VMware Remote MKS has stopped working

[fholred]

We are running vcentre v6 and everytime we power on a VM we get the message

'VMware Remote MKS has stopped working' and the console stops working

We then have to log out and log back to get the console to work

Any ideas?

[Suresh Babu Nekkalapudi]

Recently, I have resolved mks issues in my lab with help of this KB article - http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=749640 Check if it helps you.

[GaneshNetworks]

Make sure, DNS IPs are set in your desktop and it is good to resolve the IP addresses of ESXi / vCenter servers.

[RicGibson]

I experienced the same issue with Vsphere client V6 when opening ESXi consoles.

I am using McAfee SecurityCenter. Opening TCP/UDT Port 902 seems to have resolved the issue.

Per KB article VMware KB:    Network Port Requirements for VMware NSX for vSphere: Port 902 must not be blocked between the vSphere Client and the hosts. The vSphere Client uses this port to display virtual machine consoles.

Regards,

Ric

[coolsport00]

I'm having same issue. If I reboot a VM or power it on, I get this Windows message (on Windows 7) stating VMware Remote MKS has stopped working. We block no ports in our internal network so that's not the issue. I flushed my DNS cached and can ping everything by hostname so that's not the issue either. I just noticed this since we upgraded to vSphere 6. Never experienced this behavior on previous versions of vSphere. Looking for any potential resolutions as well.

Thanks.

@coolsport00
(Shane)

[praveenkv]

I experience the same issue and followed below steps to fix the issue:

    1. Log in to vCenter Server directly through Terminal Services or a Remote KVM and attempt a connection using the vSphere Client from this system. If this method works, a firewall may be preventing the console from connecting.

    2. Configure your firewall to allow communications between the ESXi/ESX host and the workstation running the vSphere Client.

    Note: If port 903 is not open or cannot be opened in your environment, enable the vmauthd proxy. This forces remote console communication to be sent on port 902 on the Service Console, instead of 903. By enabling this setting there may be degradation in the performance under heavy usage while communicating to the ESXi/ESX host service console.

     Note: In ESXi 4.x, 5.x and 6.0, vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy is, by default, set to true.

    To enable the proxy:

        a. Log into the ESX host's service console as root.

        b. Open /etc/vmware/config using a text editor.

        c. Add this line to the file:

        vmauthd.server.alwaysProxy = "TRUE"

        d. In ESX, run this command to restart xinetd:

        service xinetd restart

    3. Verify the ESXi/ESX firewall policy:

        For ESXi 5.x and 6.0, see About the ESXi 5.x and 6.0 firewall (2005284).

        For ESX 3.x to 4.x, see Troubleshooting the firewall policy on an ESX host (1003634).

    4. Verify that the ESXi/ESX host and the workstation running the vSphere Client are correctly synced to an NTP service. This is required to satisfy SSL handshaking between the vSphere Client or and the ESXi/ESX host. For more information, see Verifying time synchronization across an ESXi/ESX host environment (1003736).

    5. DNS problems are a common cause of virtual machine console problems. Verify name resolution in your environment. For more information, see:

        - Identifying issues with and setting up name resolution on ESXi/ESX Server (1003735)

        - Configuring name resolution for VMware vCenter Server (1003713)

    After verifying DNS, open a command prompt on the vSphere Client machine and run these commands:

    ipconfig /flushdns

    ipconfig /registerdns

[coolsport00]

Again, this is NOT a firewall issue. vCenter is running in an appliance and my workstation has Windows FW disabled. And again, as I mentioned above, my DNS is fine. And, this happens on my workstation (Win7) here at the office, and on my Win 7 laptop when I VPN in from home. So, it's not isolated to just my work workstation. There's something "buggy" going on that I can't seem to find the resolution for. :smileysad:

Thanks.

[jagdish_rana]

Hello,

Could you please check the below steps and provide a feedback.

1. Open a session to the vSphere Web Client.
   
   https:// vcenter_server_name:9443/vsphere-client
   
   
2. Power off the virtual machine. 
3. In the vSphere Web Client, right-click the affected virtual machine. 
4. Click Configuration > Edit Settings.    
5. Click VM options. 
6. Click VMware Remote Console Options, then deselect Limit the number of simultaneous connections to this Virtual Machine. 
7. Click OK. 
8. Power on the virtual machine. 
9. Open a new console window to the virtual machine in the vSphere Client to verify.
10. 
    To work around this issue, add an entry to the configuration parameters of the virtual machine.

To add an entry to the configuration parameters of the virtual machine:

1. Power off the virtual machine. 
2. Right-click the affected virtual machine and click Edit Settings.   
3. Click the Options tab, then click General under Advanced. 
4. Click Configuration Parameters. 
5. Look for an entry named RemoteDisplay.maxConnections:
   
   

• if the entry exists, set the Value to 1 or high
• If the entry does not exist, click Add Row to add the parameter. The parameter details are:
  
  Name: RemoteDisplay.maxConnectionsValue: 10
  Note: Value can be set to 1 or more.
• Thanks

[ShirinKumar]

Hi,

Can you please tell the OS running on VM,

It may be the issue at the Guest Level Firewall issue, Can you please check at the windows Firewall setting in OS , whether it is allow or deny for Vcenter Service Firewall.

[coolsport00]

Thank you for the couple replies. Again, this is NOT a firewall issue within the guest, nor is this a "number of connections" issue with the VM. That much I do know. And again...please read my response above - all was fine with having a VM console open during reboot or power on until I upgraded to vSphere6. Once upgraded, I then began having this "MKS Stopped Working" error in Windows. Checking DNS was at least a possibility (though nothing changed there either), but that isn't the issue as I am still having this Windows error after attempting that VMware KB "fix" and it didn't resolve my issue.

Any other thoughts/ideas?

Thank you.

@coolsport00

p.s. Sorry for the late reply, but I was at VMworld last week, which...I must say... was a big let down. :/

[Juspi]

Hello,

we have here in our environment the same problem. When we start a virtual machine and open the console at the vsphere client, the window is freezing and display the error "VMware Remote MKS has stopped working". When i close the window and start the console again, all is working fine. Only when we restart or start the machine.

The Problem we have only in our vCenter 6.0. In the vCenter 5.1 we have no problems with the console.

Is this a bug in the current version or give it any solution for the problem?

Actual we have a little workaround. The Problem, that is reported, is on the programm "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VMware\VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1\Internet Explorer\vmware-remotemks.exe".

Now i have renamed the folder "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1" and gives the folder "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.5" the name "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1".

When we start the console now, we have no problem any more.

[SkyRE]

Juspi‌, Thanks!

Your workaround worked for me.

What is VMware doing?

VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1 - vmware-remotemks.exe file version 8.0.0.33578 from VMware Workstation.

VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.5 - vmware-remotemks.exe file version 9.0.0.34615 from VMware Workstation

VMware-VMRC-7.0.1-2508353.msi - vmware-remotemks.exe file version 7.0.1.35209

[enriquepessoa]

Thank you, Juspi. You've got the right clue!

When connecting to a VSphere 5.1 Server the client installs the 5.1 version over the 5.5 (used by 6.0), bringing us that problem.

Here we have a registry fix for that situation.

[NTShad0w]

enriquepessoa

that's a working fix (reg file) for this issue (multiple vSphere c# client versions on single windows and console MKS crash).

thanks!!

best regards

NTShad0w

[Vindia]

Thank you Very much,

     I was suffering from last 3 month with this issue, But your solution working 100% for me. 

In My live lab, this error is coming frequently when I just connect Esxi 6.0 U1 with vSpher Client "VMware Remote MKS has stopped working".

1. Some host console displaying "Unable to connect to the MKS.Internal Error"  this error resolved after proper configer or mantioned  default getway of Esxi server. after that I restart the "Instant" (virtual internal systems ) and resolved its error successfully.

2.  Also I installed your giving .reg  & its 100 % work.

Thanks,

[JesseRA2000_ENS]

I had the same issue. I did what Juspi did, and it fixed the issue.

Workaround:

In "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\VMware\", Rename the folder "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1" to "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1"_Old, and then rename the folder "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.5" to "VMware Remote Console Plug-in 5.1".

[mohdhanifk]

http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=749640

http://techhead.co/unable-to-connect-to-the-mks-vmware-vsphere-console-fix/

[coolsport00]

Hi Juspi -

I looked a little bit more at my error. My Windows error is an "APPCRASH" for vmware-remotemks.exe. I do go between 2 vSphere versions - 5.5U1 and 6b. Don't believe I have an issue with 5.5. I know I didn't have an issue before I upgraded our "main" environment to 6, then to 6b. I'm thinking there's probably some conflict somewhat like you shared... somehow this exe is a legacy version (5.5 or 5.1). Will dig into it a bit more to see what I can find.

mohdhanifk -

Not sure you read through the thread. We're not getting a VM Console MKS error. We're getting a Windows crash error. But, thanks for chiming in.

I'll update if I find a resolution for my issue, and/or if anyone else has a fix, please post.

Regards.

Shane (twitter: @coolsport00)

[RaviMV]

Try the below link

VMware KB: Troubleshooting virtual machine console and MKS issues in the vSphere Client

[coolsport00]

Ok, so I think I resolved this on my own. Wasn't able to pinpoint explicitly what was going on, but I think the issue was conflicting versions of both the VMware Remote Console and vSphere Client installed. Uninstalled everything, reinstalled Client v6 and now working fine.

"Ravi.." - again, that is not the issue we're having. I think that link was posted like 4-5 times in this thread. Goodness.... read the thread people! (gets old, ya know?)

Thanks everyone for the assistance!

Regards,

Shane (twitter: @coolsport00)

[esriley]

You did the same thing i would have done. But you have to only uninstall the remote console plug in. must be some conflict with that remote plugin for the web interface and the GUI client.

[RestartAdmin]

Hi, we had the same issue after installing PowerCLI 6.3. We testet the registry hack of enriquepessoa and the rename/copy hack of jde126 successfully. Deinstalling the Remote Plugin 5.1 and reinstalling VIClient 6.0 did not work for us.

[jde126]

All,

I came across this same issue, and it is not a firewall issue. The port 902 errors are different. This error is the annoying error that occurs when the vSphere "thick client"  Remote Console attempts to resize the window from within the OS. This happens when booting Linux, Windows, etc., going from the BIOS boot screen at one resolution, to the bootloader screen at another resolution, to the final bootup screen at another resolution.  The error specifically states that the "VMware Remote MKS has stopped working" , and you have to close this and then close the console and then re-open it.

This for me was caused when I installed the VMWare PowerCLI, and it forced me to install the Remote Console Plug-In 5.1 as part of the installation. After that, I had this issue. The resolution was to uninstall the Remote Console Plug-In 5.1 (hasn't seemed to affect the PowerCLI operation), and then uninstall and reinstall the vSphere 6.0 Client software.  Apparently this is like the old "DLL Hell" days :smileyhappy:  .... And there is a version issue with the Remote Console Plug-In when installing other VMware products.

[SFBCIC]

Thanks jde126!

Your resolution fit my timeline exactly.  I just downloaded and updated the latest PowerCLI and I wasn't able to correlate the two problems.  Uninstalling that Console Plug-in 5.1 did the trick for me as well.

Thanks for sharing

[drexciya]

This explains a lot and seems to be the fix I was looking for, thank you very much. I would really like to see VMware engineers to put in a proper check for the VMRC, since I already had version 7 or 8 installed before I installed (or upgraded) to PowerCLI 6.x, which installed the flaky 5.1 VMRC software. That would prevent this from happening in the first place.

[jimbledsoe]

Not sure what the issue is on our side.   But migrating the system to the same host or a new host has clearned up the MKS problem four times in a row.

[vmwaresucksatre]

This issue happened to me recently and i traced it down to having installed the remote console plugin the day before it started happening. I uninstalled that program as well as all other vmware software and then reinstalled vsphere client 6 and now all is back to normal.