Starting with VMware Fusion 13.5 and Workstation 17.5 , VMware officially retired , a legacy technology that mapped printers via a virtual serial port (serial0). Because the software no longer supports the "thinprint" file type, it flags it as an invalid value and tells you the device will start disconnected.
Right-click the VM in the library sidebar and select (or Virtual Machine Settings ).
serial0.present = "FALSE"
If you are using ESXi, you must reload the VM configuration via the command line so the hypervisor recognizes the manual change:
Go to (or right-click the VM in the library and select Settings ). Select Serial Port from the Hardware tab. virtual device serial0 will start disconnected
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
If your workflow requires one of these setups, ensure that the serial0.fileType or physical port mapping in your settings matches an existing, accessible path on your host machine to prevent the disconnected error. Starting with VMware Fusion 13
The "virtual device serial0 will start disconnected" message is an informational signpost, not a roadblock. By understanding what it means and following the practical steps outlined in this guide, you can efficiently set up and troubleshoot your Cisco networking devices, turning a cryptic message into a clear and useful piece of information.
The VM is connected to a named pipe that isn't currently active. serial0