ASAv on VMware 25H2 boot loop

[davparker]

I'm experiencing an odd issue after upgrading VMware Workstation Pro to ver 25H2. I have an ASAv image (971) will no longer boot. It just continuously reboots with this message.
"Unable to get platform key storage size"
I have the same lab this was migrated from on a dev box that has not been upgraded yet. It boots up fine there. Is this a known issue?

Thanks,
David

[rusty725]

Hi,

can you try a different version of asav ?

[davparker]

I did try a few other versions.
Copilot (GPT-5.1) is suggesting that (among other things). I figured I'd check here before going down that rabbit hole.

1. Disable WHP and force VMware to use its legacy hypervisor
VMware 25H2 defaults to WHP, which breaks nested virtualization.
Try:
VMware → Preferences → CPU → Disable “Use WHP”
If the checkbox is missing, force it via config:
Edit your EVE‑NG VM’s .vmx file:
vhv.enable = "TRUE"
hypervisor.cpuid.v0 = "FALSE"


And add:
windows.hypervisor = "FALSE"


This forces VMware to use its own VT‑x engine instead of WHP.

[davparker]

Looks like Copilot was hallucinating. There are no Windows Virtualization Features enabled and there is no such setting in VMware Preferences.

I did change Default hardware compatibility from Workstation 25H2 to Workstation 17.5 or later and an ASAv 984 booted successfully. Next I tried 971 again, stuck in a boot loop. Next I tried wiping one of the 971 ASAv and it successfully booted up.

[rusty725]

AI is not always a good thing. We only recommend to use AI like chatgpt when you're trying to create a filter (a new feature on Eve Pro , Filter Monitor)

[davparker]

Yeah, it seems like if it gives a wrong or misleading response one time, abandon that line of questioning completely.