vmware-vmx crashes in svga if 3D acceleration is enabled and Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit is set

[unluckier]

After enabling the Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit policy for Windows, I noticed that a (Linux if it matters) VM (vmware-vmx.exe)  that has 3D acceleration crashes as soon as the inactivity limit is reached and the screen switches to the lock screen.

I'm using:  Workstation Pro 25H2 25.0.0.24995812
I'm also using the native VMware hypervisor, as opposed to WHP, as I require the ability to use nested virtualization in my VMs.

Crash details from the .DMP file:

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*                                                                             *

*                        Exception Analysis                                   *

*                                                                             *

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KEY_VALUES_STRING: 1

 

    Key  : AV.Type

    Value: Read

 

    Key  : Analysis.CPU.mSec

    Value: 609

 

    Key  : Analysis.Elapsed.mSec

    Value: 2264

 

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Other.Mb

    Value: 0

 

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Read.Mb

    Value: 1

 

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Write.Mb

    Value: 0

 

    Key  : Analysis.Init.CPU.mSec

    Value: 343

 

    Key  : Analysis.Init.Elapsed.mSec

    Value: 104043

 

    Key  : Analysis.Memory.CommitPeak.Mb

    Value: 146

 

    Key  : Analysis.Version.DbgEng

    Value: 10.0.29482.1003

 

    Key  : Analysis.Version.Description

    Value: 10.2509.29.03 amd64fre

 

    Key  : Analysis.Version.Ext

    Value: 1.2509.29.3

 

    Key  : Failure.Bucket

    Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_D3D12Core.dll!CLayeredObject_CDevice_::CContainedObject::AddRef

 

    Key  : Failure.Exception.Code

    Value: 0xc0000005

 

    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Address

    Value: 0x7ff99cc8ff7e

 

    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Module

    Value: D3D12Core

 

    Key  : Failure.Exception.IP.Offset

    Value: 0x4ff7e

 

    Key  : Failure.Hash

    Value: {106b3a41-12dc-c010-0173-64fc7ffffb59}

 

    Key  : Failure.ProblemClass.Primary

    Value: INVALID_POINTER_READ

 

    Key  : Faulting.IP.Type

    Value: Paged

 

    Key  : Timeline.OS.Boot.DeltaSec

    Value: 3479

 

    Key  : Timeline.Process.Start.DeltaSec

    Value: 3232

 

    Key  : WER.OS.Branch

    Value: ge_release

 

    Key  : WER.OS.Version

    Value: 10.0.26100.1

 

    Key  : WER.Process.Version

    Value: 25.0.0.758

 

 

FILE_IN_CAB:  vmware-vmx.dmp

 

APPLICATION_VERIFIER_FLAGS:  0

 

CONTEXT:  (.ecxr)

rax=00007ff9e25e61d8 rbx=0000000000012372 rcx=00000246809015c0

rdx=0000004fcceff510 rsi=0000000000000000 rdi=0000000000000000

rip=00007ff99cc8ff7e rsp=0000004fcceff410 rbp=0000004fcceff730

 r8=0000004fcceff4d8  r9=0000024680873be0 r10=00000fff33991fee

r11=4000400000000000 r12=0000000000000001 r13=00007ff99cf5b828

r14=0000004fcceff720 r15=0000000000012301

iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na pe nc

cs=0033  ss=002b  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00010202

D3D12Core!CLayeredObject<CDevice>::CContainedObject::AddRef+0xe:

00007ff9`9cc8ff7e 488b4008        mov     rax,qword ptr [rax+8] ds:00007ff9`e25e61e0=????????????????

Resetting default scope

 

EXCEPTION_RECORD:  (.exr -1)

ExceptionAddress: 00007ff99cc8ff7e (D3D12Core!CLayeredObject<CDevice>::CContainedObject::AddRef+0x000000000000000e)

   ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)

  ExceptionFlags: 00000000

NumberParameters: 2

   Parameter[0]: 0000000000000000

   Parameter[1]: 00007ff9e25e61e0

Attempt to read from address 00007ff9e25e61e0

 

PROCESS_NAME:  vmware-vmx.exe

 

READ_ADDRESS:  00007ff9e25e61e0 

 

ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The memory could not be %s.

 

EXCEPTION_CODE_STR:  c0000005

 

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER1:  0000000000000000

 

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER2:  00007ff9e25e61e0

 

STACK_TEXT:  

0000004f`cceff410 00007ff9`9ccb8b24     : 00000000`00000000 0000004f`cceff730 00000246`80b69400 00007ffa`0c583191 : D3D12Core!CLayeredObject<CDevice>::CContainedObject::AddRef+0xe

0000004f`cceff440 00007ff9`9ccab315     : 00000000`0000b100 0000004f`cceff730 00000246`80b69400 00000000`00000000 : D3D12Core!D3D12CoreCreateDevice+0x2c0

0000004f`cceff6c0 00007ff9`9ccab138     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`0000b100 00007ff6`9409f188 00007ffa`053e05d3 : D3D12Core!D3D12ValidateAndCreateDeviceImpl+0x1d1

0000004f`cceff750 00007ffa`053d82a3     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`0000b100 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : D3D12Core!D3D12ValidateAndCreateDevice+0x38

0000004f`cceff7a0 00007ffa`053d70eb     : 00000000`00000000 00000246`80b69400 00000000`0000b100 00000000`00000002 : D3D12!D3D12CreateDeviceImpl+0x93

0000004f`cceff800 00007ff6`937e760c     : 00000246`80b27260 0000004f`cceff940 00007ffa`07703e90 00000000`00000000 : D3D12!D3D12CreateDevice+0x3b

0000004f`cceff840 00007ff6`93734219     : 00000000`000000b0 00000246`80b27260 00000246`80b27260 00000000`00012372 : vmware_vmx+0x26760c

0000004f`cceffa80 00007ff6`93731a99     : 00000246`80b27260 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000fe9 00000000`000003e5 : vmware_vmx+0x1b4219

0000004f`cceffab0 00007ff6`936f7899     : 00000000`00000003 ffffffff`ffffffff 00007ff6`94048bb4 00007ff6`94048238 : vmware_vmx+0x1b1a99

0000004f`cceffb40 00007ff6`936f8172     : 00000000`00000007 0000004f`cceffbd3 00000000`00000003 00000000`00000000 : vmware_vmx+0x177899

0000004f`cceffbb0 00007ff6`936f3516     : 00000000`00000490 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000001 00000000`00000001 : vmware_vmx+0x178172

0000004f`cceffc00 00007ff6`936f421f     : 00007ff6`94048238 00000000`00000001 00007ff6`94048238 00007ff6`94048238 : vmware_vmx+0x173516

0000004f`cceffc30 00007ff6`936cab7c     : 00000000`00000490 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000100 : vmware_vmx+0x17421f

0000004f`cceffc80 00007ff6`93dd0070     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : vmware_vmx+0x14ab7c

0000004f`cceffcc0 00007ffa`0d72e8d7     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : vmware_vmx+0x850070

0000004f`cceffd50 00007ffa`0edec53c     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 000004f0`fffffb30 000004d0`fffffb30 : kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x17

0000004f`cceffd80 00000000`00000000     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x2c

 

 

STACK_COMMAND: ~6s; .ecxr ; kb

 

IP_IN_PAGED_CODE: 

D3D12Core!CLayeredObject<CDevice>::CContainedObject::AddRef+e

00007ff9`9cc8ff7e 488b4008        mov     rax,qword ptr [rax+8]

 

SYMBOL_NAME:  D3D12Core!CLayeredObject<CDevice>::CContainedObject::AddRef+e

 

MODULE_NAME: D3D12Core

 

IMAGE_NAME:  D3D12Core.dll

 

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  INVALID_POINTER_READ_c0000005_D3D12Core.dll!CLayeredObject_CDevice_::CContainedObject::AddRef

 

OS_VERSION:  10.0.26100.1

 

BUILDLAB_STR:  ge_release

 

OSPLATFORM_TYPE:  x64

 

OSNAME:  Windows 10

 

IMAGE_VERSION:  10.0.26100.7019

 

FAILURE_ID_HASH:  {106b3a41-12dc-c010-0173-64fc7ffffb59}

 

Followup:     MachineOwner

---------

Relevant details from the vmware.log file:

2026-01-05T20:56:20.976Z -WARNING vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::Present: hr=DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED
2026-01-05T20:56:20.976Z -WARNING vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] -- DETECTED D3D12 DEVICE REMOVAL --
2026-01-05T20:56:20.976Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] MKSRenderMain: LostRenderer
2026-01-05T20:56:20.976Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] MKSRenderMain: ResetRenderer (in LostRenderer)
2026-01-05T20:56:20.988Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::ResizeSwapChain: LOCAL     budget 64656M usage     4M avail 32456M res     0M
2026-01-05T20:56:20.988Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::ResizeSwapChain: NON-LOCAL budget     0M usage     0M avail     0M res     0M
2026-01-05T20:56:20.988Z -WARNING vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::ResizeSwapChain: hr=DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED
2026-01-05T20:56:20.991Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::CreateSwapChain: LOCAL     budget 64656M usage     0M avail 32456M res     0M
2026-01-05T20:56:20.991Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::CreateSwapChain: NON-LOCAL budget     0M usage     0M avail     0M res     0M
2026-01-05T20:56:20.991Z -WARNING vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Window::CreateSwapChain: hr=DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED
2026-01-05T20:56:20.991Z -WARNING vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] DX12Presentation: DXGI_SWAP_EFFECT_FLIP_DISCARD failed with hr = 0x887a0005
2026-01-05T20:56:20.992Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] MKSRenderMain: Stopping ISB (DX12)
2026-01-05T20:56:20.992Z -INFO vmware-vmx.exe 9960 [ws@4413 threadName="svga"] ISBRendererComm: Waiting on mksSandbox exit

I suspect that when Windows enforces the inactivity limit, it dumps to the login screen in a way that at least temporarily makes the 3D acceleration capabilities go away.  But apparently it does so in a way that crashes vmware-vmx.exe's svga thread.

It would be nice if it didn't crash.

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[James Lin]

Does this happens only when the machine becomes locked due to the inactivity timer and not when, say, locking the host with Windows+L?  Does it happen regardless of whether you're grabbed or ungrabbed when the inactivity limit is reached?  Can you upload your vmware.log file?

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[unluckier]

Windows+L is just fine.  It's only when Interactive logon: Machine inactivity limit is set to a non-zero value when trouble happens.

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Attachment(s)

vmware.log   640 KB 1 version

[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

This is one of the reason we shipped vulkan presentation last year as we noticed DX12 will get device lost in may of these scenarios. Howeever, your system is running an older intel driver which does not have the necessary support to run vulkan presentation. Can you please try these two things?

1. Download and install the latest drivers from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/products/211012/graphics/processor-graphics/intel-iris-xe-graphics-family.html and then check if "Vulkan Presentation" appears in the vmware.log and things are better.
2. If you can't install driver, can you try putting this config option mks.enableDX12Presentation=FALSE and see if things are better (it might be a bit slower on 3d workloads).

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[unluckier]

Thanks so much for the reply!

I was running the latest Intel graphics driver that Windows Update offered:

After the update:

I don't see "vulkan" anywhere in my vmware.log after updating the video driver.  HOWEVER, I see no problems whatsoever after updating the driver!

So on one hand, I suppose this thread can be closed (if that's even a thing).
On the other, it would be nice if VMware could warn users with Intel drivers known to be problematic.  (And ideally link to a KB article with info about updating the driver, with the link you shared above)

Thanks again.  You folks rock!

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[Shibdas Bandyopadhyay]

Glad to help. Can you please update the logs (vmware.log and mksSandbox.log) after your driver update? I think we did have a release note about driver versions somewhere but I'm not quite sure of that.

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[unluckier]

Ah, scratch my earlier comment about not having vulkan in my log.  It is indeed there:

Vulkan Renderer: Using Vulkan presentation

Regardless, here are the two files that have been freshly created, if you still want them.

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Attachment(s)

vmware.log   541 KB 1 version

mksSandbox.log   55 KB 1 version