Network connection icon always shows disconnected

[TahoeDave]

I just upgraded from Workstation Pro 14 to 16, running on a Linux (Ubuntu) host with a a Windows 8 VM.

At the bottom right of the main window are icons which show the connection status of various devices.  The Network icon always shows it is disconnect (red box with x) regardless of actual connection status.  If I click on the icon, it does correctly give me a Connect or Disconnect option - depending on current status, but the icon always indicates the network is disconnected.

The virtual devices also show they are disconnected (I think they always showed connected under Workstation 14)

[acoetzer]

Hi Dave,

By the looks of the image you provided, It seems to indicate that your drive is connected and able to make communication with the guest.

I could only ask, have you been able to check under VM > Settings or Ctrl + D, that those desired devices are indeed connected.

The image above should have a blue tick on the Connected check box.

Another random question,
Is the virtual machine a fresh install or perhaps a new install of ubuntu host?

if that is the case, then this link could provide answers to you:
Move a Virtual Machine to a New Location or Host 

I hope you come right.

[TahoeDave]

In the image I attached, the network adapter is connected, but the icon shows that it is not.  The network connection icon doesn't change regardless of connection status. 

In my case,  network adapter, the sound card, and the CD/ISO image icons don't change when they are connected. All of the other ones do. 

[acoetzer]

I understand, and thanks for checking.
This might be a known issue, though I haven't seen anything related to this.

Still would like to know more information on your part, did you only upgrade the VM software or did you change hosts, if so were you given the option to copy or move after upgrading the software.

The information provided below was from a different post made by a mod named Wila.
Which relates to moving vm's though how it works when upgrading I have no idea.

"Use "File"-> "Open" and point it to the .vmx files.

On startup.. you're asked "did you copy or move" almost always answer "move"...

If you answer "Copy" your VM will get a new hardware ID's (MAC address etc..) and for Windows you'll have to re-activate when choosing copy instead of move." - Wila

For me the only thing i can think of apart from just being a bug is that maybe the hardware ID's don't match up and could be a possible reason for why you not seeing the correct connection display.

Or its a bug

[wila]

The mod named wila thinks it is unrelated 🙂

Smells like a bug to me.

It is possible that this is due to a specific configuration issue, but we would need a vmware.log file in order to be able to check that.

--
Wil

[TahoeDave]

I just upgraded Workstation Pro to 16 from 14 on an existing installation - didn't move anything.

I can attach a log file if someone at vmware really wants to look at it.  I don't know which log (hostd.log or vmware-usbarb-xxx.log or both have what's needed.   I don't think connecting or disconnecting to the network or sound card shows up in the log - but if I should take some action so that it shows up in the log before submitting, let me know).

[wila]

Hi,

For your information, the Community Forum is not an official support-forum and is not actively monitored by VMware Support or Product Managers.

This is a community based forum where VMware Workstation users help other users.

So most of the time -like now- you get an answer from a volunteer.

As a side note there are VMware employees who keep an eye on the forums and try to help out, but they might not see every post and most - if not all of them - are doing so in their own free time.

.. the log I meant was the vmware.log file and it can be found in the virtual machine folder itself.

--
Wil

[TahoeDave]

Thanks wila =

Understood. 

The purchase of Workstation Pro is supposed to come with 30 days of support, but I've discovered that there is no mechanism to invoke this support.  Filling out a support request gets stopped because I don't have any "entitlement" - which I would have assumed I would have 30 days of.  There doesn't seem to be any other way to just submit a bug - even if you  aren't expecting a response.  It would just be nice to know that a bug report ended up on a support queue - even if the priority was low.

Anyway - just in case someone at VMWare stumbles across this thread. - the changes in vmware.log when I disconnect and then reconnect the network are:

2022-02-06T02:40:56.266Z In(05) vmx TOOLS received request in VMX to set option 'synctime' -> '1'
2022-02-06T02:40:56.267Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.275Z In(05) vmx VMXVmdb_SetCfgState: cfgReqPath=/vm/#_VMX/vmx/cfgState/req/#1ab/, remDevPath=/vm/#_VMX/vmx/vigor/setCfgStateReq/#261/in/
2022-02-06T02:40:56.302Z In(05) vmx TOOLS received request in VMX to set option 'synctime' -> '1'
2022-02-06T02:40:56.302Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.320Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.441Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.449Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.449Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0C:29:73:A6:67"
2022-02-06T02:40:56.491Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000e"
2022-02-06T02:41:02.933Z In(05) vmx TOOLS received request in VMX to set option 'synctime' -> '1'
2022-02-06T02:41:02.933Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
2022-02-06T02:41:02.942Z In(05) vmx VMXVmdb_SetCfgState: cfgReqPath=/vm/#_VMX/vmx/cfgState/req/#1ac/, remDevPath=/vm/#_VMX/vmx/vigor/setCfgStateReq/#271/in/
2022-02-06T02:41:02.975Z In(05) vmx TOOLS received request in VMX to set option 'synctime' -> '1'
2022-02-06T02:41:02.976Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.syncTime = "TRUE"
2022-02-06T02:41:02.988Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting tools.upgrade.policy = "upgradeAtPowerCycle"
2022-02-06T02:41:03.007Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.connectionType = "nat"
2022-02-06T02:41:03.015Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.addressType = "generated"
2022-02-06T02:41:03.015Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.generatedAddress = "00:0C:29:73:A6:67"
2022-02-06T02:41:03.057Z No(00) vmx ConfigDB: Setting ethernet0.virtualDev = "e1000e"
2022-02-06T02:41:03.136Z In(05) vmx VNET: 'ethernet0' enable link state propagation, lsp.state = 5
2022-02-06T02:41:03.136Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetConnectToNetwork 'ethernet0' lsp.state = 4
2022-02-06T02:41:03.136Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetConnectToNetwork 'Ethernet0' notify available.
2022-02-06T02:41:03.137Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetLinkStateEventHandler: event, up:1, adapter:1
2022-02-06T02:41:03.137Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetLinkStateEventHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 4 to 6.
2022-02-06T02:41:03.244Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetLinkStateTimerHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 6 to 1.
2022-02-06T02:41:08.596Z In(05) vmx VNET: MACVNetLinkStateTimerHandler: 'ethernet0' state from 1 to 5.

I've done my bit to try and give feedback to improve the product. VMWare can do with it as they see fit.

thanks for the responses
-dave

[wila]

Hi Dave,

The reason I asked for the vmware.log file was so I could check some of the settings, but to be honest I didn't expect to find much 🙂
We'll have to see if VMware picks up on it.

--
Wil

[hcp-dmytro · Accepted solution]

I have the same problem with Workstation Pro 16.2.3, running on a Linux (RHEL 8.5)
Network adapter, the sound card, and the CD/ISO image icons don't change regardless of connection status, they always show that they are disconnected.
But I found that this problem appears only when the "Accelerate 3D graphics" option is enabled in the display settings of the virtual machine, if this option is disabled, then the icons work correctly.
I have "GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER" graphics card and NVIDIA native Linux driver. Looks like it's a bug in the software 🙂

[TahoeDave]

Hey hey - yes - this is exactly the situation.

Workstation Pro 16.2.3 running on Ubuntu Linux 20.04 hosting a Windows 8.1 VM.  I do have an Nvidia 3090 graphics card with Driver Version: 495.44.

Just as you say - if I turn off the Accelerate 3D Graphics, then the icons correctly reflect their connected state.  

Thanks for discovering how to resolve this and posting it!

[99107482]

Well it's yeah 2023.The version of 16.2.4 and 17 has been released but the bug is still alive.

FeelSadMan.

[peterle30]

Same here.

Running Linux Mint 21 with wmware 17 as host and Ubuntu Studio 22.04 as guest.

If I switch off 3D Acceleration on the display adapter of my Ubuntu guest OS in the vm settings everything looks as it supposed to do. Red crosses for the disconnected devices and no red cross for the devices connected to the guest.

As soon as I switch on 3D on the guest OS display adapter and then boot this guest OS then ALL devices are showing red crosses no matter if I connect or disconnect them from the guest or connect them to the guest.

Very strange. But thanks for the solution with this 3D option!!

Regards