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rkevinburton
Contributor
Contributor

Cannot open /dev/vmmon

I try to create a Windows 2016 VM on my MAC and I get the following error

Screen Shot 2018-03-11 at 5.18.38 PM.png

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rkevinburton
Contributor
Contributor

Any ideas on this?

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wila
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Immortal

Ideas, sure but why don't you tell us first what VMware Fusion version this is and on what version of macOS you are trying to use VMware Fusion.

That way we can give you a more directed answer.

With that error I think you can't run any other VMs either unless I am severely mistaken.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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rkevinburton
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Contributor

I am running 8.X of VM Ware and 10.13.x of the Mac OS. It seems to be OK for a while then it gets into this state that I cannot open any VM's. I have yet to determine the trigger cause for entering into this state.

Thank you.

Kevin

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

Sadly VMware Fusion 8.x is not supported on macOS High Sierra.

I'm a bit surprised that "it works for a while and then gives this error" as I would have expected that error to be more persistent.

If that was the case I would have some suggestions on trying to get the kernel modules to get past the user approval for kernel extensions (see Kernel extensions and macOS High Sierra | Der Flounder  ) However that cannot be your problem if it is something that turns up later.

In the past there have been reports on Fusion not being able to load the kernel extensions once it ran out of character device major numbers by for example running a VPN, virtualbox, ...

See also: "Could not open /dev/vmmon" on macOS 10.12

It sounds a bit like that is what you are bumping into and if that's the case then upgrading to Fusion 10 would not solve anything.

Only a reboot after running out of character devices works. Unfortunately this -if that IS your issue- is a apple kernel issue that only apple can resolve.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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rkevinburton
Contributor
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I would be interested in when it was decided that it was not supported. When I first purchased VM Ware fusion I had a support engineer from VM Ware help me several times and the issue was declared as "resolved" as he was only able to get it working only to have the issue resurface later (see the latest incident at SR 17472130105). At the time there was no mention of it not being supported. I bring it up here only be...

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

I have never seen ANY official statement that Fusion 8 was supported on macOS High Sierra and I very frequently visit the forum (multiple times a day), the only statement I've seen is that it is not supported. If you want it from the horses mouth: Supported Host OS systems

For the record I do not work for VMware, I'm a volunteer who tries to help out peer users.

Don't want to sound condescending, but whatever is in your SR (as I can't look at it), it would not suddenly make Fusion 8 supported.

But it also does not help in that that ticket number does not provide to us here at the forum any actual info about your specific case.

Oh and as we are here debating supported or not now anyways, I might have more bad news then.

Fusion 8.x is end of life, so your options on what to expect from VMware for fixing this or even re-opening the ticket are not good I'm afraid.

See also: http://www.vmware.com/files/pdf/support/Product-Lifecycle-Matrix.pdf

The only good news I have is that the volunteers here at the forum are willing to help out, but we will need more info to work with as what you have shared so far.

If OTOH you prefer to make it VMware's problem then the only way to do so is by upgrading to VMware Fusion 10.

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
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