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ErnestK
Contributor
Contributor

VMware Workstation 14 runs slowly with a system-wide VPN enabled and guests are stuck with black screen

Hello,

I've seen two similar threads regarding the problem, but none of them helps to resolve the VMware Workstation 14 misbehaviour:

workstation pro 14 upgrade from ver 12 produces blank screen when running existing VM's

VMware 14 Launch Virtual system black screen

The facts:

1. VMware Workstation 12 in the same environment has none of the issues.

2. After update to VMware Workstation 14 the app runs slowly (constantly freezes) and after very slow boot guest is stuck with a black screen (there's a chime login sound, so booting is OK).

3. Both issues happen ONLY if a system-wide VPN connection is active (Juniper Networks VPN client in this case and the user from second thread had identical issues while using NordVPN).

So, the problem seems to be caused by the VPN client - probably new VMware Workstation 14 is relying internally on the network stack that when altered by VPN software causes it to break.

Could you please review the case, reproduce the issues and provide a solution in the next update?

I can share any additional information related to my environment if required.

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Harwise
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi, ErnestK:

Could you please upload the log files?

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ErnestK
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Harwise,

all logs attached (blank from start with VPN active till a few minutes after guest's Windows login chime sound).

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Harwise
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

2018-02-23T16:52:24.462+01:00| host-16140| I125: CnxAuthdConnect: Returning false because CnxAuthdConnectPipe failed

2018-02-23T16:52:24.462+01:00| host-16140| I125: CnxConnectAuthd: Returning false because CnxAuthdConnect failed

2018-02-23T16:52:24.462+01:00| host-16140| I125: Cnx_Connect: Returning false because CnxConnectAuthd failed

2018-02-23T16:52:24.462+01:00| host-16140| I125: Cnx_Connect: Error message: Failed to read vmware-authd port number: Cannot connect to VMX: E:\VMs\Siemens\Siemens.vmx

2018-02-23T16:52:50.884+01:00| vmui| I125: PollSocketPairStartConnecting: Could not connect to a local socket.

2018-02-23T16:52:50.884+01:00| vmui| W115: Poll_SocketPair: Error creating a inet socket pair: 10060/A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond

2018-02-23T16:52:50.884+01:00| vmui| W115: POLL creation of signaling socket pair failed: -1

2018-02-23T16:52:50.884+01:00| vmui| I125: POLL Could not create socket thread 0

2018-02-23T16:52:50.884+01:00| vmui| I125: POLL Could not find suitable socket thread!

Please first check whether the vmware-authd service is running.

Then see %programdata%VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini, find the "authd.client.port" item, (e.g. authd.client.port = "902"). Check whether the port can be reached. You can also modify the port value.

If it still does not work, please add in %programdata%\VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini file:

authd.lspCategory = "0x00000000"

Then reboot or restart the vmware authd service and have a try.

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ErnestK
Contributor
Contributor

Hi Harwise,

the service seems to be running just fine even when I'm connected to the VPN:

C:\>sc query VMAuthdService

SERVICE_NAME: VMAuthdService

        TYPE               : 10  WIN32_OWN_PROCESS

        STATE              : 4  RUNNING

                                (STOPPABLE, NOT_PAUSABLE, IGNORES_SHUTDOWN)

        WIN32_EXIT_CODE    : 0  (0x0)

        SERVICE_EXIT_CODE  : 0  (0x0)

        CHECKPOINT         : 0x0

        WAIT_HINT          : 0x0

Restarting the service after starting the system-wide VPN connection didn't help at all.

Using Putty and RAW connection I can confirm, that I am able to connect to localhost:902 even with the VPN active:

"220 VMware Authentication Daemon Version 1.10: SSL Required, ServerDaemonProtocol:SOAP, MKSDisplayProtocol:VNC , , NFCSSL supported/t"

I've added the line 'authd.lspCategory = "0x00000000"' to the file '%programdata%\VMware\VMware Workstation\config.ini', service 'VMAuthdService' has been restarted - no effect.

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VirtualCappucci
Contributor
Contributor

I'm running into the exacte same issues. I'm using Windscribe VPN, which is basically OpenVPN. Upgraded from VMWare Workstation 12.5 to 14. No issues whatsoever before the upgrade. After the upgrade, my VM's have a black screen. When I disable Windscribe and start a VM, I have no issues and can see the VM as usual. I then started Windscribe, and the VM continues to work. However, when I resize the Workstation window, the VM screen isnt automatically resized. However, when I disable Windscribe again, close Workstation, but leave the VM running in the background, and then start Workstation again, it immediately resizes the VM screen properly with no issue. 

Also noticed I have issues with connecting the VM's to my soundcard. And also have issues using the Shared VMs feature in Workstation. When having Windscribe closed, all issues disappear.

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