Virtual Device Serial0 Will Start Disconnected
Why would a developer program an emulator to start a port disconnected? Efficiency and realism.
If you're seeing the error when powering on a VMware virtual machine, you aren't alone. This message typically appears because of a recent change in how VMware handles printing, specifically the removal of ThinPrint support in newer versions like VMware Workstation 17.5 and Fusion 13.5 . Here is how to fix it based on your setup. Option 1: The Quick Fix (Recommended)
If the device isn't visible in the GUI or the message persists, you can manually remove the offending lines from your VM's configuration file: Open your VM's folder and locate the .vmx file. Open it with a text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit). Find and delete the following lines: serial0.fileType = "thinprint" serial0.fileName = "thinprint" serial0.present = "TRUE" Save and close the file, then restart your VM. Troubleshooting Physical Port Conflicts
Depending on whether you actually need the serial port, you can resolve this warning using three different methods. Method 1: Remove the Serial Port (Recommended)
Older industrial software or proprietary database systems occasionally require a named pipe or serial interface to communicate with specialized host utilities. virtual device serial0 will start disconnected
Global virtual printing can only be enabled if your Fusion version includes ThinPrint (pre‑13.5). For newer versions, this solution is not applicable and the recommended approach is to remove the thinprint ‑related entries from the .vmx file.
The message indicates that the virtual device associated with serial0 (the first virtual serial port in many virtualization platforms) is not connected when the VM starts up. This disconnection can occur for several reasons:
If you’ve recently powered on a VMware Virtual Machine (VM) only to be greeted by the message you aren’t alone. While this warning might seem alarming, it’s usually a minor configuration mismatch rather than a sign of a failing system.
Upgrading VMware Workstation, Fusion, or ESXi to a newer version often leaves behind outdated configuration entries. This is especially common when upgrading from Workstation 10 to 12 or from Fusion 12 to 13.5, where legacy features like ThinPrint or old serial port emulation settings are no longer supported. The upgrade process migrates the .vmx file, but deprecated options may remain, generating the warning with each startup. Why would a developer program an emulator to
The warning "Virtual device serial0 will start disconnected" is a common message that appears when starting a virtual machine in VMware products like Workstation, Fusion, and ESXi. While alarming at first glance, this message is typically harmless, but understanding its origins and implications is essential for efficient management of virtualized systems.
Legacy VMware versions automatically added a virtual printer that used a virtual serial port to communicate with host drivers. Because Broadcom/VMware discontinued ThinPrint , the software identifies a device it can no longer operate, resulting in the "start disconnected" status. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more VMware Cannot Connect the Virtual Device sata0:1 Error
If you prefer to keep virtual printing enabled (and your VMware version supports it), you can enable it globally:
You can resolve this issue using three different methods, depending on whether you actually need the serial port for your work. Method 1: Remove the Serial Port (Recommended) This message typically appears because of a recent
If the error was triggered by a recent hypervisor application update, removing the legacy, deprecated printing hardware profile from the software interface is the easiest solution.
In the Hardware tab, scroll down and look for (it may be labeled Serial Port 1 or Serial 0 ). Select the Serial Port entry.
Depending on whether you actually need to use a serial port within your virtual machine, choose one of the three solutions detailed below.