Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview Testing Guide

[#1]

This document provides useful instructions for how to test, with instructions to:

• Download and Install Fusion
• Where to get ISOs to install the supported Linux distributions
• How to install Windows 11
• How to use the new vTPM and Encryption modes
• How to provide feedback
  

The document has been updated (as of Sept 23, 2022), to include new information about Linux guests, Ubuntu issues, as well as instructions for installing Windows 11 for Arm. 

[kurj56]

As of 04/01/22 the download link is broken

[pinsent]

For me as well

[Blake4]

For me too can you fix it pls

[szsx]

For me as well

[scott28tt]

@Mikero See the comments above about the DMG download link not working, I tried it myself and got this error:

 

[Mikero]

Link works now...

Also un-gated, here's the public URL:

https://download3.vmware.com/software/fusion/file/VMware-Fusion-e.x.p-19431034_arm64.dmg

[pinsent]

I've managed to download but now I can't get past initializing. I've already followed the article for manually removing all attributes and it's still hung at initializing. Seriously disappointing.

[p4tty]

@pinsent check out this helpful thread:

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/Fusion-for-Apple-Silicon-Tech/Unable-to-launch-a-VM-after-fresh-in...

It also links to a Gist containing really great instructions on how to get an Ubuntu VM up and running:

https://gist.github.com/rhaleblian/44f2cb4418ee978603dc0b15dadf0e02

Hope that helps.

[Technogeezer]

@Mikero Is there a version of this document that covers the changes for the Intel version of the Tech Preview?

[Mikero]

The changes to support Windows 11 are the same on Intel and Apple silicon. The only difference, which I recall mentioning in the guide, are that some Tools-related features are unavailable.

Likewise, OpenGL 4.3 requires 5.19 kernel and 22.1.1+ Mesa on Intel as well as Arm.

And of course, Ubuntu works fine on Intel, it's just on Arm that it's currently borked until they pull in the patches.

If there's an area you'd like us to expand on, I can take that on and update the doc with it.

[Technogeezer]

Can I take that to mean that the existing VMware Tools for Windows x64 will give full functionality in the TP on Intel Macs? (Cut/Paste, Drag/Drop, window resize propagated to guest as resolution change, folder sharing)?

It's inferred. but for clarity's sake you might want to consider explicitly saying that they are supported.

[juliansmith]

I'm following the VMware Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview installation instructions to the letter, but its falling over after Step 8 (page 10) as I get the error "This PC can't run Windows 11 - This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirements..." I suspect this is the TPM causing problems, as when I go to settings to see if it is there, it isn't!

Shutting down the VM, and going to Settings, the messages that come up are that 'Trusted Platform Module could not  initialialize', "Unable to close settings. - The settings could not be closed because a device is being added." and then it flips back to the "Trusted Platform Module could not initialise" message.

I've tried adding the TPM device to new and existing Windows 11 ARM machines, and the same message comes up and Windows won't install / update as minimum hardware requirements can't be met.

I've verified this, following the instructions on Page 22 of the PDF, Step 7 "Verify the Trusted Platform Module is present" (and like I say above , I can't enable it)>

Is anyone else seeing this behaviour? Any solutions?
 

[jeffj2000]

windows 11 simply will not install. When I launch the install I get prompted for the new virtual TPM and password, which I auto-generate. The ISO boots and selecting either Enterprise or Pro I get my machine does not meet the requirements. I accepted the default settings for the VM of 2 core and 4GB. I see in the settings there is not a virtual TPM added and when I try to add that errors out. I will keep investigating this. 

[juliansmith]

Jeff,

I had the same issue as you. I was using custom ISO's downloaded from UUP Dump. In the end, I downloaded the latest VHD file from the Microsoft Insider web site and converted it to vmdk using QEMU method.

Windows installation I can now say, was successful. I had to use both the ISO and VHD instructions in the Tech Preview guide in order to get past the Network Enrollment issuse (i.e. using OOBE\BYPASSNRO method).

As per my previous post, though I still can't update Windows or install Windows from scratch using the ISO method.

Something not quite right about 22H2 I think!

[warper2]

Exact same thing here.

[Anonymous]

@juliansmith I have the same issue ("Trusted Platform Module could not  initialialize"). I've finaly bypassed the TPM check by following this procedure tho create a "BypassTPMCheck" key in the registry: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/86207.

Regarding the error itself, I've found nothing in vmware logs or VM logs.

[jeffj2000]

@Anonymous This worked! I am able to get the install going. Now I have to find out the procedure for getting the network driver working, I know I saw it somewhere. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

@jeffj2000 You just need to install the VMware tools. See the testing guide at the top of this page.

[juliansmith]

The VMware Tools install was successful and it's great to have some tools back again. One thing your bypass reg key @SuperChaton2000 might not solve though is getting future updates from the Windows 11 ARM Beta Channel releases, as I believe the TPM is needed for that?

Does the bypass allow for Windows 11 to meet the minimum system requirements as well? I think I had to do this with earlier releases and IIRC, it didn't work!

[Anonymous]

@juliansmith Indeed you can't enable Windows Insider channels without a TPM.

[Mikero]

So... there's a bug with the TPM that we'll have to fix, but it's not huge.

Basically, it deploys an x86_64 variant instead of arm64/native. (this is a packaging issue on our end, we do have native arm binaries for it).

This issue didn't crop up in testing because our systems had Rosetta2 installed already.

The bug: When Rosetta2 is not present, the TPM might not get initialized and installed correctly.

The workaround is to install Rosetta2 and then do the installation again (or just add the TPM manually after the installation).

Quick terminal command for that:
> softwareupdate --install-rosetta

Sorry for the trouble!

[juliansmith]

Mike,

Nice to meet you! Thanks for the explanation, makes total sense 🙂

I have installed Rosetta2 before and was not happy with the results on my MacBook M1 (slowed everything down and drained batter life) - I'm not going to re-install it again and would rather wait till the next release.

If that's going to be a very long time, are there alternatives such as a revised version of VMware Tools that could replace the x86 binaries with the arm64 ones?

[Technogeezer]

Thats a very interesting observation about Rosetta 2. It should not be consuming CPU time more than normal except in 2 circumstances:

• when doing ahead of time (AoT) conversion of Intel application code. That happens either when Rosetta is first installed, or when an Intel application is first executed. AoT translation is a one time occurrence. 
• When the just-in-time translator needs to be used - which is a minority of cases.

If Rosetta 2 is consuming CPU time regularly to the point where it’s draining your battery, my suspicion is that you might be running an application that’s triggering the latter, because after AoT translation is completed an application is running ARM code. 

[juliansmith]

Technogeezer,

Thanks for the information, interesting... To be honest, I didn't investigate it to any detail. I just removed Rosetta and my MacBook started working as it had before. The "before" was installing (sorry!) Parallels. What I hadn't realised was that Parallells silently installed Rosetta on the MacBook. Once I finished testing my apps with Parallels I stopped running it, but noticed the MacBook still sluggish. Rather than un-install Parallels, as I may need it for testing again), I decided to uninstall Rosetta. Wham. Back to normal!

[ivanerben]

Is it possible to put somewhere that ARM version of vmware tools iso included in this fusion release? I'd like to test it with ESXi arm fling.

EDIT: Solved. I have manager to install fusion and downloaded iso from there. Seems that only graphics card driver and network driver exists now. No vmware tools. 

[MEMikie]

Hello,

I have attempted this new install multiple times, yet my MacBook M1 never finds a network adapter.  I'm frustrated, so posting.  When I install tools, it says the driver was installed, yet setup shows no network.

Any help?  What can I add to assist?

[Technogeezer]

@MEMikie please open a new post in the discussions section, include details on what you are doing, and attach a copy of your VMs configuration file (.vmx file that is found within the VM’s bundle - navigate to the VM in the Finder, right click on it, and select “Show Package Contents” and you’ll find the .vmx file there). 

[ddoke]

Hello hello!

A fresh install of Windows 11 ARM64, converted from a VHDX file, with Rosetta2 and the TPM recreated, with all files encrypted:

Windows says my computer does not meet standard security requirements.

I've tried clearing the TPM, to no avail. It does show, however, it gives me a status as Attestation, Storage Ready, but seemingly not good enough for Windows?

Any clue? Anyone else with the issue? I've tried several installations now. 

Thanks!!!

[Technogeezer]

Could you provide screen shots of what Windows is complaining about? 
Also, which insider preview VHDX are you using?

[ddoke]

Hello!

Screenshots are not my forte, (I am visually impaired, blind that is) but I'll see to get one later.

The versions I've tried are the Insider Client 22h2 build 25179, and an older Windows on the Dev channel, circa January 2022.

On the start menu search, type Windows Security, then head on to Device Security. 

Can you confirm you have standard security requirements on a VMWare guest machine?

Thanks for reverting back so quick!

[Burke-]

@Technogeezer - great work here! My experience getting Ubuntu up and running went much better than when I tried (without research) using the previous Tech Preview. I step through the process for Ubuntu in a YouTube video that just released today. 2 Weeks from today, My video on Fedora 36 is scheduled to publish.

[EDIT] - I embedded the video here first, but it was WAY too wide even though I selected SMALL, so I have edited this comment to simply link to it.

[ddoke]

Would appreciate some feedback on the minimum standard security requirements on Windows and if your VM instances are able to satisfy them. 

[xuinx]

I attempted to use a window11arm64 preview Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_22499.VHDX. Had to use an Intel Mac to install and run qemu-img to covert to .vmdx and copied back to arm MacBookPro M1Max. Used custom VM but it will not allow me to select the .vmdx. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Greg

[Technogeezer]

@xuinx What was the exact qemu-img conversion command that you ran?

Many people have run a variant of the example in the Testing Guide - unfortunately with that example it's way too easy to get a vmdk file that won't be bootable, and may corrupt your original copy,

[xuinx]

@Technogeezer I ran this: 

qemu-img convert -O vmdk Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_22499.VHDX win11arm.vhdx

Do you have a better approach?

BTW I went down this path because the uupdump .iso(s) I tried all had problems with missing MSstore app.

Thanks for the reply.

[Technogeezer]

Jus a note: From what I remember, I don't believe that the Insider Preview has the Microsoft Store included either. It's typically found that you once you have Windows installed in the VM that you have to drop into a command prompt and execute wsreset.exe -I in order to get the Microsoft Store installed.

The command you used for conversion is not what is recommended. The destination file needs to be named with a .vmdk extension. 

The correct command should be (suggest using the -p option in order to get a progress indicator)...:

qemu-img convert -p -O vmdk Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_22499.VHDX win11arm.vmdk

[xuinx]

@Technogeezer

Ok thanks for the advice. wsreset responds with "You'll need a new app to open this ms-windows-store link"

I'll give the qemu-img another go. I didn't thing the file extension name would matter. 

[Technogeezer]

Use wsreset.exe -i (that's lower case i ) to install the Microsoft Store after logging in the first time.

And prepare to wait. It may take a few minutes for the store to load. Don't try to do anything with the store until you see Windows respond that the store has been installed and you should check it out.

If you're curious, you should see some activity in Notifications that the Microsoft Store is being downloaded and installed.

[andrewreid91]

Great, I was just looking into Fusion today. Thanks for the information. 

[xuinx]

@Technogeezer 

Thanks for the assistance! Downloaded another VHDX and ran qemu-img -p O vmdk ... on an intel Mac.

Worked perfectly this time. I found it more efficient verses the uupdump method.

MSstore surfaced after wsreset.exe -i

Thanks again,

Greg

[Technogeezer]

@xuinx - glad you could get it to work. I think it's a personal preference as to which method you use (VHDX vs ISO installation). Both have their advantages and disadvantages. 

I like the ISO method because it gives me control over which build I install. Including the "retail" build (not a preview or beta build) and the edition I install (Home, Pro, or Enterprise). 

[AjaxWharton]

I also have "Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Your channel options will be limited."

Device Security looks OK.

Prevents instance from receiving updates to Beta Channel.

[Technogeezer]

Not surprising. A VM running on Apple Silicon technically does not meet Windows minimum hardware requirements.

Minimum system specs for Windows 11 are found here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications . For the processor:

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC).

If you follow the link, you will see no Apple Silicon CPUs listed as compatible with Windows 10 or 11. It sounds like whatever you're looking at is following the letter of the law for determining what's a minimum hardware requirement.

Yes we all know it works. But Microsoft considers it an unsupported configuration. 

[AjaxWharton]

Well then, the Fusion tech preview is pretty much worthless.

This wasn't my experience with Parallels.

[Anonymous]

@AjaxWharton I have installed Windows 11 ARM without any issue.

Either you have a TPM issue that can be fixed by installing Rosetta 2 or following this procedure, or your VM hardware (CPU, RAM, storage) doesn't meet the requirements.

[Shreshth]

I have recently downloaded the latest Tech Preview of VMware fusion as of 20 October 2022. I wanted to Live boot Kali Linux or Parrot Linux from USB on my Mac m1 which of course is not yet natively possible for apple silicon in spite of the official site of these Linux distro providing the arm64 based ISO images.  https://www.kali.org/docs/usb/boot-usb-in-a-vm/ The aforementioned link and the following link https://www.kali.org/blog/vmware-fusion-kali-usb-boot/ guides on how to live boot kali on VMware from USB.

Unfortunately the problem I am facing is that when the virtual machine runs from USB (I had flashed the USB with the ISO file using Balena Etcher) then as long as I'm in the boot menu the Linux OS is accepting keystrokes from my Mac but as soon as I reach the home page then my trackpad or the mouse pointer becomes unresponsive and keyboard also stops working! Therefore I am unable to do anything in the Kali OS and have no option but to shut down the VM.

The same problem persists in case of Parrot Linux as well. Everything is fine as long as I'm in the main boot menu but as soon as I proceed for either the graphical install or the normal install I am unable to use either my trackpad or keyboard to further with the installation process.

I would like to point out that these problems persist only when I am trying to run these Linux distro from USB on VMware but when I directly install the ISO file on VMware then everything works fine. I would request the VMware authorities to please kindly look into this issue and resolve it as soon as possible. 

[Technogeezer]

@Shreshth please see my comments in your original thread. There's no need to duplicate your post here. 

I've done some investigative work as a normal user, as I'm not a VMware employee, and may have some hints that will help you. 

[kaz219]

Has anyone tested Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview with Windows 11 ARM and the newest macOS venture, released on Monday?

[Technogeezer]

@kaz219 - I upgraded yesterday to the GA Ventura release. My existing Windows 11 ARM VM continues to work with the latest 22H2 Tech Preview release. I haven't tried a fresh install from ISO, but I'm not expecting any issues.

[dosers]

QQ - I assume even with Ventura 'just' as the host system, and on Intel - you need the TP for now to even run Fusion on MacOS 13?