Hey folks,
We recently ran into an issue while upgrading VMware Tools to version 13.0.0 on Windows Server VMs.
After the upgrade, we noticed:
❌ Static IPs disappeared, and VMs defaulted to DHCP — resulting in network drops and service disruptions.
If you're managing Windows servers with static addressing, planned properly.
🔍 Why Does This Happen?
When VMware Tools updates, it often replaces the virtual NIC driver (like VMXNET3).
Windows detects this as a new network adapter, and:
- The original NIC is hidden
- Static IP is no longer bound to the new NIC
- The VM falls back to DHCP or ends up with no IP
✅ What You Can Do to Prevent It
Here’s the quick checklist we follow now:
🔹 1. Record Static IP Details
Before upgrading, export or note down:
- IP, Gateway, DNS
- NIC names
🔹 2. Avoid NIC Driver Upgrade (If Possible)
Use custom install during VMware Tools upgrade.
Uncheck NIC driver updates unless required.
🔹 3. Clean Up Old Adapters
After upgrade, go to Device Manager
→ Enable View > Show Hidden Devices
→ Remove any ghost/hidden NICs
🔹 4. Test First in Staging
Never update directly in production. We always test on low-impact VMs first.
Pro Tip:
Take a snapshot before the upgrade — it’s a lifesaver for quick rollback.
