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IKnowGoogleFu
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GuestOS vNIC Constant Reboot event 10400

Issue: Windows Server 2019 GuestOS is experiencing vNIC reboots with a windows event 10400. 

System Info:

GuestOS: Microsoft Windows Server 2019 (64-bit)
Compatibility: ESXi 7.0
VMware Tools: 11.3.5

Issue Details:

Events:
GuestOS (Win Server 2019) will begin throwing a warning event of 10400 stating that "The network interface has begun resetting. There will be a momentary disruption in network connectivity while the hardware resets. Reason: The network driver detected that its hardware has stopped responding to commands. This network interface has been reset X times since it was last initialized."
GuestOS will also list warning event of 27 e1iexpress stating that the network link is disconnected.

Symptoms:
After throwing that first error, the vNIC will begin to reboot nearly every 60 seconds until the vNIC is either disabled and then re-enabled via the device manager, or until the server itself has been rebooted. It [vNIC] can reboot as many as 6000 times in a single night, all with only a warning level event, causing the server to be completely network isolated.

Frequency:
The issue has taken as much as a week to re-present itself, and as little as less than 24 hours after a fresh reboot. 

Troubleshooting already completed:

  • Ensured GuestOS is not "sleeping" the vNIC in order to save power
  • Upgraded VMware tools to most current version
  • Upgraded ESXi version to most current version
  • Removed extra unused ports from virtual network in order to avoid broadcast storm

 

Looking for any insight or personal experience with this 10400 vNIC reboot issue. Hoping to find the "why" as much as I'm hoping to find a fix action.

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IKnowGoogleFu
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Update:
Attempting to test the use of Networking via VMXNET 3 instead of e1000e.

Since e1000e was previously being supported by generic Windows drivers, and was emulating an older Intel card that doesn't have good Server 2019 drivers, I'm attempting to use VMXNET 3 instead.

The drivers listed for VMXNET 3 are made by VMware and state that they're approved by Microsoft. Here's to hoping this is the solution needed.

Quoted text from the compatibility guide via VMware:

Networking

e1000:Not SupportedEmulated Intel 82545EM Gigabit Ethernet NIC
e1000e:SupportedEmulated Intel 82574L Gigabit Ethernet Controller
Enhanced VMXNET:Not SupportedSecond generation VMware virtual NIC
Vlance:Not SupportedEmulated AMD 79C970 PCnet32 Lance NIC
VMXNET:Not SupportedVMware virtual NIC
VMXNET 3:Supported (Recommended)Third generation VMware virtual NIC
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