Most modern occurrences are caused by a recent VMware update (Workstation 17.5+ or Fusion 13.5+). VMware discontinued support for
I can provide specific instructions to configure your advanced serial routing properly. Share public link
: The most common reason in modern versions of VMware Workstation (17.5+) and VMware Fusion (13.5+) is the removal of the ThinPrint virtual printing feature . These newer versions no longer support the ThinPrint protocol, which often utilized serial0 . virtual device serial0 will start disconnected
If you are a VMware user, you might have encountered the warning message: during virtual machine (VM) startup or while checking the status of your VM.
Solution 1: Removing the Legacy Printer Device (Workstation & Fusion) Most modern occurrences are caused by a recent
Uncheck the box that says if you want to keep the port but stop the warning.
| Interface Status | Line Protocol Status | Typical Cause | Recommended Action | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Administratively down | down | Interface has been manually shut down. | Enter interface config mode and use the no shutdown command. | | down | down | Physical layer problem, e.g., no cable, faulty hardware, or no power from remote device. | Check physical connections, try swapping cables, and verify the remote device is powered on. | | up | down | Data link layer problem, common causes include a missing clock rate on the DCE side or mismatched encapsulation protocols. | Verify which side is DTE/DCE and set the clock rate if necessary. Check the encapsulation (e.g., HDLC or PPP). | | up | up | Interface is operational. | - | These newer versions no longer support the ThinPrint
The error indicates that your VM is configured to look for a serial (COM) port on your physical computer, but it can’t find one to "handshake" with. Because the VM can't establish this link, it simply starts with that specific virtual device disabled. Common Causes The "ThinPrint" Legacy:
If you are using ESXi, you must reload the VM configuration via the command line so the hypervisor recognizes the manual change:
Enable SSH on your ESXi host or navigate to the VM folder on your local storage.