Windows virtual machines with VMware Tools versions 12.5.0 and 13.0.0 has warning on Device manager for device 'EFI firmware for host'

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Windows virtual machines with VMware Tools versions 12.5.0 and 13.0.0 has following warning on Device manager for device 'EFI firmware for host' -  

Status:  This device cannot start.  (Code 10)  Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file.  A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknow source.

Environment

Windows OS with VMware Tools versions 12.5.x and 13.0.x.

Cause

This happens due to how driver signing impacts the EFIFW driver's expected behavior on these VMware tools versions.

Resolution

The fix is planned in a future VMware Tools version. 

As workaround, try one of the options below : 

• Shut virtual machine down, enable secure boot, and restart it. See - Windows 11 and secure boot.
  Then shut VM down again, disable secure boot and restart again. Check the status of the EFI firmware device status after that.  
  
  
• Remove and re-add vTPM from the virtual machine. see: Remove a vTPM device from a VM in the VMware Host Client.
  
  
• Uninstall and re-install VMware Tools. See: Uninstalling VMware Tools.