Fixing broken virtual networking

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Norman Diamond — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 04:29:27 GMT

One more cause, which is common in at least some environments, comes from obeying instructions for eVC++ 4.0 and emulators for Windows CE .Net systems. I forgot exactly what the name was for the virtual switch. I installed it in hopes of getting virtual connections to work properly between the host and the emulated devices, but it didn't work, the only effect was to break the virtual network for Virtual PC.

Reinstalling Virtual PC did not fix it. Installing Virtual Server fixed it for Virtual PC, though still not for emulated Windows CE devices.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

matheesha — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:37:35 GMT

I've had instances where the VM Network service just isnt installed and requires manual installation. This is present with both VPC 2004 and 2007. Is there anyway to produce a setup.log to see where it fails?

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Dana — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 08:18:17 GMT

I was having problems with VPC so I tried #2 above, and now it doesn't work at all. When I start VPC, I get a message:

"Virtual PC could not open the Virtual Machine Network Services driver. Access to the external network and host will be unavailable to all virtual machines using virtual networking. Virtual machines using virtual networking will still be able to access other virtual machines using virtual networking. To fix this problem, re-enable the Virtual Machine Network Services driver on one or more ethernet adapters or reinstall Virtual PC."

So I tried step #1 above and it still don't work, and when I tried to re-install, the install program asked if I wanted to un-install. Now what?

DanaJ

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Norman Diamond — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 03:46:12 GMT

> when I tried to re-install, the install

> program asked if I wanted to un-install

In some cases, letting it do the un-install and then repeating the procedure in order to re-install can produce working results. It "probably" doesn't hurt to try.

As mentioned, in my case, installing Virtual Server on one machine fixed the networking for Virtual PC. I don't really use Virtual Server on that machine, but this experiment paid off, just installing the server version.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Sergio Samayoa — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 21:55:41 GMT

I tryed both but no luck.

Some other idea?

A note: When I see "properties" of the VM's net services the dialog displays "Driver Provider", "Driver Date" and "Driver Version" labels without values.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

John — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 08:49:53 GMT

Same issue as the above post. I upgraded to Vista Enterprise, updated ethernet drivers. Lost the "Virtual Machine Network Services" Followed steps, but had to manually add in the VM Service by navigating to "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Virtual PC\Utility\VMNetSrv" all of the values are blank and get the message stated above when trying to open up Virtual PC 2007.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Michael — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:02:48 GMT

Same issue here: repeat uninstall/install have no effect, same message as Dana, same blank tab as Sergio. This is VPC RC x64 on Vista x64.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Michael — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 22:18:00 GMT

I gave to add that in Device Manager I show an Unknown Device under Network adapters. The Hardware id is Cntx_VPCNetS2_MP. Driver version is 2.6.541.0. This is with Virtual PC 2007 RC uninstalled (and reinstalled and uninstalled) several times. Uninstalling the device has no effect (the device remains in place).

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Kevin — Mon, 05 Feb 2007 20:10:40 GMT

Same here. Did a VPC07 install on top of a clean Vista Business 32-bit load and get the same errors. Tried multiple reinstalls. Added the service manually and it looks like it binds to the adapter but still get the errors. Disabled the wireless adapter and just kept the onboard NIC enabled but no change.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

AJ — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:58:11 GMT

I have the same problem as Kevin. I'm using Vista Business right now. It's really strange because I didn't have this problem with VPC 2007 Beta 2 and Vista Ultimate before. When I look at the properties of the service after re-installing both VPC and the Virtual Machine Network Services service it is still blank. Updating drivers for the NIC didn't help either.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Terry Tull — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:27:55 GMT

I'm not sure if this is the correct blog but I have a problem that is network related. I have moved a Virtual Server from one server running WS 2K3 and VS2K5 to a new server running WS 2K3 EE R2 64Bit and VS 2005 R2 64 Bit. Windows Firewall is disabled and I have a Virtual server (created and built on this server)connecting to other servers fine. The VS I have moved to the new box refuses to connect to anything. Anyone have any Ideas

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Kevin — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 19:42:24 GMT

Well, I upgraded to Vista Ultimate and now it is working. I had a co-worker install VPC07 on the same notebook and he had no problem but he had Vista Enterprise and I had Vista Business. So I upgraded to Ultimate and reinstalled VPC07 and now it seems to work. At least I don't have the network services error when I start it and the VM service is bound to the NICs without me having to do it manually (which didn't work anyway).

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Ricky — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 22:30:51 GMT

Hi i am running vista business as the host and i keep getting the message Virtual PC could not open the Virtual Machinenetwork services, i have tried following instructions on net forums to install, but when i install manually it seems to got through but it dosent work click properties of Virtual Machine Network Services driver and its just blank ie shows no driver installed.

have also tried downloading the xp standalone drivers from microsft they do install but again when you click properties for them its just empty i have two network adapter in mylaptop wireless and lan i have tried disabling wireless and unistalling it, then install drivers just to lan but still dont work really need to get this working for my studys if anyone has any ideas

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Darren — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 23:55:58 GMT

This problem is very annoying. I tested all Virtual Server 2005 under Vista Ultimate RC1 and had no issues. I was forced to rebuild my laptop due to issues that I was unable to resolve so I went to Vista Business thinking I would just use either Virtual Server or Virtual PC to run a XP Guest to support the applications which I need for work but are not support under XP thinking this would give me time to get these applications working on Vista. Without Virtualisation working in some form or another I will have to be forced back to XP.

Does anyone know why this works for Ultimate and not Business and Enterprise ?

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

AJ — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 17:27:02 GMT

It keeps getting worse: I ran Vista Business @ first and after reading comments that Vista Ultimate installation could solve the problem, did a clean Vista Ultimate install. This didn't solve my problem however: after installing the virtual machine network services according to the steps mentioned in this post, I still get a blank properties window on the service. I recall not having this problem with VPC 2007 Beta 2 on Vista Ultimate...

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

ricky — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 18:05:33 GMT

thanks for the heads up i was about to upgrade to solve the problem to ultimate, its really annoying me but i think i'll hold off for now to see if this problem gets resolved my microsoft roll on christmas lol

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Darren — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 23:49:26 GMT

According to Microsoft's description of Vista Enterprise it includes a Virtual PC Express to allow for application compatibility. I will investigate this option to see if I can extract the Virtual Machine Network Services drivers used in it.

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/store_doc/GE/mb/windows/vista/vista_enterprise.html

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/windowsvista/editions/enterprise/default.mspx

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

AJ — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:54:25 GMT

Finally got it to work by doing a clean install (Vista Business) and loading no network drivers except my LAN & wireless NIC (detected by Vista). Immediately after the clean install, instead of loading drivers for all my unrecognized devices, I installed VPC 2007. No error messages whatsoever, and working like a charm. So it's not true that it does not work on Vista Business. Haven't tried loading drivers for unknown devices though.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Darren — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 12:56:56 GMT

Well I finally managed to get VPC 2007 also working on Vista Business. In the VPC settings I changed the network adapter to use shared NAT. This works fine for what I need and you don't have to have the Virtual Machibe Network Services installed. When VPC loads I told it to ingnore the errors about the service.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

ricky — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:18:01 GMT

folowed another posters advice did a clean install of vista business installed virtual pc before any microsoft updates it now works fine hope this help

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Darren — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:40:32 GMT

Now I have successfully got VMNS working on Vista Business. What I found is that somewhere along the line the following registry value contained C:\inf rather than C:\Windows\Inf. You would be supprised how many applications I have now been able to successfully install and use on Vista.

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

DevicePath: C:\Windows\Inf; .....

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Ed B — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:50:08 GMT

Thanks for the tips, Ben.

Unfortunately, I must have been in the ohter 10%...

I had this problem with VPC2K4 SP1 (build 5.3.582.27) freshly installed on WinXP SP2. I tried both of your suggestions but neither worked. Until I added the following steps before "Number 2," that is:

0.1 Uninstall VPC2K4 SP1

0.2 Reinstall VPC2K4 SP1 but _do not_ run it!!

Continue with step 1.

Before I did this, the Virtual Machine Network Services Properties were all blank. Afterwards, they had a date of 2/4/2004 and a version of 2.5.452.0

Cheers,

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

Paal A. — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:01:45 GMT

Great tip Darren. The registry key on my Vista Ultimate RTM (MSDN edition) was also wrong. Changes c:\inf to c:\windows\inf and now it works.

Now on earth did you find this out?

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

David Rand — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:26:00 GMT

I found the following setting in the registry:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VPCNetS2\ImagePath

system32\DRIVERS\VMNetSrv.sys

and changed it to:

%SystemRoot%\System32\DRIVERS\VMNetSrv.sys

After trying all of the above to no avail, this registry change *finally* solved the problem for me (XP Pro SP2, corporate domain user with local admin rights).

re: Fixing broken virtual networking

William — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 06:31:42 GMT

I'm having the same problem as above. I've tried several ways to get networking going but nothing works. NONE of the above works.

In Virtual Machine Network Services properties all driver fields are blank.

I'm running XPPro SP2.

re: Fixing broken virtual networking (64-bit)

David Stowers — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 20:34:01 GMT

I ran into the same issues reported by others here. I am also complicating matters vby running it on Vista Enterprise 64 and had already had some Virtual Server related files installed.

Here's what fixed it for me:

Manually copied the 2 INF files from the utility folder in

C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Virtual PC\Utility\VMNetSrv\x64

to c:\windows\inf

I copied the remaining dll, sys, and cat file to c:\widnows\system32. I think the DLL was already there so I skipped it and allowed the others to copy.

The next time I opened it it had the usual complaint and I selected Yes.

When it aked for the location of the vmnetsrv.dll I aimed it at system32 instead of the utility folder.

This time it actually prompted me for permission to allow the unsigned driver to install and it worked fine.

Not sure which part in the chain of events fixed it or why, but it seems ok now.