info 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Upgrade is required for virtual machine, version: 4
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 verbose 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Vigor client state callback 0 error Lost a connection to the running VMX instance.
--> Transport (VMDB) error -32: Pipe: Read failed.
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 verbose 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Power On translated error to vim.fault.GenericVmConfigFault
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 info 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Power On failed: vim.fault.GenericVmConfigFault
<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> [261D2B70 verbose 'Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/Datastore/server/server.vmx'] Power On message: Failed to start the virtual machine.</time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time></time>

• In the vmware.log, you see message similar to:

<YYYY-MM-DD>T<time> | vmx| I120: ExtCfgDevice: HPET cannot work without extended configuration device.</time>

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi

Cause

This issue occurs when high precision event timer (HPET) is enabled in VM hardware versions 7 and below.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, perform one of the below options. See also Additional Information section to find the details of each option.

1. Disable HPET in the virtual machine.
   
   To disable HPET by editing the VM's vmx file:

1. 1. From the client machine, open the .vmx file for the virtual machine using a text editor.
      Note: The file can also be edited via command line using the "vi" text editor.
   2. Change hpet0.present to FALSE.

Alternatively, to disable HPET using the vSphere Client:

1. 1. Click the Configuration tab.
   2. Click Advanced Settings.
   3. Deselect the VMkernel.Boot.timerEnableHPET option in Advanced Settings.
      
      
2. Upgrade the virtual machine hardware to version 8 and above.

Note: A virtual HPET is introduced with Virtual Hardware version 8.

Additional Information

Tips for editing a .vmx file
Reloading a vmx file without removing the virtual machine from inventory

Upgrading a virtual machine to the latest hardware version (multiple versions)