VMware 2008 R2 servers losing network after installing KB4088875 / KB4088878 and rebooting

For patching issues caused by Mar 2018 KB's on Server 2008

This is what have worked for us for now:



Create a sccm package to deploy the following vbs script on all 2008 R2 servers collection

Run it before the patches are applied (it will delete SlotPersistentInfo key if that exists under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\<deviceid>\<subdeviceid>\Device Parameters

Let patches install
Reboot
The key will be recreated automatically after the reboot

**************************

Script:

Dim strPciFileVersion
Dim WindirFilePath
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WindirFilePath = WshShell.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%WinDir%")
 
Dim fs
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 
strPciFileVersion = fs.getfileversion(WindirFilePath & "\\system32\\drivers\\pci.sys")
Dim strAryFileVersion1
strAryFileVersion1 = Split(strPciFileVersion, ".")
If (strAryFileVersion1(0) = 6 And strAryFileVersion1(1) = 1 And strAryFileVersion1(2) = 7601) Then
                If (strAryFileVersion1(3) < 17630 Or (strAryFileVersion1(3) > 20000 And strAryFileVersion1(3) < 21744)) Then
                             
                                Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
                                Dim oReg : Set oReg = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\default:StdRegProv")
                                Dim oShell : Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
                                Dim sPath, aSub, sKey, aSubToo, sKeyToo, dwValue, Result, SaveResult
                                Dim NotDeleted
                             
                                NotDeleted = 0
                             
                                ' Get all keys within sPath
                                sPath = "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI"
                                oReg.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath, aSub
                             
                                ' Loop through each key
                                For Each sKey In aSub
                                                ' Get all subkeys within the key 'sKey'
                                                oReg.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath & "\" & sKey, aSubToo
                                                For Each sKeyToo In aSubToo
                                                  Result = oReg.DeleteKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath & "\" & sKey & "\" & sKeyToo & "\" & "\Device Parameters" & "\SlotPersistentInfo")
                                                  ' Allow failure only if key never existed
                                                  If (Result = 1) Or (Result > 2) Then
                                                                NotDeleted = 1
                                                                SaveResult = Result
                                                  End If
                                                Next
                                Next
                             
                                If (NotDeleted > 0) Then
                                  Wscript.Echo "SlotPersistentInfo keys still exist under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\<deviceid>\<subdeviceid>\Device Parameters.  Please delete all manually and then install the updates. Result = " & Result
                                End If
                Else
                                WScript.Echo "Your system is ready to install the updates"
                End If   
Else
                                WScript.Echo "Your system is ready to install the updates"
End If


************************************************

If the system as already patches and NIC info already lost , this script seems to help in that case


Option Explicit
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Dim oReg : Set oReg = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\default:StdRegProv")
Dim oShell : Set oShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim sPath, aSub, sKey, aSubToo, sKeyToo, dwValue, Result, SaveResult
Dim NotDeleted

NotDeleted = 0

' Get all keys within sPath
sPath = "SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI"
oReg.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath, aSub

' Loop through each key
For Each sKey In aSub
    ' Get all subkeys within the key 'sKey'
    oReg.EnumKey HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath & "\" & sKey, aSubToo
    For Each sKeyToo In aSubToo
      Result = oReg.DeleteKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, sPath & "\" & sKey & "\" & sKeyToo & "\" & "\Device Parameters" & "\SlotPersistentInfo")
      ' Allow failure only if key never existed
      If (Result = 1) Or (Result > 2) Then
        NotDeleted = 1
        SaveResult = Result
      End If
    Next
Next

If (NotDeleted > 0) Then
  Wscript.Echo "One or more SlotPersistentInfo keys still exist under HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Enum\PCI\<deviceid>\<subdeviceid>\Device Parameters.  Please delete manually. Result = " & Result
End If


**************************************************************

To create collection of server 2008 R2 systems use this query:

select SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceID,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceType,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Name,SMS_R_SYSTEM.SMSUniqueIdentifier,SMS_R_SYSTEM.ResourceDomainORWorkgroup,SMS_R_SYSTEM.Client from SMS_R_System where OperatingSystemNameandVersion like '%Server 6.0%' or OperatingSystemNameandVersion like '%Server 6.1%'



Hope this helps