ESXi host experienced PSOD "@BlueScreen: NMI IPI: Panic requested by another PCPU"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi PSOD event occurs with the following backtrace. 

Panic Details: Crash at 2026-07-25T04:39:06.602Z on CPU 37 running world 2097462 - PathTaskmgmtWatchdog. VMK Uptime:46:15:33:11.308
Panic Message: @BlueScreen: NMI IPI: Panic requested by another PCPU. PC 0x420006169e37, SP 0x453bc9b1ba30 (Src 0x1, CPU37)
Backtrace:
  0x452b80252d30:[0x42000617bb40]PanicvPanicInt@vmkernel#nover+0x20c stack: 0x3337, 0x42000617bb40, 0x0, 0x420000000001, 0x42000617bb40
  0x452b80252de0:[0x42000617c316]Panic_WithBacktrace@vmkernel#nover+0x57 stack: 0x452b80252e50, 0x452b80252e00, 0x453bc9b1f000, 0x452b80252eaf, 0x420006169e37
  0x452b80252e50:[0x420006178221]NMI_Interrupt@vmkernel#nover+0x516 stack: 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0
  0x452b80252f10:[0x4200066a0404]IDTNMIWork@vmkernel#nover+0x95 stack: 0x0, 0x4200066a186d, 0x0, 0x42000669b0c7, 0x750
  0x452b80252f30:[0x4200066a186c]Int2_NMI@vmkernel#nover+0x9 stack: 0x750, 0x750, 0x0, 0x1521138, 0x177e
  0x452b80252f40:[0x42000669b0c6]gate_entry@vmkernel#nover+0xa7 stack: 0x0, 0x1521138, 0x177e, 0x2c65eea8818ec6, 0x151d11a
  0x453bc9b1ba30:[0x420006169e37]LogWarningWithPcpu@vmkernel#nover+0x1cf stack: 0x453bc9b1ba50, 0x8000000100000001, 0x363230326d375b1b, 0x305435322d37302d, 0x2e39323a36333a33
  0x453bc9b1bb90:[0x42000616a6d4]_Warning@vmkernel#nover+0xb1 stack: 0x453bc9b1bc00, 0x453bc9b1bbb0, 0x5e, 0x67c, 0xffffffff
  0x453bc9b1bc00:[0x4200060286ed]Lock_CheckSpinCount@vmkernel#nover+0x146 stack: 0x430d434057d0, 0x10000000, 0x4200494016c0, 0x41ffc64b0c80, 0x453bc9b1be80
  0x453bc9b1bc50:[0x42000616dc60]MCSLockSpin@vmkernel#nover+0x71 stack: 0x41ffc64b0c80, 0x26, 0x4200494016c0, 0x42000616e282, 0x453c0149f000
  0x453bc9b1bc80:[0x42000616e281]MCSLockWait@vmkernel#nover+0x14a stack: 0x0, 0x42000616e82e, 0x4317e6a04870, 0x420006492638, 0x40
  0x453bc9b1bca0:[0x42000616e82d]MCSLockWork@vmkernel#nover+0x2a stack: 0x40, 0x4317e6a00000, 0x2828, 0x420006184d73, 0x4317e6a02040
  0x453bc9b1bcb0:[0x420006492637]Sched_GroupPathNameToID@vmkernel#nover+0x18 stack: 0x2828, 0x420006184d73, 0x4317e6a02040, 0x42000613aec5, 0x500000000
  0x453bc9b1bd10:[0x42000649397c]Sched_WorldGroupInit@vmkernel#nover+0x3d stack: 0x453c0149f000, 0x453bc9b1be20, 0x453c0149f000, 0x0, 0x80000000
  0x453bc9b1bd60:[0x4200061b116f]WorldGroupInit@vmkernel#nover+0x17c stack: 0x0, 0x453bc9b1be20, 0x0, 0x2, 0x420006853c30
  0x453bc9b1bda0:[0x42000615ece5]InitTable_Init@vmkernel#nover+0x3a stack: 0xffffffffffffffef, 0x453bc9b1be80, 0xe3a77d, 0x420006853c00, 0x0
  0x453bc9b1bdf0:[0x4200061b299e]WorldNewInt@vmkernel#nover+0x277 stack: 0xffffffff, 0x453c0149f000, 0xffffffffffffffff, 0xffffffffffffffff, 0x453c0149f000
  0x453bc9b1be70:[0x4200061b2d7c]WorldNewDefaultWorld@vmkernel#nover+0xd1 stack: 0x4200066f75b1, 0x100000000, 0x200000000, 0x0, 0x42000649d704
  0x453bc9b1bf20:[0x4200061b39c2]World_NewSysWorldSched@vmkernel#nover+0x37 stack: 0x4200068647a0, 0x453bc9b1bf4c, 0x4200066f75b1, 0x0, 0x41ffc64f5910
  0x453bc9b1bf70:[0x4200065c2ace]PsaStorTaskMgmtWorldWatchdog@vmkernel#nover+0x13b stack: 0x0, 0x4200065c2aae, 0x0, 0x100000001, 0x0
  0x453bc9b1bfe0:[0x4200066d67b2]CpuSched_StartWorld@vmkernel#nover+0xbf stack: 0x0, 0x420006144c70, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0
  0x453bc9b1c000:[0x420006144c6f]Debug_IsInitialized@vmkernel#nover+0xc stack: 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0, 0x0

Environment

VMware ESX

Cause

This vmkernel crash can be caused by either hardware or software issues.

Resolution

This kind of PSOD needs to analyzed by Broadcom to determine if it is caused by hardware or software. If you encounter this backtrace, gather an ESX support bundle and open a case with Broadcom Support.