Unable to access VM Image webserver after period of inactivity...

[WartookMan]

I'm running VM Workstation 7.1.4 (Build 385536). I have a Red Hat Linux (RHEL 5.6) installation running inside a VM Image. I am also running a webserver (IBM WebSphere Portal 7) running on port 10039. If I start up the VM Image, start Portal and try to access the webserver start page (http://server:10039/wps/portal), everything works fine.

After some period of inactivity, the running VM Image turns off the display (it's just a blank box), unless I move the mouse over the window, bring focus to the window, and click a key. I haven't worked out whether this is the point at which the network fails, or whether it is being caused by something else, however, I'm unable to access the webserver start page - server timeout.

I also have a WinSCP application connected to the VM Image, and this also loses connection to the running Image.

I tried searching within the forum for a similar topic, but I'm not quite sure what I'm searching for.

Thank you.

[WartookMan]

Ok... further testing. I have another laptop (Dell XPS 1330) connected to the same wireless router. I am able to PING the VM Image successfully, and even access the webserver via a browser. On the VM Image (Red Hat), I'm able to PING the Dell laptop and get a response.

I am NOT able to ping the Host from within the VM Image, and I'm not able to ping the VM Image from the Host.

I'm reluctant to shutdown the VM Image and reboot the Host, just to get it working again. There is obviously something that has failed / is configured wrong that is causing an issue.

[continuum]

disable all energy saving functions inside the VM - that is the most common cause for this

if that does not help attach a vmware.log next time the VM goes to sleep

[WartookMan]

I've gone through all of the Workstation Preferences (Edit --> Preferences) and the VM Settings (VM --> Settings) - I'm unable to find anything that's even remotely similar to power save options.

Could you be more specific? Alternatively, is there a RHEL 5 setting that I need to change within the VM Image OS?

Thank you.

[continuum]

I meant the settings inside the VM itself

it would help if you attach the vmware.log

[WartookMan]

I've been sent the VM Image to do development work on - I'm using an IBM package within the VM - so I'm not at all savvy with VM or Red Hat.

> I meant the settings inside the VM itself

I have no idea what settings I'm meant to change. I don't even know how to stop the screen (within the VM) turning off after (say) 10 minutes of no activity.

Next time it happens, I'll try to upload the logs and document what steps, what settings (IP addresses) are set for you to diagnose. I have made one change to my setup, though, and that is to physically connect the Host to the router via a Cat-5 cable - rather than via wireless.