13.5.0 | Unable to re-encrypt the virtual machine: Disk Problem

[webears]

Good morning,

after successfully updating VMware Fusion to version 13.5.0 on macOS Sonoma 14.0, when I open my W11 pro ARM virtual machine, it tells me that it is encrypted with the previous encryption scheme.
I then select the Update button, but the error appears: "the virtual machine cannot be re-encrypted: disk problem"

What should I do to resolve it?

Thank you!

[Waldimiro]

Same problem:(

Nothing helps: 

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/93071

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/Fusion-2023-Tech-Preview/quot-Unable-to-reencrypt-the-virtual-mach...

[Technogeezer]

You might be able to recover from this.

If your VM is encrypted with the "Only the files needed to support a TPM device" (a.k.a. partial encryption)., the virtual disk is unencrypted.  Save away a copy of the VM, then manually create a new Windows ARM VM. That will have the latest and greatest encryption scheme. dWhen asked for a virtual disk, use an existing virtual disk and navigate to the VMDK of your old VM. Opt to make a copy of that disk. Choose to encrypt only those files needed to support a TPM when prompted. 

Since you've essentially reset the TPM by creating a new virtual machine, you may need to revalidate your login the first time you power up (especially if you have used a Microsoft account and are using Windows Hello login features such as a PIN).

[webears]

Hi, I tried to do what you said, but the result, when completing the procedure, is: "unable to decrypt the disk because the key or password is invalid"
I tried both by setting a new password when choosing to encrypt only the files necessary to support a TPM and by entering the same password used in the previous encryption...

[billearl]

Thanks, Paul. Using your method, I was able to successfully import my Parallels VM (Win 11 Arm) to VMware Fusion. The only differences are the current documented shortcomings of VMware Fusion 13.5, and the hard disk is named "harddisk.vmdk" (from Parallels) instead of "Virtual Disk.vmdk". A huge savings in time and patience compared to manually setting up a new VMware Fusion VM.

Update: I just went back now and changed all instances of "harddisk" to "Virtual Disk", not that it matters. Works fine.

[Technogeezer]

Glad you were able to get it to migrate over.

To be honest, 13.5 removed a lot of the shortcomings vs. Parallels., but not all of them.  The two glaring holes IMO are virtual printer support and shared folder support.  I don't consider Unity to be a glaring omission, but then again in the spirit of transparency I'm not a fan of it (that's a mild way of expressing my probably-not-so-popular purist opinion about it).

Again, to be honest, virtual printing is not that hard to work around. And using "native" file sharing vs shared folders is a lot cleaner and better performing than Fusion's shared folders were.

[webears]

Hi, I tried to do what you wrote, but at the end of the process of creating the new virtual machine, the result is: "unable to decrypt the disk because the key or password is invalid".
In the encryption choice phase, to add a TMP with partial encryption, I tried both by entering the same password used in the "old" virtual machine and by entering a new one.
I do not understand...

[Waldimiro]

...again, same problem. 

[billearl]

The procedure I used to convert a Parallels VM to VMware is already getting sketchy in my mind. I would have to do it again to provide details.

1. In Parallels, uninstall Parallels Tools, then shut down.

2. Since VMware Fusion 13.5 lacks an "Import" menu item, drop this VM on the VMware Fusion app icon. This is where it gets a bit fuzzy, although I went with the (minimum) defaults for UEFI and TPM.

3. When opening the resulting VM in VMware Fusion, I got the "Unable to re-encrypt the virtual machine: Disk Problem" message. That's where I gave up until I saw Technogeezer's advice in this thread.

4. I followed that advice, and the result was success, as I described.

If that doesn't do the job, please let me know and I'll try it again and provide more detail.

[Waldimiro]

thank you for the time you invest in reading and trying to solve the problem.

In my case it is not a Parallels virtual machine.

I have VMware Fusion 13, Windows 11 Pro ARM version installed.
I later installed Tech Preview 2023. Since then re-encrypt has been a problem. I thought with version 13.5 it was solved but I am still here

As info: VMware Fusion 13.5.0 on macOS Sonoma 14.0, NVMe 120 GB split into multiple files, encrypted only the files needed to support a TPM ...

[webears]

Hi, thank you very much, but it seems to me that Parallels is off topic...

I don't use Parallels.

I installed the W11 Pro ARM virtual machine on VMware Fusion 13.0.2 with macOS Ventura and everything worked perfectly.

And worked even after switching to macOS Sonoma.

I have now upgraded VMware Fusion to version 13.5.0 and have encountered the re-encrypt issues I described.

[joshiga]

@webears  Can you please share vmx file for the VM for which you are seeing this error ?  Also can you please check UI settings and see what is reported for encryption scheme whether it's reporting full or partial encryption? 

Please share logs from directory ~/Library/Logs/VMware\ Fusion

logs will be having name prefix "vmware-vmfusion"

and if possible please collect support bundle from VMware fusion UI and upload it here. 

UI Option to collect support bundle will be  Help -> Collect Support Information -> Quick 

Thanks,

Gaurav

[webears]

@joshiga I'm attaching what you requested (I hope...)

[Waldimiro]

@joshiga and here is mine...

[oreko1]

Great advice. Makes sense. I am about to try it - on an Intel Macbook Pro.

[webears]

Hi @joshiga ,

Did you have a chance to look at what I sent you?
Do you have any solution?

Thank you!