"PCI to PCI Bridge" detected in loop

[ghamel]

I saw the replies to this issue in the "VMware Fusion Beta" forum (which is locked), but nothing for this forum.

Every time that I boot into my virtual machine, I get the ~32 requests to install the "PCI to PCI Bridge" driver.

All of them fail, and for all of them I check the "don't prompt me agin" box.

After going through the installation procedure enough times, I eventually stop seeing the "PCI to PCI Bridge" notification. However, if I then reboot my VM, I get the new hardware installation requests all over again.

I am using a VM that was imported from a bootcamp partition.

VM is running Windows XP Pro SP3

I'm running on a MacBook Pro using Mac OS 10.5.5.

I just upgraded from VMware Fusion 1.1.3.

Any thoughts?

[bigstick]

Thanks for your helpful responses!

It's an HP version I think. I have so many Windows licenses of different types that I can't be certain. Each time I get a new machine I get a new licence so I have a few. I have 2 machines bought from new and upgraded and had otherwise redundant machines from the office for upgrading. These also have legit XP licences. I used to tinker with PCs a lot before I got my MacBook Pro.

I thinkmy version of XP is an HP version with SP2 slipstreamed into it - but can't be 100% sure.

Does this mean that when I get the driver installation dialog I can insert a retail CD and the drivers will install correctly from there?

Also, when you say I can't attach PCI Express devices, does this include the Express Card slot on the MBP and does it also mean that performance (particularly for graphics) isn't optimum until this is installed?

I have found SketchUp in particular very slow so this might partly explain it.

[bgertzfield]

It's an HP version I think. I have so many Windows licenses of different types that I can't be certain. Each time I get a new machine I get a new licence so I have a few. I have 2 machines bought from new and upgraded and had otherwise redundant machines from the office for upgrading. These also have legit XP licences. I used to tinker with PCs a lot before I got my MacBook Pro.

I thinkmy version of XP is an HP version with SP2 slipstreamed into it - but can't be 100% sure.

Do you remember any more details (which HP, and what technique you used to slipstream SP2 onto it)? We really want to get to the bottom of this, but there are so many ways to install Windows, we haven't been able to figure out which triggers the problem.

Does this mean that when I get the driver installation dialog I can insert a retail CD and the drivers will install correctly from there?

The driver is installing correctly already; the problem is that Windows is not supposed to prompt at all. If you go through the dialog 32 times (we add four 8-lane PCI Express bridges), it should no longer prompt you.

Also, when you say I can't attach PCI Express devices, does this include the Express Card slot on the MBP and does it also mean that performance (particularly for graphics) isn't optimum until this is installed?

No, the PCI bridges are unrelated to both Express Card and graphics, although upgrading your hardware version will give you better 3D graphics for different reasons.

I have found SketchUp in particular very slow so this might partly explain it.

While I haven't tried it myself, SketchUp is available for Mac OS X, so you could try running it outside your virtual machine.

Ben

[bigstick]

I don't actually remember which version. It may have been one which I experimented with XPlite on. At one stage I played around with nLite and XPlite for my SFF Biostar which had a number of problems. I played around with a retail version and the OEM SP2 slipstreamed version with these applications. I tried using the OEM version as a base because it saved me the bother of slipstreaming the SP. I spent about a week with this trying different things. I in the process, I copied the original OEM CD and the individual SP2 CD.

As a rule, I don't touch my original CDs, I have my 'Windows collection' in their original cases. They are for situations where I really can't fix problems and I need to go back factory settings.

I go through the dialog cancelling 32 times, but have to do it every time I restart the machine. Am I supposed to accept the installation 32 times instead?

I have both XP and OS X SketchUp installed, but as I help out with development of a SketchUp plugin, I need the Windows version more than the Mac version. The poor performance is a pain actually.

[RDPetruska]

What does this driver do, and what are the implications of changing the .vmx file?

It allows PCI Bridge devices to exist, which allows your guest VM to have more than 6 virtual PCI devies. The video card, network cards, scsi controller cards, usb 2 controller card, audio card all take up PCI slots.

[bgertzfield]

I don't actually remember which version. It may have been one which I experimented with XPlite on. At one stage I played around with nLite and XPlite for my SFF Biostar which had a number of problems. I played around with a retail version and the OEM SP2 slipstreamed version with these applications. I tried using the OEM version as a base because it saved me the bother of slipstreaming the SP. I spent about a week with this trying different things. I in the process, I copied the original OEM CD and the individual SP2 CD.

Is there any way we can get a copy of this slipstreamed CD? We won't be able to solve it until we see what you've done

I go through the dialog cancelling 32 times, but have to do it every time I restart the machine. Am I supposed to accept the installation 32 times instead?

Can you accept the dialog instead of cancelling?

[bigstick]

Possibly, I'll have a look at my CD collection over the weekend. Should be okay. In the meantime I'll accept the dialogs and hunt for my CD.

Thanks for your help with this!

[philholt]

Hi, I have the same problem everyone else is complaining about. I upgraded fusion and started getting the "pci to pci" briodge error. Finally, I took one of the suggestions below and backed down to the earlier version. I still get the "Pci to Pci" bridge error but not 32 times. Before the upgrade I was able to install the drivers for the HP Photosmart P1000 printer. Now I cannot. No matter what I do it won;t install on the virtual machine. I have attempted three times and uninstalled using the HP software each time.

I AM able to use the networked HP Photosmart printer when it is USB'd to my desktop PC. Right now I am using the desktop PC to clean the heads to assure the blank spaces are due to dried heads, and not some other software glitch on my virtual machine. I needn't tell you that this experience is the curse of the software patch world, and I will never recommend this as a surrogate for a PC laptop. Everything work perfectly until I upgraded the Fusion software.

Phillip

[fnazar]

Hi

There is some help here: http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-7870

Worked for me!

[EdSteinman]

This works. There are 32 PCI devices listed in the Device Manager so repeat the install 32 times. It looks like aloop but it's actually just stepping through the 32 devices. You should see the Device Manager list change as in the attached screenshot. The "PCI to PCI Bridge" entries will change to "PCI Standard PCI-to_PCI bridge" as you proceed as shown. VMware has naother solution here: http://communities.vmware.com/docs/DOC-7870

[sebnic]

Hi!

For me, the definitive solution for this issue was edit a vmx file and:

1. set the parameter pciBrige0.present = "FALSE"

2. delete all line that contain any reference to pciBrige0.present

3. save file and power on VM

When VM start and you logon, windows find new hardware once per device and issue is solved.

Please forgive me for my poor english.

Regards!

-

---

Hola,

la manera en la que resolvi este problema de forma definitiva fue editar el archivo vmx:

1. setear el parametro pciBrige0.present = "FALSE"

2. eliminar todas las lineas que hagan referencia a pciBrige0.present

3. guardar los cambios y encender la VM

Una vez que nos loguemos, windows encontrara nuevo hardware (el definido en las lineas del archivo vmx que borramos) y una vez finalizado el problema estara resuelto.

Saludos!

[wedan]

HI,

I have the same problem... But the "definitive solution" don't work for me. In my vmx file pciBridge9.present = True... And appear only one time.

I'm new with VMware and I don't know if I have to delete it in this case... ¿Could you tell me something about it?

Idem: Please forgive me for my poor english

Thanks,

Hola,

como veo que somos del mismo idioma, sólo lo he puesto en inglés por cortesía hacia otros que busquen lo mismo.

Me he encontrado con el mismo problema pero aparece como pciBridge.present = True, y sólo aparece una vez.

Soy nuevo en esto de VMware y no sé si debo borrarlo o no... ¿Me puedes decir algo al respecto?

Muchas gracias y saludos.

[continuum]

post your vmx-file please




___________________________________

VMX-parameters- Workstation FAQ -[ MOA-liveCD|http://sanbarrow.com/moa241.html] - VM-Sickbay

[wedan]

Thanks.

[continuum]

removed unused PCI-bridges

.encoding = "UTF-8"
MemAllowAutoScaleDown = "FALSE"
bios.bootOrder = "ethernet2"
bios.hddOrder = "scsi0:0"
buslogic.noDriver = "FALSE"
checkpoint.vmState = ""
cleanShutdown = "TRUE"
config.version = "8"
displayName = "Windows XP Professional"
ehci.pciSlotNumber = "37"
ehci.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:74:0b:c6"
ethernet0.generatedAddressOffset = "0"
ethernet0.pciSlotNumber = "33"
ethernet0.present = "TRUE"
ethernet0.startConnected = "TRUE"
ethernet1.addressType = "generated"
ethernet1.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet1.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:74:0b:d0"
ethernet1.generatedAddressOffset = "10"
ethernet1.pciSlotNumber = "34"
ethernet1.present = "TRUE"
ethernet1.startConnected = "TRUE"
ethernet2.addressType = "generated"
ethernet2.connectionType = "nat"
ethernet2.generatedAddress = "00:0c:29:74:0b:da"
ethernet2.generatedAddressOffset = "20"
ethernet2.pciSlotNumber = "35"
ethernet2.present = "TRUE"
ethernet2.startConnected = "TRUE"
extendedConfigFile = "Windows XP Professional.vmxf"
floppy0.present = "FALSE"
guestOS = "winxppro"
gui.fullScreenAtPowerOn = "FALSE"
gui.fullScreenOnAllHostDisplays = "FALSE"
gui.viewModeAtPowerOn = "windowed"
hgfs.linkRootShare = "TRUE"
hgfs.mapRootShare = "TRUE"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder.maxNum = "3"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder0.enabled = "FALSE"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder0.name = "documents"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder1.enabled = "FALSE"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder1.name = "music"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder2.enabled = "FALSE"
hgfs.redirectShellFolder2.name = "pictures"
ide0:0.autodetect = "FALSE"
ide0:0.deviceType = "cdrom-raw"
ide0:0.filename = "cdrom0"
ide0:0.present = "TRUE"
ide0:0.startConnected = "TRUE"
isolation.tools.hgfs.disable = "FALSE"
memsize = "2048"
mks.enable3d = "TRUE"
numvcpus = "2"
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge0.present = "TRUE"
pciBridge4.functions = "8"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge4.present = "false"
pciBridge4.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge5.functions = "8"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge5.present = "false"
pciBridge5.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge6.functions = "8"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge6.present = "false"
pciBridge6.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
pciBridge7.functions = "8"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"
pciBridge7.present = "false"
pciBridge7.virtualDev = "pcieRootPort"
powerType.powerOff = "soft"
powerType.powerOn = "soft"
powerType.reset = "soft"
powerType.suspend = "soft"
printers.enabled = "TRUE"
replay.filename = ""
replay.supported = "FALSE"
rollingTier0.clientFlags = "8"
rollingTier0.displayName = "Snapshot de AutoProtect"
rollingTier0.interval = "86400"
rollingTier0.live = "TRUE"
rollingTier0.maximum = "2"
rollingTier0.timeSincelast = "31541"
rollingTier0.uid = "1"
rollingTier1.baseTier = "1"
rollingTier1.baseTierInterval = "7"
rollingTier1.baseTierSnapshotCount = "1"
rollingTier1.clientFlags = "8"
rollingTier1.displayName = "Snapshot de AutoProtect"
rollingTier1.interval = "604800"
rollingTier1.live = "TRUE"
rollingTier1.maximum = "2"
rollingTier1.timeSincelast = "35640"
rollingTier1.uid = "2"
rollingTier2.baseTier = "1"
rollingTier2.baseTierInterval = "28"
rollingTier2.baseTierSnapshotCount = "1"
rollingTier2.clientFlags = "8"
rollingTier2.displayName = "Snapshot de AutoProtect"
rollingTier2.interval = "2419200"
rollingTier2.live = "TRUE"
rollingTier2.maximum = "2"
rollingTier2.timeSincelast = "35640"
rollingTier2.uid = "3"
scsi0.pciSlotNumber = "16"
scsi0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0.virtualDev = "buslogic"
scsi0:0.fileName = "Windows XP Professional.vmdk"
scsi0:0.present = "TRUE"
scsi0:0.redo = ""
serial0.fileType = "thinprint"
serial0.present = "TRUE"
sharedFolder.maxNum = "1"
sharedFolder0.enabled = "TRUE"
sharedFolder0.expiration = "never"
sharedFolder0.guestName = "Compartida"
sharedFolder0.hostPath = "/Volumes/Compartida"
sharedFolder0.present = "TRUE"
sharedFolder0.readAccess = "TRUE"
sharedFolder0.shareTags = ""
sharedFolder0.writeAccess = "TRUE"
sharedFolder1.enabled = "TRUE"
sharedFolder1.expiration = "never"
sharedFolder1.guestName = "Mi Imv°genes"
sharedFolder1.hostPath = "/Users/brauliopena/Pictures"
sharedFolder1.present = "FALSE"
sharedFolder1.readAccess = "TRUE"
sharedFolder1.shareTags = "auto,pictures"
sharedFolder1.writeAccess = "TRUE"
sharedFolder2.enabled = "TRUE"
sharedFolder2.expiration = "never"
sharedFolder2.guestName = "Mi Imv°genes"
sharedFolder2.hostPath = "/Users/brauliopena/Pictures"
sharedFolder2.present = "FALSE"
sharedFolder2.readAccess = "TRUE"
sharedFolder2.shareTags = "auto,pictures"
sharedFolder2.writeAccess = "TRUE"
snapshot.numRollingTiers = "3"
sound.autodetect = "TRUE"
sound.filename = "-1"
sound.pciSlotNumber = "36"
sound.present = "TRUE"
tools.remindInstall = "FALSE"
tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
unity.wasCapable = "FALSE"
usb.autoConnect.device0 = ""
usb.autoConnect.device1 = ""
usb.autoConnect.device2 = "path:6/0/1/1 autoclean:1"
usb.autoConnect.device3 = ""
usb.pciSlotNumber = "32"
usb.present = "TRUE"
usb:0.deviceType = "mouse"
usb:0.present = "TRUE"
usb:1.deviceType = "hub"
usb:1.present = "TRUE"
uuid.bios = "56 4d 55 5d e0 9d f6 05-88 63 d6 2e 70 74 0b c6"
uuid.location = "56 4d 55 5d e0 9d f6 05-88 63 d6 2e 70 74 0b c6"
virtualHW.productCompatibility = "hosted"
virtualHW.version = "7"
vmci0.id = "1886653382"
vmci0.pciSlotNumber = "38"
vmci0.present = "TRUE"
vmotion.checkpointFBSize = "134217728"

by the way - you have Autoprotect enabled - why ?




___________________________________

VMX-parameters- Workstation FAQ -[ MOA-liveCD|http://sanbarrow.com/moa241.html] - VM-Sickbay

[wedan]

First of all... Thanks very much. But I'm absolute novice with mac and vmware..

I don't know the "unused PCI-bridges", and I try to copy/paste your text but it doesn't work (VMware say there is a problem with the dictionary, first I copy/paste directly and after; i repeat the operation with copy/past first in the text editor but the problem continues)

¿Autoprotect enabled...? . What is the best and what I have to do?

Thanks again

[continuum]

Hi

copy the text into a new file and replace your existing vmx-file with it




___________________________________

VMX-parameters- Workstation FAQ -[ MOA-liveCD|http://sanbarrow.com/moa241.html] - VM-Sickbay

[wedan]

No way. It doesn't work.

I still say that there is an error when trying to run VMware with this file.

Don't worry more. I will try to redo the migration.

Thank you very much.

[sebnic]

Hola Wedan,

justamente, en el archivo de configuracion VMX pon el parametro pciBridge.present =FALSE y encende nuevamente la VM. Te va a reconocer el dispositivo solo una vez (la necesaria) y no mas.

Saludos y disculpas por no haber contestado antes.

-

---

Hi Wedan,

just set pciBridge.present = False in VMX file. After that, try to power on this VM.

Best regards!

[GuruBuilt]

Just thought I'd chime in. I had the issue, tried setting the hardware false, corrupted my vm. Got pissed, hard power off vm.

1st) Removed all unused hardware, extra CD drive, printer, etc.

2nd) Specified host sound card settings. (was "use default" prior)

3rd) Specified Monitor settings. (was "use default" prior)

4th) Enhanced virtual keyboard to "Use if available"

5th) Probably what did it, but really not sure what "fixed it"... Right clicked vm / Manage / Change Hardware compatability. I was at 8, set it to 6.5-7.x

Hope that helps.   😃