ESXi experiences a PSOD "BlueScreen: #PF Exception 14"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi host experienced a PSOD.
• Following backtrace is reported :
  
  YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)@BlueScreen: #PF Exception 14 in world #####:vmm1:examplevm IP 0x42001062b068 addr 0x42014e000003
PTEs:0xa4e8675023;0x81224b4003;0x0;
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59b870:[0x42001062b068]NPreempt_DoneIrqOff@vmkernel#nover+0x58 stack: 0x0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59b880:[0x42001076130b]IntrCookie_DoInterrupt@vmkernel#nover+0x5dc stack: 0x0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59b930:[0x4200107613d3]IntrCookie_VmkernelInterrupt@vmkernel#nover+0x38 stack: 0xef
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59b950:[0x420010ca290a]IDT_IntrHandler@vmkernel#nover+0x97 stack: 0x0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59b970:[0x420010c9b0c6]gate_entry@vmkernel#nover+0xa7 stack: 0x0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59ba38:[0x420010690e24]Power_ArchPerformWait@vmkernel#nover+0xd4 stack: 0x42004e001880
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59ba40:[0x420010690f75]Power_ArchSetCState@vmkernel#nover+0xba stack: 0x100000020
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59ba90:[0x420010cd4111]CpuSchedIdleLoopInt@vmkernel#nover+0x292 stack: 0x38
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59bb00:[0x420010cd863c]CpuSchedDispatch@vmkernel#nover+0x1e31 stack: 0x5600000001
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59bd40:[0x420010cd904e]CpuSchedWait@vmkernel#nover+0x35b stack: 0x8000000000000007
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59beb0:[0x420010cd966c]CpuSchedVcpuHaltWork@vmkernel#nover+0x195 stack: 0x4539fa59f000
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59bf00:[0x420010cad69e]VMMVMKCall_Call@vmkernel#nover+0x103 stack: 0x0
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS cpu56:#####)0x4539fa59bfd0:[0x420010caa0d0]VMKVMM_ArchEnterVMKernel@vmkernel#nover+0x21 stack: 0x0

Environment

vSphere ESXi 8.0 U3

Cause

The PSOD was observed multiple times on CPUs within a single CPU package, and it was caused by a faulty CPU package.

Resolution

For further investigation and resolution of a potential faulty CPU, please contact the hardware vendor.