"PF Exception 14 in world <world_ID>:python IP 0x00XXXXX addr 0xb8" : ESXi PSOD issue after upgrading to 7.0 U3P.

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0

Issue/Introduction

• The ESXi PSOD issue encountered while upgrading the host from 7.0 U3m to 7.0 U3p.

• In the /var/log/vmkernel.log file, you will see the backtrace similar to:

  Panic Message: @BlueScreen: #PF Exception 14 in world 245xxxxx:python IP 0x00XXXXX addr 0xb8
      Backtrace:
        VisorFSTar_PutPageRef@vmkernel#nover+0x21 
        VisorFSRamPutPageRef@vmkernel#nover+0x3d 
        VisorFSRam_BackingShrink@vmkernel#nover+0x75 
        VisorFSObj_Free@vmkernel#nover+0x185 
        VisorFSObj_Rename@vmkernel#nover+0x3a9 
        VisorFSRenameFile@vmkernel#nover+0x34a  
        FSSVec_RenameFile@vmkernel#nover+0x20 
        FSS_RenameFile@vmkernel#nover+0x18e 
        LinuxFileDesc_Rename@vmkernel#nover+0x216 
        User_LinuxSyscallHandler@vmkernel#nover+0x1a4 
        gate_entry@vmkernel#nover+0x68 

Environment

ESXi 7.0.U3m, Build: 21686933

Cause

The ESXi crashed with the VisorFS issue when the tardisk was unmounted and the host ended up attempting to dereference a NULL pointer (in the above example, the faulting address is 0xb8).

Resolution

This issue is resolved in the release ESXi 7.0 U3q build: 23794027. To download go to Broadcom Support page