VM does not power on post scheduled reboot with advanced parameter "vmx.reboot.powerCycle=True"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESX 7.x
• VMware vSphere ESX 8.x

Issue/Introduction

• VM is enabled with advanced parameter "vmx.reboot.powerCycle=True". However, post scheduled reboot the VM did not power on back automatically.
• From /vmfs/volumes/<Datastore-Name>/<VM-Name>/vmware.log, similar log entries will be seen
  • YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(05) vcpu-0 - Chipset: The guest has requested that the virtual machine be hard reset.
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(05) vcpu-0 - Chipset: hard reset being turned into a power cycle.
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z No(00) vcpu-0 - ConfigDB: Setting softPowerOff = <not printed>
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z No(00) vcpu-0 - ConfigDB: Setting virtualHW.scheduledUpgrade.poweredOffNeedsPowerOn = <not printed>
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z No(00) vcpu-0 - ConfigDB: Setting vmx.reboot.powerOffTriggered = <not printed>
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(05) vcpu-0 - VM reset: Power cycle on reboot requested.
    
    
• From /var/run/log/hostd.log, similar log entries will be seen
  • YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z Db(167) Hostd[###]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:<UUID>/<VM-Object-UUID>/<VM-Name>.vmx opID=HB-SpecSync-host-##@UUID sid=52230749 user=vpxuser:<no user>] Preparing resource pool update
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(166) Hostd[###]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:<UUID>/<VM-Object-UUID>/<VM-Name>.vmx opID=HB-SpecSync-host-##@UUID sid=52230749 user=vpxuser:<no user>] State Transition (VM_STATE_ON -> VM_STATE_RECONFIGURING)
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z Db(167) Hostd[###]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:<UUID>/<VM-Object-UUID>/<VM-Name>.vmx opID=HB-SpecSync-host-##@UUID sid=52230749 user=vpxuser:<no user>] Completing resource pool update
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z Db(167) Hostd[###]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:<UUID>/<VM-Object-UUID>/<VM-Name>.vmx opID=HB-SpecSync-host-##@UUID sid=52230749 user=vpxuser:<no user>] Created power off monitor: security domain=###; verify=false; needsPowerOn=false; task=<none>.
    YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS.###Z In(166) Hostd[###]: [Originator@6876 sub=Vmsvc.vm:/vmfs/volumes/vsan:<UUID>/<VM-Object-UUID>/<VM-Name>.vmx opID=HB-SpecSync-host-##@UUID sid=52230749 user=vpxuser:<no user>] State Transition (VM_STATE_RECONFIGURING -> VM_STATE_OFF)

Environment

ESXi 7.x, ESXi 8.x

Cause

The virtual machine shutdown process overlapped with another management operation specifically, a resource reconfiguration triggered by host synchronization. This conflict can also occur during other operations such as snapshot creation or modification. Due to the simultaneous tasks, the VM may not restart automatically after shutdown.

Resolution

Engineering Team is aware of this issue and will be fixed in future release.