Power On of VM fails with "00:50:56:##:##:## is not a valid VPX-assigned Ethernet Address. Failed to start the virtual machine."

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

• Virtual Machine power-on intermittently fails after a restore from a third-party backup solution to a different vCenter with following error on vCenter UI:
  "00:50:56:##:##:## is not a valid VPX-assigned Ethernet Address. Failed to start the virtual machine. Module DevicePowerOn power failed. Could not set up "macAddress" for ethernet0. Invalid MAC address specified."
• less var/log/vmware/vpxd/vpxd.log:
  • Get exception while executing action vpx.vmprov.PowerOnVm:
--> (vim.fault.GenericVmConfigFault) {
--> faultMessage = (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) [
--> (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
--> key = "msg.mac.badVpxAddress",
--> arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
--> (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
--> key = "1",
--> value = "00:50:56:##:##:##"
--> }
--> ],
--> message = "Invalid VPX-assigned Ethernet address: '00:50:56:##:##:##'. "
--> },
--> (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
--> key = "msg.mac.invalidAddress",
--> message = "Invalid MAC address specified. ",
--> },
--> (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
--> key = "msg.mac.setupMacAddressFailed",
--> arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
--> (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
--> key = "1",
--> value = "0"
--> }
--> ],
--> message = "Could not set up 'macAddress' for 'ethernetX'."
--> },
--> (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
--> key = "msg.moduletable.powerOnFailed",
--> arg = (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) [
--> (vmodl.KeyAnyValue) {
--> key = "1",
--> value = "DevicePowerOn"
--> }
--> ],
--> message = "Module 'DevicePowerOn' power on failed. "
--> },
--> (vmodl.LocalizableMessage) {
--> key = "msg.vmx.poweron.failed",
--> message = "Failed to start the virtual machine.",
--> }
--> ],
--> reason = "Invalid VPX-assigned Ethernet address: '00:50:56:##:##:##'. ",
--> msg = "Invalid VPX-assigned Ethernet address: '00:50:56:##:##:##'.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

Cause

The error is caused by a mismatch between the MAC address type and its assignment method—specifically, a static VMware-assigned MAC address is incorrectly labeled as a vCenter-assigned "vpx" type, leading to an invalid VM configuration.

Resolution

The MAC address configuration has to be changed to ensure consistency between the address type and assigned value.

• Option 1 (Recommended): Change the address type to “static”
  • This preserves the existing MAC address and avoids guest OS network configuration issues.
    • This update can be performed in two ways:
      • Using VIM API (recommended, as it is controlled and less error-prone).
      • Editing the VMX file directly with a text editor (only if API changes are not feasible).
• Option 2: Change the MAC address to a valid VPX-assigned one
  • Assign a MAC that begins with 00:0C:29.
  • Note: 
    • Modify the .vmx file directly while the VM is registered in vCenter.
    • Reload or re-register the VM with manual edits unless no other API-based method is available.