The network adapter settings of the virtual machine OS have changed after importing the OVF

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

The network adapter settings of the virtual machine OS have changed after importing the OVF

OS :Windows 
This VM has two networks.

Network settings before OVF export on Windows OS 
Port1
　Name ： Name1 
　　(TCP/IPv4)   IP Address XX.XX.XX.XX
Port2 
　Name ：Name2
　　(TCP/IPv4)  IP address  YY.YY.YY.YY

Network settings after OVF Import and power on the VM Windows. 
Port1
　Name ：Name1 
　　(TCP/IPv4)   IP Address XX.XX.XX.XX  <- keep the settings
Port2 
　 Name ：Ethernet1 　
　　　(TCP/IPv4)  IP address  DHCP Setting
-> The settings for port 2 had changed to Ethernet 1, DHCP settings.

Environment

vCenter Server 8.0 

Virtual machine OS : Windows

Cause

The OVF file exported from a virtual machine using vCenter 8.0 did not contain any settings related to pciBridge.

After importing using that OVF, the pcilSot number changed when the imported VM was powered on.

Because the pciSlot number had changed, the Windows OS recognized it as a new network device.

 

Ex

Original VM.
#cd example-windows2022
# grep pciSlot example-windows2022.vmx
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
sata0.pciSlotNumber = "35"
ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "36"  <----

Exported from vCenter 8.0 and imported it as example--windows2022-1

Before power on

#grep pciSlot example-windows2022-1.vmx
usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "36"   <-- still keep "36"

After Power on 

#grep pciSlot example-windows2022-1.vmx
usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "32"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "34"  <----- Changed pciSlot number
sata0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

#grep pciSlot vmware.log
2025-06-30T07:21:25.248Z In(05) vmx - DICT    usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "34"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.248Z In(05) vmx - DICT       scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "32"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.249Z In(05) vmx - DICT   ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.249Z In(05) vmx - DICT   ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "36"   <-----
2025-06-30T07:21:25.417Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "-1"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.417Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "-1"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.417Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "-1"　<------
2025-06-30T07:21:25.417Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "-1"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.425Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "32"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.425Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.425Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "34"   <------
2025-06-30T07:21:25.425Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting usb_xhci.pciSlotNumber = "35"
2025-06-30T07:21:25.425Z No(00) vmx - ConfigDB: Setting sata0.pciSlotNumber = "36"

Resolution

In vCenter Server 9.0, the functionality(including pciBridge) has been enhanced at the export operation and the issue is not happened.

 

Work arounds

1．vCenter Server 8.0　

　When exporting the target virtual machine, turn on the options "Enable advanced options" and "include extra configuration".

2. Export the virtual machine from the Host Client

3. Export the virtual machine by using ovftools (ESXi 8.0 U3 only).

　In ESXi 8.0 U2 and below, pciBridge is not included in the exported ovf file with ovftool due to another issue. ( It was fixed on ESXi 8.0 U3)