Linux VM stuck during boot: Unable to collect IPv4 routing table

I ran into this issue today. A linux was stuck during the boot process with the following message:

vmsvc [warning] [guestinfo] RecordRoutingInfo: Unable to collect IPv4 routing table


This issue occurs when the Linux iputils package causes a delay in the boot process. A warning message appears when the guestinfo plug-in tool fails to parse the content from the /proc/net/route file. The guest operating system's clock is ahead of the host on which it is running, causing the arping process to become unresponsive during boot.

To fix this issue follow the steps below:
-Power off the affected VM
-Edit settings of the VM
-In the Options Tab edit the Configuration Parameters under Advanced - General
-Add a new row: rtc.diffFromUTC=0
-Power on the VM