Cannot create Bootcamp Virtual Machine on MacOS Ventura with VMware Fusion player 13.0.0

[davperuser]

I just did a fresh install of macOS Ventura, and installed windows 10 via Bootcamp. This is an intel 2020 MacBook Pro 13 and I have installed Windows 10 Pro on Bootcamp. Standard installation. I am trying to create a virtual machine that uses the BootCamp partition as usual, but there seem to be some permission issues that prevent me to do so. 

When starting the assistant, the bootcamp partition has a warning sign with the message: "If another virtual machine is using the disk, it must be powered off". There is no other VM.

After clicking continue, the assistant fails with: "Could not create the virtual disk for your Boot Camp virtual machine"

- The assistant asked me for my administrator password. There is only 1 user in the machine and it is an administrator.

- VMWare fusion has been granted full disk access in the Privacy and Security panel.

- The output of the logs is as follows:

2022-12-28T00:34:03.412Z In(05) VMware Fusion FILE: File_GetTimes: error stating file "/Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/rawdiskAuthorization": No such file or directory
2022-12-28T00:34:03.412Z In(05) VMware Fusion RawDiskAuthLoadPrivilegesDictionary: raw disk authorization file doesn't exist yet, will ask for authorization.
2022-12-28T00:34:09.663Z Wa(03) VMware Fusion CnxFSVigor: Failed to get file stat /Users/david/Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/Virtual Machines/Boot Camp/Boot Camp.vmwarevm.
2022-12-28T00:34:09.770Z Wa(03) VMware Fusion Boot Camp preprocessing: rawdiskCreator returned 256.

- Based on other (very old posts) linked below, I have tried:

• Restarting the Mac.
• Removing and reading the Full Disk access permission.
• Unmounting the BOOTCAMP partition and restarting the Mac so it auto mounts.
• Completely remove VMWare Fusion and all its folders/caches, and reinstall.
• Run first aid on the top level volume from Disk Utility

This assistant has been working perfectly for me in every version since VMWare 10, in each of the macOS versions and windows versions. It is the first time I see it failing like this. 

- There is one single user in the machine, that has administrator access, and which has installed VMWare Fusion.

- Bootcamp is mounted and accessible from finder. Bootcamp windows starts with no problem.

There is a similar question from 2008, in which the creation of the disk manually could have worked. But as I said, the assistant has been working fine for the last 5/6 years, so I am hesitant to go that route.

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/quot-Could-not-create-the-virtual-disk-f...

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/Cannot-recreate-Boot-Camp-Volume-in-Fusi...

Is this a regression? Any help appreciated.

[Technogeezer]

It’s a regression in Fusion 13.

There is a known issue with Fusion 13 that keeps Boot Camp VMs from working. It’s been discussed in other posts here in the forum. VMware is aware of this but has not delivered a fix yet.

There does not appear to be a workaround for Ventura. If you’re on Monterey or Big Sur you have the option to drop back to Fusion 12. 

[davperuser]

Thanks for your reply. I missed the other posts in the forum. 

I might have read the wrong log files, but the post where VMWare acknowledged this regression mentions the error message:

"DescriptorOpenExtents: Cannot open VMFS flat disk without an extent line"

While I am getting the message:

2022-12-28T00:34:03.412Z In(05) VMware Fusion FILE: File_GetTimes: error stating file "/Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/rawdiskAuthorization": No such file or directory
2022-12-28T00:34:03.412Z In(05) VMware Fusion RawDiskAuthLoadPrivilegesDictionary: raw disk authorization file doesn't exist yet, will ask for authorization.
2022-12-28T00:34:09.663Z Wa(03) VMware Fusion CnxFSVigor: Failed to get file stat /Users/david/Library/Application Support/VMware Fusion/Virtual Machines/Boot Camp/Boot Camp.vmwarevm.
2022-12-28T00:34:09.770Z Wa(03) VMware Fusion Boot Camp preprocessing: rawdiskCreator returned 256.

Hopefully it is the same issue and we have it fixed in the next path. At the moment this has completely disrupted my workflow.

[gringley]

I got my what appears to be weekly notice on my support ticket for this that:  "This is to keep you posted that we are actively working on the issue reported and we will keep you posted. Thank you for choosing VMware." so far no idea when they will fix it.

[Carl_Marshall]

... and I've just walked into the same set of issues. Though in this case I was testing Fusion 13.0 before I did the upgrade to Ventura from Monterey.

Guess I'll be watching this space to see if anything changes/improves.

[davperuser]

Thanks for the update.

What is crazy to me is that the main selling point of Fusion is running windows on the mac. And out of the two main workflows to do so, creating a new VM, or running the the VM from the BootCamp install, one has been broken for a month and half!.

How could this possibly pass QA for a major release in the first place, and once it did, how is this not a priority?

Hopefully we'll get a patch soon. 

[ibrenzinger]

Same issue too

[SweetyMuc]

I also have this issue. It is so annoying. Running Paralles is so easy and teaching VM-Ware it is possible.....

[Technogeezer]

It's really pretty bad that VMware is treating its Mac users so badly. It's inexcusable that they have not released a fix for a day-one issue that there's no workaround for in Fusion 13 that they obviously know about. 

[X3Volts]

Still same issue too and not see any fix or update .....

[gringley]

This is fixed in Fusion 13.01 released today.  Oddly enough VMware support sent me the usual -

A pleasant day to you!

Please be informed that the Bootcamp issue is being actively investigated by our engineering team and we will reach out to you with an update as soon as we have a breakthrough.

Thank you for your patience and understanding!

So it is clear the support team for Fusion has no connection to the reality on the ground.

[Technogeezer]

The support team doesn't seem to be getting clear info from the developers/engineering. I have other tickets open on an issue that for weeks the only responses were "we're awaiting an update from the engineering team".  VMware doesn't seem to care about how long issues are open in their support and engineering organizations.

I pushed back insinuating that I'd like to speak to a supervisor about an escalation, and lo and behold a response all of a sudden that "they've reproduced the problem and we'll let you know when it'll be fixed".

Footnote. My issue wasn't fixed in 13.0.1 (I downloaded it and tested to make sure). Guess it's going to be a few more months of waiting.

[Carl_Marshall]

Have now downloaded the 13.0.1 version and installed that on my Ventura setup - and it has quickly and easily built a VM using the BootCamp disk. Attempting first boot of that now, but so far the boot process hasn't made it off the black load screen with the windows logo and the spinning dots for the past... 5 minutes now.

I suspect my evaluation of VMware Fusion isn't going to be very favourable at this rate 😕

[SweetyMuc]

just restart. It is working here now. After years it faild.

[SweetyMuc]

It works! Thank you!