Event ID 100 Reported from vmauthd on Windows Vista Host after switching to Workstation 6.0.1

[Bleistein]

We were running VMWare Workstation on a Windows Vista (Ultimate) Host. Version 6.0.0 worked without generating error events in the event log. After switching to Version 6.0.1 (and using our previously working VM's the following event is recorded in the event log everytime we start VMWare workstation for every known virtual machine:

Cannot connect to VMX: .vmx

Log Name: Application

Source: vmauthd

Event ID: 100

We enabled logging for the vmauthd process and got the following log entries:

Sep 21 08:52:00.088: app| Log for VMware Workstation pid=4708 version=6.0.1 build=build-55017 option=Release

Sep 21 08:52:00.091: app| Hostname=MAC

Sep 21 08:52:00.091: app| Log file is vmauthd.log

Sep 21 08:52:00.333: app| totalPhysicalMemoryInBytes = 3202101248, totalPhysicalMemoryInPages=781763

Sep 21 08:52:00.333: app| Slack(1024) Skip (1)

Sep 21 08:52:00.333: app| minPercentTotalMemForMonitor=50

Sep 21 08:52:00.333: app| minTotalMemForMonitorInPages=390881

Sep 21 08:52:00.334: app| HostFilterInit: No host policy file found or HQ not enabled and no policy server configured. Not initializing filter.

Sep 21 08:52:00.335: app| Service Started.

Sep 21 08:52:05.333: app| Initialize hardLimit.

Sep 21 08:52:10.379: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (8748). Scale limit down to 586400

Sep 21 08:52:11.716: app| Username associated with named pipe: mb

Sep 21 08:52:11.717: app| HOSTINFO 197827853717 @ 14318180Hz -> 0 @ 1000000Hz

+Sep 21 08:52:11.717: app| HOSTINFO ((x * 2399728063) >> 35) + -13816550263+

Sep 21 08:52:11.729: app| CreateFile on pipe
.\pipe\C:\Users\mb\Virtual Machines\Windows Vista\Windows Vista.vmx failed 2.

Sep 21 08:52:11.729: app| Cannot connect to VMX: C:\Users\mb\Virtual Machines\Windows Vista\Windows Vista.vmx

Sep 21 08:52:15.400: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (11195). Scale limit down to 586383

Sep 21 08:52:20.420: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (15857). Scale limit down to 586369

Sep 21 08:52:25.448: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (15588). Scale limit down to 585405

Sep 21 08:52:30.471: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (15801). Scale limit down to 584544

Sep 21 08:52:35.492: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (14536). Scale limit down to 582192

Sep 21 08:52:40.515: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (12356). Scale limit down to 581442

Sep 21 08:52:45.535: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (11594). Scale limit down to 580623

Sep 21 08:52:50.558: app| HardLimitMonitor. Too many page faults (13889). Scale limit down to 579812

The system works without any visible problems. Any idea how to get rid of the error logs in the application event log?

[siapplebaum]

I am seeing the exact same behavior with Workstation 6.0.2 under Vista (UAC dsiabled). Does anyone have any additional information?

[siapplebaum]

This error also exists when using Windows XP Host for versions >= 6.0.1. Note that the HardLimitMonitor error/warnings are present in 6.0.0 -- they are not propogating to the event viewer and appear to be unrelated to the fundamental error;

6.0.1 and 6.0.2 introduce the statements of the form

Oct 26 00:59:21.045: app| Username associated with named pipe: Stephen

Oct 26 00:59:21.049: app| HOSTINFO 5070587500 @ 3579545Hz -> 0 @ 1000000Hz

Oct 26 00:59:21.049: app| HOSTINFO ((x * 2399728063) >> 33) + -1416545258

Oct 26 00:59:21.099: app| CreateFile on pipe
.\pipe\E:\Virtual Machines\Kids\Windows 98.vmx failed 2.

Oct 26 00:59:21.100: app| Cannot connect to VMX: E:\Virtual Machines\Kids\Windows 98.vmx

Oct 26 00:59:21.344: app| Username associated with named pipe: Stephen

Oct 26 00:59:21.360: app| CreateFile on pipe
.\pipe\E:\Virtual Machines\Windows XP Professional\Windows XP Professional.vmx failed 2.

Oct 26 00:59:21.360: app| Cannot connect to VMX: E:\Virtual Machines\Windows XP Professional\Windows XP Professional.vmx

I've tried altering permissions to give full control of these directories to "everyone" -- no change.

[plwe]

Same here, WinXP SP2 with Workstation 6.0.1 running with unrestricted rights (Administrator).

Now I've identified the correlation when these event log entries are created. Every time I open a virtual machine (it's not necessary to start the vm) in the VMware Workstation program (File -> Open...) I get one eventlog entry.

[siapplebaum]

Yes, I know that it is correlated with a VM being loaded into Workstation, regardless of Windows host OS. I have tried to engage official support with regards to this, but I've received little help. I gather we have to hope it gets resolved in 6.0.3

Still no insight on the hardlimit warnings, which are of concern but not littering the event viewer, at least...

[LYSoft]

I also get this problem on VMware WS 6.0.2 for host OS XP x64 SP2

Cannot connect to VMX: L:\Platform\Windows 2003.vmx:-(

[Alex_]

I get those application event log errors for each of my tabbed VMs...

I'm running VM WS 6.0.2 build 59824 on WinXP SP2...

[diskin]

I copied my virtual machines on a new HDD, and one machine failed to start with the same message. The failure occured both in old and new locations. I found out that several files (.log, .vmx, .vmdk) become read only (not sure why!), and after removing this attribute the problem was solved.

Regards,

Dmitry.

[siapplebaum]

I double checked all attributes (via command line) -- all files and folders are standard (not hidden, system, read-only). I've tried indexing vs not -- archive bit vs not. No difference -- I still get the error.

Steve

[krytie]

I am running VMware Worstation 6.0.2 build-59824 on Win2003 64bit & get exactly the same errors everytime i resume my guest machines.

Has anyone found a solotion for this yet?

Edit

If not, isn't it about time VMware responded to this, it seems to be far too common to be user error

[JoFu]

Same here using VMWare Server 2.0 beta 2.

Cannot connect to VMX: E:\Virtual Machines\Server 2003\Server 2003.vmx

source: vmauthd

eventid: 100

[Rover_Shen]

I've ever met this issue too. At last, I found it was due to MAC unmatch. You need to update you MAC settings in your guest OS.

[frochard]

Hi,

What do you mean by MAC ... Do you mean Media Access Control address (the material adress of the network card) ? If so, it doesn't work ...

[Aketaton]

I'm having this issue too.

Vista business SP1 and Workstation 6.5 beta (just installed after using 6.0).

I cannot power on any virtual machine, I always get the eventid 100.

Any update?

Thank you.

F.

[rocketero]

Thursday, September 25th 2008

I also have this annoying problem as it fills up the event viewer and I think sometimes there are so many of this errors posted to event viewer that my windows vista crash and reboots.

I am using VMware Workstation 6.0.4

Cannot connect to VMX: O:\Downloads\VMWare_VirtualMachines\Ubuntu 8.04.1 Server VMware image (398 MB)\ubuntu8041server\Ubuntu.vmx

Error 9/3/2008 2:34:13 AM vmauthd 100 None

[admin]

They're innocuous errors, but they're not supposed to show up in the Windows Event Log.

Thanks for reporting this.

[junk_dealer]

hi everyone,

i think that this error happens due to a virus. Because i have formatted my vista machine and return from ghost image, then install vmware 6.0.3.

There is no problem for one week.

This virus cannot be cleaned any anti-virus software but Kaspersky can find that...

[admin]

I suppose it's possible that a virus could trigger it too, but there is definitely a bug in our code that causes it.

[darkrain777]

Hi everyone, I have been running Version 6.5 on two computers and stumbled across a fix for this problem at

From that link:

" In my case, VMware was trying to access network adapters but the adapters were unfortunately missing the "VMware Bridge Protocol", thus, causing the vmauthd service to fail. In your Network Connections folder, go to the properties of each network adapter (except the virtual VMware adapters...VMnet1, VMnet8, etc). Under the "This connection uses the following items:" section, be sure you have "VMware Bridge Protocol" installed and that it is checked. If it is not installed, click "Install" --> "Service" --> "Add" --> "Have Disk" --> Browse to your "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation". Click OK. This should find the netbridge.inf file and let you choose the Bridging protocol again."

I don't know yet if it solved the problem because I don't know how to force that problem to happen again, but it makes sense.

[Merlin1]

NOP. By me the bridge protokol is OK, but still have the error log. Even I have the most upgraded version of workstation: 6.5 on XPx64 SP2. It's something else, but I also can't figure out its cause...