ESXi psod PF Exception 14 in world ********:vmm***: IP 0x************

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

ESXi experiences a psod and produces the following backtrace:

Panic Message: @BlueScreen: #PF Exception 14 in world ********:vmm: IP 0x************ addr 0x************
Backtrace:
  TimerNextExpiry@vmkernel#nover+0x53 stack: 
  Timer_BHHandler@vmkernel#nover+0xa4 stack: 
  BH_DrainAndDisableInterrupts@vmkernel#nover+0x96 stack:
  IntrCookie_VmkernelInterrupt@vmkernel#nover+0xa9 stack: 
  IDT_IntrHandler@vmkernel#nover+0x97 stack:
  gate_entry@vmkernel#nover+0x68 stack:
  Power_ArchPerformWait@vmkernel#nover+0xd4 stack:
  Power_ArchSetCState@vmkernel#nover+0xba stack:
  CpuSchedIdleLoopInt@vmkernel#nover+0x285 stack:
  CpuSchedDispatch@vmkernel#nover+0x1f12 stack:
  CpuSchedWait@vmkernel#nover+0x353 stack:
  CpuSchedVcpuHaltWork@vmkernel#nover+0x157 stack:
  VMMVMKCall_Call@vmkernel#nover+0x10b stack:
  VMKVMM_ArchEnterVMKernel@vmkernel#nover+0xe stack:

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8x

Cause

A misbehaving cpu module attempts to retrieve an incorrect memory address then the correct one causing a page fault.

Resolution

Contact hardware vendor to preform stress test of cpu modules.

Ensure bios & hardware on the server are up to date.

cpu replacement by vendor.