ESXi host reports CRT HW SOFT ERROR in vmkernel logs for network controllers

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

VMware ESXi hosts report repeated hardware soft errors in the `vmkernel.log`.
Symptoms include:
* Log entries: `health_check: CRT HW SOFT ERROR: Code=0x11F4 Reg=te_nic_int_sts_1`
* Log entries: `health_check: CRT HW SOFT ERROR: Code=0x0924 Reg=rxp_int_sts_2`
* Potential intermittent network flapping or degraded throughput.

Environment

VMware ESXi 8.0U3

Cause

Transient hardware interrupt or memory bit-flip within the NIC's internal registers corrected by the device firmware.

Resolution

1.  Capture the `vmnic` name associated with the hardware address `0x8243001C` and `0x80214E18` using `vmsupport` or `esxcfg-nics -l`.
2.  Validate the NIC Driver and Firmware versions against the VMware Compatibility Guide.
3.  Update the NIC firmware to the latest vendor-approved version to improve error-handling logic.
4.  If the error persists after firmware updates, replace the physical NIC or motherboard if the NIC is Onboard (LoM).

Additional Information

[Broadcom Maintenance Policy Handbook](https://docs.broadcom.com/doc/broadcom-maintenance-policy-handbook)