Windows 11 ARM Applications Won't Launch

[joedec]

I installed Windows 11 ARM, build 22000.918, Activated. Everything seems to work except Windows applications, mail and calendar, photos, To Do, even calculator. I am logged in with my Microsoft account, seems these applications can't open the authentication window. 

What does work that also uses the Microsoft account is the Store, Windows Update, Edge.

I've reinstalled these applications, reset the PC but no Windows fix seems to work.

Are these applications working for others?

... Jeff

PS Third party applications, Facebook, etc open just fine.

[Technogeezer]

I'm seeing the same thing with Calculator, Mail, Calendar. Very strange.

The event log (at least for Calculator) seems to keep complaining that it can't connect to DCOM within timeout. That's even more strange, indeed...

[yfx01]

I also encountered the same problem, which could not be solved by trying various operations. I want to know why.

[yfx01]

I also encountered the same problem, which could not be solved by trying various operations. I want to know why.

[joedec]

Thanks for the confirmation. Maybe the next Fusion release things will work. Even still, it surprises me, I thought for sure it was my Windows installation.

Same here, DCOM error.

The server microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps_16005.14326.20970.0_arm__8wekyb3d8bbwe!microsoft.windowslive.mail.AppXnkkdvsgjva9ekjq4yw99zb8vy45jkyrc.mca did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

... Jeff

[ColoradoMarmot]

Same here as well.  Ironically I only use Windows for x86 applications so I never tried any of those.

I don't have a Microsoft account, but found some references to being able to clear this error by using the troubleshooter/other/store to refresh a certificate.

It's really odd though, can't see how/why being in a VM would cause this problem, but maybe that error is a red herring.   

[LVGandhi]

How to activate windows 11 ARM VM?

[Technogeezer]

Windows 11 ARM can be activated with a Windows 10 or 11 license key. They are not specific to Windows on Intel. I bought mine through Microsoft’s online store, but supposedly “boxed” retail licenses will work too. 

[joedec]

For the record, I transferred my Digital License which was linked to my Microsoft account, purchased from the Microsoft Store. This was previously used on an Intel machine.

... Jeff

[LVGandhi]

Thanks Technogeezer and joedec.

[Technogeezer]

That DCOM error seems to me to be more of a Windows issue than. VMware issue. I’ve seen other posts on the web where even physical machines have this issue. And cases where nothing fixes it, regardless of the myriad of workarounds that are offered. 

[Technogeezer]

To add more mystery to the problem:

I just installed the 22H2 Insider Preview 22598.1 beta channel release (from vhdx converted to vmdk). 

Calculator installs and runs fine.

So my suspicions now are leaning more toward this being a Windows issue and not a Fusion issue. However, I do have a couple more iterations of things to try out. (A fresh install of 22000.918 into a new VM, and set it up as both Windows Home and Windows Pro).

I will post my results here.

[joedec]

Just for kicks I installed a Windows 10 Pro ARM, the Microsoft apps don't work there either. I am going to wait for a new release from VMware before I invest anymore more effort.

Funny that Thunderbird, Firefox, even LibreOffice work fine.

... Jeff

[Technogeezer]

Update from testing:

The Windows 22H2 22621.382 installation from uupdump.net runs Calculator just fine. I'm updating now to the latest 22621.457 Insider Preview release build (also from uupdump.net) and will report.

[joedec]

For the record, I updated VMware to 20486664. Today, Windows updated from 21H2 22000.1042 to 22H2 22621.608  via Windows Update.

I deleted Mail & Calendar then reinstalled from the Microsoft Store. Now Mail, Calendar and People all work.

... Jeff

[Technogeezer]

Jeff, that's good news and glad it's now working for you.

I think there are some wonky things with Windows 11 21H2 for ARM that Microsoft seems to have addressed in 22H2. 22H2 is now my go-to Windows 11 release.