When booting into (WinPE-based) boot environment and boot up the virtual machine virtualized on ESXi target host, NIC is not recognized.

Summary

When virtual machine is virtualized by using AIP2018 or other Actiphy product, NIC device is created for VMXNET3. Therefore, when booting the virtualized virtual machine in (WinPE-based) boot environment, NIC is not recognized.
This occurs when the driver for VMXNET3 is not embedded in WinPE.

Workaround

Please try one of the following workarounds.

1) Please make sure the driver for VMXNET3 is built in boot environment.
Please build WinPE boot environment in Windows on ESXi virtual machine. Add VMXNET3 when building the boot environment.
http://webhelp.netjapan.com/AIP/Windows/2018/en/help/Utility_tools/BE_Builder_WinPE.htm

2) In VM Settings. change the adapter type for network adapter to “E1000(e)”.
The NIC can be recognized by changing the NIC device to “E1000(e)” with Plug and Play in WinPE.

3) Boot up (CentOS-based) boot environment.
Since the driver for VMXNET3 is embedded in (CentOS-based) boot environment, NIC can be recognized.

Target Product

– ActiveImage Protector 2018