Virtual PC SP1 Networking problems (address "00:00:00:00:00:00" failed to initialize)

 

There have been a number of people reporting that when they start a virtual machine - they get the following error:

The network adapter with address "00:00:00:00:00:00" of virtual machine "...." failed to initialize because the address is a null address.

To fix this problem you should use REGEDIT to:

1. Examine the key value at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{4D36E972-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002bE10318}\<nnnn>\DriverDesc to locate the desired host adapter where <nnnn> is a four digit number.
2. Look at the GUID value for the NetCfgInstanceId key value.
3. Add the DWORD key at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\VPCNetS2\Parameters\Adapters\<guid>\Flags and set the value to 0 where <guid> is the GUID found in step 2.
4. Restart the computer.

If you want to see the details of this error see

http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2005/01/17/354971.aspx

Code names from MS

 

Ø Longhorn (code name): The next major release of the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Ø Avalon (code name): Graphics presentation technologies in Windows "Longhorn" that provides a unified architecture for presenting user interface, documents and media in the system.

Ø ClickOnce: Technology in Windows "Longhorn" designed to speed & simplify deployment of applications.

Ø Indigo (code name): .NET communications technologies in Windows "Longhorn" designed to build and run connected systems.

Ø SuperFetch: Technology in Windows "Longhorn" designed to help applications launch more quickly.

Ø Whidbey (code name): Next generation of the Microsoft Visual Studio system of software-development tools.

Ø WinFS (code name): Next-generation search and data storage system that provides a unified storage model for applications running on Windows "Longhorn."

Ø WinFX: Programming model Windows "Longhorn," used by software developers to build applications for the Windows platform.

Ø Yukon (code name): The next generation of Microsoft SQL Server database software.