Hayden

If you’re a VMware ESXi administrator, you’ve likely encountered the dreaded purple screen at least once – the PSOD (Purple Screen of Death). The “GP Exception 13 in world 73583:NetWorld-VM” error is particularly notorious for causing headaches among system administrators. This guide provides the exact causes and proven solutions to resolve this issue systematically.

GP Exception 13 is a General Protection Exception, representing a critical error in the ESXi kernel. NetWorld-VM refers to ESXi’s networking-related virtual machine world process, and this combination typically indicates issues with network drivers or virtual network adapters.

 

 

1. Error Analysis and Root Cause Identification

Backtrace Analysis Method

When a PSOD occurs, examine these elements in the backtrace:

Element Meaning Solution Direction
Pkt_CopyBytesOut Error during packet copy process Network driver issue
Vmxnet3VMKDevDeliverPktToQueue VMXNet3 driver queue delivery error Reinstall VMXNet3 driver
Vmxnet3VMKDevRxWithLock VMXNet3 receive lock error Change virtual NIC settings
IOChain_Resume I/O chain resume error Mixed storage/network issue

Primary Causes

  1. ESXi 6.5 Version-Specific Bug: Known issue in ESXi 6.5, resolved in 6.5 U1
  2. VMXNet3 Driver Compatibility Issues
  3. Intel 13th Generation CPU Compatibility Issues
  4. Network Adapter Driver Conflicts
  5. NUMA Configuration Mismatch

 

 

2. ESXi Version Upgrade (Priority Solution)

Upgrade to ESXi 6.5 U1 or Later

This issue has been officially resolved in ESXi 6.5 U1. The most reliable solution is upgrading:

Upgrade Steps:

  1. Check current ESXi version: vmware -vl
  2. Download latest patches from VMware Customer Connect
  3. Perform upgrade via vSphere Update Manager or esxcli

Command Example:

# Check installed VIBs
esxcli software vib list

# Apply patch
esxcli software vib install -d /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patches/update-from-esxi6.5-6.5_update01.zip

 

 

3. Hardware Compatibility Check and Actions

Intel 13th Generation CPU Related Issues

Intel 13th Generation (Raptor Lake) CPUs can cause PSOD due to hybrid architecture incompatibility.

Solutions:

  1. BIOS Configuration: Disable E-Cores or P-Cores
  2. CPU Compatibility Mode: Disable hybrid features
  3. Consider ESXi-supported CPU replacement

Network Adapter Driver Updates

Check and Update Procedure:

# Check network adapter information
esxcli network nic list

# Check driver information
esxcli software vib list | grep -i network

# Check specific NIC details
esxcli network nic get -n vmnic0

Important: Always verify driver and firmware combinations against the Hardware Compatibility Guide (HCG) before implementing changes.

 

 

4. NUMA Configuration Optimization

Configure Numa.FollowCoresPerSocket Setting

For virtual machines migrated to ESXi 6.5 hosts, setting Numa.FollowCoresPerSocket to 1 can resolve the issue.

Configuration Method:

  1. Via vSphere Client:
    • Select ESXi host → Configure tab → System → Advanced System Settings
    • Search for Numa.FollowCoresPerSocket
    • Change value to 1
  2. Via CLI:
# Check current NUMA settings
esxcli system settings advanced list -o /Numa/FollowCoresPerSocket

# Change setting
esxcli system settings advanced set -o /Numa/FollowCoresPerSocket -i 1

Virtual Machine Configuration Cleanup

Remove these entries from VMX files:

numa.autosize.cookie
numa.autosize.vcpu.maxPerVirtualNode

 

 

5. Network Configuration Optimization

VMXNet3 Driver Reconfiguration

Per-VM Network Adapter Check and Reconfiguration:

  1. Check Current Network Adapter Type
  2. Change from E1000 to VMXNet3 if applicable
  3. Verify Latest VMware Tools Installation

Physical Network Configuration Review

Network Congestion Management:

  • Prevent excessive workload on vmk0 management network
  • Avoid MAC address duplication
  • Minimize link state fluctuation (maintain 10+ second intervals)

 

 

6. Diagnostic Tools and Log Analysis

Core Dump Configuration

Configure core dumps for detailed analysis of future PSOD occurrences:

# Check core dump partition settings
esxcli system coredump partition list

# Create core dump partition (if needed)
esxcli system coredump partition set --partition-name mpx.vmhba0:C0:T0:L0:7

Log Analysis Points

Key Log Files:

  • /var/log/vmkernel.log: Kernel-level errors
  • /var/log/hostd.log: Host daemon logs
  • /var/log/vmkwarning.log: Warning messages

Analysis Commands:

# Check recent PSOD-related logs
grep -i "exception\|psod\|networld" /var/log/vmkernel.log

# Check network-related errors
grep -i "vmxnet3\|network" /var/log/vmkernel.log

 

 

The ESXi PSOD “GP Exception 13 in world 73583:NetWorld-VM” error may appear complex, but it can be resolved through systematic approaches. The most critical step is upgrading to ESXi 6.5 U1 or later, combined with hardware compatibility optimization and network configuration tuning to resolve most cases. Regular system maintenance and monitoring can prevent these issues proactively. When problems occur, apply the step-by-step solutions methodically. Most importantly, always reference VMware’s official support policies and Hardware Compatibility Guide to maintain a stable virtualization environment.

 

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