No. Many pre-built Linux appliances include a virtual serial port for legacy console access. The message is cosmetic.
The resolution depends on your specific needs and configuration:
In conclusion, a "virtual device serial0 will start disconnected" message alerts you to a configuration or connectivity issue affecting a VM's virtual serial port. By understanding the implications and following systematic troubleshooting steps, you can resolve the disconnection and ensure that serial communication functions as needed within your virtual environment.
If you're seeing the error "Virtual device serial0 will start disconnected" 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) virtual device serial0 will start disconnected
The easiest way to resolve this is to remove the legacy printer device that is causing the conflict. Shut down your virtual machine completely. Open the Virtual Machine Settings. Find Printer in the list of hardware devices. Select it and click Remove. Click OK and restart the VM. Option 2: For VMware Workstation Users
If you want to disable the feature globally to prevent this on other VMs: Go to Edit > Preferences. Navigate to the Devices tab. Uncheck the box for "Enable virtual printers". Option 3: Manual Edit (Advanced)
If the "Printer" device doesn't show up in your settings or you are using VMware Fusion, you can manually edit the configuration file: Close VMware and find your VM's .vmx file on your computer. In conclusion, a "virtual device serial0 will start
Open the .vmx file with a text editor (like Notepad or TextEdit). Search for and delete these lines: serial0.present = "TRUE" serial0.fileType = "thinprint" serial0.fileName = "thinprint" Save the file and start your VM. Why is this happening?
Starting with VMware Fusion 13.5 and Workstation 17.5, VMware officially retired ThinPrint, 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.
Does your virtual machine have encryption or a TPM enabled? These can sometimes complicate the manual editing process. VMware officially retired ThinPrint
This message typically appears in virtual machine platforms (like VMware, VirtualBox, or QEMU) or network simulation tools (like GNS3 or EVE-NG).
The solution depends on your virtualization platform. Below are instructions for VMware Workstation/Fusion/Player and ESXi.
Older GNS3 topologies frequently show this message. GNS3’s integration of Dynamips means that if you add a router but forget to connect the Serial interface via the "Link" tool, you will see this message on boot.
While Packet Tracer is a simulator (not an emulator), it mimics this behavior for educational accuracy. If you drag a router onto the canvas and power it on without using the "Connections" cable, the startup log will display this line.