Windows VM fails IP customization and is powered off after failover

Products

• VMware Live Recovery

Issue/Introduction

During a VMware Live Recovery (VLSR) test or failover, multiple Windows virtual machines (VMs) fail to recover correctly. Specific symptoms include:

• Virtual machines power on for IP customization but time out and are automatically powered off by the recovery plan.
• Virtual machine will show as powered off
• The recovery plan reports that VMware Tools did not start within the 5-minute timeout window.
• Manual power on of the VM reveals a "Windows Update" screen (often at 0% or stuck at a low percentage) preventing the OS from booting.

Environment

VMware Live Recovery (All Versions)
Windows Guest OS

Cause

When a Windows VM is powered on during the recovery process, it may automatically begin installing pending Windows Updates. This process can prevent the operating system from fully booting and starting the VMware Tools service.

Because the recovery engine (VLSR) has a hard timeout (typically 5 minutes) to reach VMware Tools for IP customization, the plan will instruct the VM to power down if tools are not detected within that window. This results in the recovery plan completing with the VMs in a powered-off state and without the correct network configuration.

Resolution

To resolve this issue and restore connectivity, the updates must be allowed to complete manually:

1. 1. Manual Power On: Manually power on the affected virtual machines in vCenter.
   2. Complete Updates: Wait for the Windows Update process to finish and for the guest OS to reach the login screen.
   3. Verify VMware Tools: Ensure that VMware Tools is running and reporting as 'Current' or 'Supported' in vCenter.
   4. Manual Network Configuration: Since the automated customization timed out, the IP customization must be performed manually:
      • Update the VM's network adapter settings in the vCenter 'Edit Settings' menu to ensure it is connected to the correct port group.
      • Log into the guest OS and manually update the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS settings.
   5. Verification: Test network connectivity (e.g., pinging the gateway) to ensure the VM is reachable on the recovery network.

Additional Information

To avoid this during future failover events, ensure that Windows Updates are fully applied and the VM is rebooted at the protected site before the next replication cycle. Alternatively, consider disabling automatic updates or using a maintenance window to ensure no updates are pending during critical recovery windows.