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Thomas_McKane
Contributor
Contributor

Fusion 8.5 on MacOS Sierra Crashing Often

After any of my Windows VM's boot up, they freeze more often than not and I get an error that Windows has stopped responding and needs rebooted.  I sometimes have to reboot 3 times before it will actually boot up and be usable.

This NEVER happened with previous versions of Fusion.

PLEASE FIX THIS BUG

101 Replies
sdsmpie
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

i'm still running osx 10.9.5 Maverick with fusion Pro 6.0.6 and bought fusion fusion pro 8..but i havent downloaded it as of yet.

And i don't think i wil..

after reading all the problems here..i won't be upgrading to Sierra as of yet but this security problem on older osx / iOS versions has me worried.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/10/24/apple_security_update/

I would much rather have the option to exchange my unused product key (fusion 8 pro for a fusion 9 pro and skip 8 / 8.5 altogether.

if vmware gives unused customers a 45% discount i would pay the €44 but no more than that..after that i would consider just building a free linux virtualisation box.

and use the same enterprise tools at home..

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mriffey
Contributor
Contributor

Same here. It seemed to be gone for a day or so, but its back with a vengeance now. I am close to reverting to OSX 10.15, even if I have to join the dev program to get the download. Fusion 8.5.1 seemed to have no impact. I do not run in Unity mode. I reset the SMC at the request of Apple - it hung within minutes of restarting Fusion.

Mark

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Skovian
Contributor
Contributor

Good day, and thank you for your reply.

It appears (I'm hoping) that I might have been too hasty with my last post.  Time will tell...

I will begin by saying that the settings you advised me to set must be the default.  They were already that way and I had not ever changed them.

My Windows 8.1 load is a complete, from scratch install.  It was not copied or restored or anything like that.  I thought that the updates were farther along than they were.  My experience with this bug is that a completely updated Windows (almost any version) guest doesn't demonstrate this problem.  I've logged on to fully-patched Windows guest as soon as I could get to the login prompt and it seems stable (knock on wood).  This is with XP pro, 7 pro x64, and now 8.1 pro x64. 

My apologies for the premature post; my emotions got the better of me.

I will try with Windows 10 sometime this weekend and post the results.  Are there any logs or any other non-personal details that I can send in or post that might help?

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Skovian
Contributor
Contributor

OK,

I downloaded and installed the 8.5.1 update and logged in to my XP and 7 guest OS and reinstalled the VMWare tools.  No problems there.  I logged in to them very quickly after they were up so I was optimistic.

Then I tried it with the 8.1 guest.  It froze.  Eventually I was able to log in and reinstall the tools.

I made a new guest with Windows 10 and tried the first login and it froze.

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HenryAZ
Contributor
Contributor

I can pretty certainly say it is not related to sleeping.  Nothing on my Mac Pro ever sleeps, period, except for the display going into energy saving mode after 15 minutes of inactivity.  Pmset output shows that clearly.  My MacBook Pro only sleeps when I close the lid, and I never do that with a VM running.  I never suspend the VM's, don't run in Unity mode, just use the open VM as a working window on its own Mission Control Desktop, occasionally leaving to go to another app and returning.  Returning focus to the VM is the *only* meager relationship I have noticed with the crash.  It almost always happens then, but it doesn't happen every time, and occasionally other activity triggers it or no apparent activity, so go figure.  Both machines are now running 10.12.1 (16B2657), but this behavior is a carry-over from 10.12.0.  It never happened with Fusion 8.1.1 on El Capitan (10.11.6), and prior.  It happens with both Fusion 8.1.1 and 8.5.0 on Sierra.  I have attached a crash log in my latest update to this thread.

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Skovian
Contributor
Contributor

Good day VMware!

Since I  loaded macOS Sierra and found that I have this problem, I've posted on a couple of these threads and have been keeping up with several more.  I'm sure that others have the same questions I have so I will ask:

1.  Has any singular, or combinational, cause been found?

2.  Is it a VMware or Apple issue?

3.  Is a patch at least in an alpha status?

Thank you

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Luke_H_NYC
Contributor
Contributor

I want to add to the discussion-- I originally thought this problem only affected Windows VMs but yesterday I was building a LibreNMS monitoring box from their OVF (Centos7 based) and experienced the crashes when trying to grab focus with that as well.  So it seems that Linux guests are affected too.

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Skovian
Contributor
Contributor

Interesting.  I had not even tried a Linux distro to see if that is affected.  If I may impose, would you please try something?  This works for my Windows guest OS systems.

Let one of them boot then let it sit for about 5 or 10 minutes.  Then see if it works.

If I let my Windows guest OS sit for about 10 minutes, then try to log in, it will work and be stable.  If I boot it and try to log in as soon as it is up, it will crash the instant I click on the username.  If I boot it and let it sit for too little time, I can click on the username but it will crash the instant I start typing in the password box, it won't even show the black dot that represents a letter.

Cheers!

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Bradall
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

This is happening to myself as well. I'm considering going back to 8.0 as i think it was far more stable back there. If i leave my VM of win10 running and simply close the lid my mac crashes.....i've never had this before....8.0 roll back seems to be the go.

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NogBadTheBad
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Can you please sort this issue out, its very annoying.

My Windows 7 Pro VM is now crashing every 30 - 45 mins!

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NogBadTheBad
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Sigh just crashed yet again.

Noticed a BSOD with a Pacer.sys error, maybe its the Fusion network drivers, normally reboots too quick to see the error.

Removed all the drivers and re-installed all bar VMXNet3

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Skovian
Contributor
Contributor

I finally got sick of waiting for a fix, too.  I reinstalled El Capitan.  I still use Fusion 8.5.1 but it hasn't given me the problems like other people say it has for them.  Kind of disappointing.

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HenryAZ
Contributor
Contributor

Same here, back to El Capitan for my main work desktop.  I'll leave Sierra on the MBP for now, to follow it, but no Fusion on that machine, at least until it gets fixed.  El Capitan is a fully mature OS that I won't have to update every six weeks, and it runs Fusion just fine (8.5.1).  I fully expect to ride out Sierra for the duration, and see what next fall brings from Apple.  There just isn't that much new in Sierra (unless you just have to have Siri on your Mac), and there are other issues besides with Fusion.  I got tired of baby sitting it.

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Luke_H_NYC
Contributor
Contributor

Yeah this problem is extremely frustrating.  My main Win10 VM just crashed so many times it finally corrupted itself and will no longer boot.  I just had to reinstall from scratch.  Not sure why this bug is not getting more of a response from VMware -- it seems like they are blaming Apple for it being a bug in Sierra but if that's the case then they should at least go public with that and let us know when Apple is going to fix it etc.  As of now we are all fiddling with .vmx settings and praying for the best.

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jgd
Contributor
Contributor

I've been running Fusion 8.5 and Windows 10 on Macbook Pro with OSX for months and on macOS Sierra for weeks with zero crashes.

Suddenly this morning out of the blue VMware Fusion crashed.

Upgraded to Fusion 8.5.1 this afternoon and it crashed again tonight.

This is a complete mystery - nothing significant seems to have changed.

Crash dumps:

Process:           vmware-vmx [27575]
Path:              /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-vmx
Identifier:        vmware-vmx
Version:           8.5.0 (0435.27.17)
Code Type:         X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:    ??? [1010]
Responsible:       vmware-vmx [27575]
User ID:           501

Date/Time:         2016-11-07 16:50:39.895 -0800
OS Version:        Mac OS X 10.12.1 (16B2555)
Report Version:    12
Anonymous UUID:    63879CB0-9035-01F1-A648-19B9329247E7

Sleep/Wake UUID:   C65860F5-2363-4408-A25C-F6A288B1A635

Time Awake Since Boot: 730000 seconds

Time Since Wake:   5200 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:    0

Exception Type:    EXC_CRASH (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes:   0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:    EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Application Specific Information:

*** multi-threaded process forked ***

crashed on child side of fork pre-exec

Thread 0 Crashed:

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fffbc1acdda __pthread_kill + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffbc298787 pthread_kill + 90
2   vmware-vmx               0x0000000105d51533 0x1055f2000 + 7730483
3   vmware-vmx               0x0000000105d516e7 0x1055f2000 + 7730919
4   vmware-vmx               0x0000000105634029 0x1055f2000 + 270377
5   vmware-vmx               0x0000000105d50980 0x1055f2000 + 7727488
6   libsystem_platform.dylib 0x00007fffbc28bbba _sigtramp + 26
7   ???                      000000000000000000 0 + 0
8   vmware-vmx               0x0000000105718124 0x1055f2000 + 1204516
9   vmware-vmx               0x00000001059745d8 0x1055f2000 + 3679704
10  vmware-vmx               0x00000001059a168c 0x1055f2000 + 3864204
11  vmware-vmx               0x0000000105974998 0x1055f2000 + 3680664
12  vmware-vmx               0x00000001057fdfe7 0x1055f2000 + 2146279
13  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffbc295aab _pthread_body + 180
14  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffbc2959f7 _pthread_start + 286
15  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffbc295221 thread_start + 13

Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (64-bit):

  rax: 0x0000000000000000  rbx: 0x0000000000000006  rcx: 0x000070000cc64798  rdx: 0x0000000000000000

  rdi: 0x0000000000000203  rsi: 0x0000000000000006  rbp: 0x000070000cc647c0  rsp: 0x000070000cc64798

   r8: 0x00000000ffffffff   r9: 0x0000000000000000  r10: 0x0000000000000000  r11: 0x0000000000000287

  r12: 0x0000000106267e58  r13: 0x000070000cc65a40  r14: 0x000070000cc66000  r15: 0x00007fffc4d7f070

  rip: 0x00007fffbc1acdda  rfl: 0x0000000000000286  cr2: 0x000000010a2fe000

 

Logical CPU: 0
Error Code:  0x02000148
Trap Number: 133

Process:           vmware-vmx [769]
Path:              /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-vmx
Identifier:        vmware-vmx
Version:           8.5.1 (0454.33.25)
Code Type:         X86-64 (Native)
Parent Process:    ??? [656]
Responsible:       vmware-vmx [769]
User ID:           501

Date/Time:         2016-11-07 20:13:58.866 -0800
OS Version:        Mac OS X 10.12.1 (16B2555)
Report Version:    12
Anonymous UUID:    63879CB0-9035-01F1-A648-19B9329247E7

Time Awake Since Boot: 6800 seconds

System Integrity Protection: enabled

Crashed Thread:    0  Dispatch queue: RawCameraSupport Queue

Exception Type:    EXC_CRASH (SIGABRT)
Exception Codes:   0x0000000000000000, 0x0000000000000000
Exception Note:    EXC_CORPSE_NOTIFY

Application Specific Information:

*** multi-threaded process forked ***

crashed on child side of fork pre-exec

Thread 0 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: RawCameraSupport Queue

0   libsystem_kernel.dylib   0x00007fffac471dda __pthread_kill + 10
1   libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffac55d787 pthread_kill + 90
2   vmware-vmx               0x000000010e93f533 0x10e1e0000 + 7730483
3   vmware-vmx               0x000000010e93f6e7 0x10e1e0000 + 7730919
4   vmware-vmx               0x000000010e222029 0x10e1e0000 + 270377
5   vmware-vmx               0x000000010e93e980 0x10e1e0000 + 7727488
6   libsystem_platform.dylib 0x00007fffac550bba _sigtramp + 26
7   libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30cf97 _os_object_alloc_realized + 35
8   libsystem_c.dylib        0x00007fffac3d7420 abort + 129
9   libsystem_c.dylib        0x00007fffac39e893 __assert_rtn + 320
10  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff9718cf7c -[CFPrefsSearchListSource createRequestNewContentMessageForDaemon:] + 556
11  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff9730426c -[CFPrefsSearchListSource alreadylocked_generationCountFromListOfSources:count:] + 92
12  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff9718c690 -[CFPrefsSearchListSource alreadylocked_copyDictionary] + 336
13  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff9718c36c -[CFPrefsSearchListSource alreadylocked_copyValueForKey:] + 60
14  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff972b6d65 -[CFPrefsSource copyValueForKey:] + 53
15  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97332300 __76-[_CFXPreferences copyAppValueForKey:identifier:container:configurationURL:]_block_invoke + 32
16  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff973056a2 __108-[_CFXPreferences(SearchListAdditions) withSearchListForIdentifier:container:cloudConfigurationURL:perform:]_block_invoke + 290
17  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97305519 -[_CFXPreferences(SearchListAdditions) withSearchListForIdentifier:container:cloudConfigurationURL:perform:] + 345
18  com.apple.CoreFoundation 0x00007fff97332266 -[_CFXPreferences copyAppValueForKey:identifier:container:configurationURL:] + 310
19  com.apple.RawCamera.bundle   0x00007fff920fde8b 0x7fff91e88000 + 2580107
20  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30d128 _dispatch_client_callout + 8
21  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30dd62 _dispatch_barrier_sync_f_invoke + 83
22  com.apple.RawCamera.bundle   0x00007fff920fd501 0x7fff91e88000 + 2577665
23  com.apple.RawCamera.bundle   0x00007fff920fd379 0x7fff91e88000 + 2577273
24  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac315f5f _dispatch_call_block_and_release + 12
25  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30d128 _dispatch_client_callout + 8
26  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30f099 _dispatch_root_queue_drain + 917
27  libdispatch.dylib        0x00007fffac30ecb7 _dispatch_worker_thread3 + 99
28  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffac55a736 _pthread_wqthread + 1299
29  libsystem_pthread.dylib  0x00007fffac55a211 start_wqthread + 13

Thread 0 crashed with X86 Thread State (64-bit):

  rax: 0x0000000000000000  rbx: 0x0000000000000006  rcx: 0x00007000055151f8  rdx: 0x0000000000000000

  rdi: 0x0000000000000203  rsi: 0x0000000000000006  rbp: 0x0000700005515220  rsp: 0x00007000055151f8

   r8: 0x00000000ffffffff   r9: 0x0000000000000000  r10: 0x000000000c000000  r11: 0x0000000000000206

  r12: 0x000000010ee562b8  r13: 0x0000700005516498  r14: 0x0000700005517000  r15: 0x00007fffb5044070

  rip: 0x00007fffac471dda  rfl: 0x0000000000000206  cr2: 0x00007fffac55b48b

 

Logical CPU: 0
Error Code:  0x02000148
Trap Number: 133
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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

No solution, just something I noticed in your 8.5.1. crash report.

Crashed Thread: 0  Dispatch queue: RawCameraSupport Queue

which seems to be related to this other big thread:

Fusion 8.5 - macOS Sierra 10.12 (GM) - MacBook Pro Camera Malfunction

--

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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Mikero
Community Manager
Community Manager

We're really sorry about this situation, but rest assured it's our #1 bug right now.

It's technically both our and Apple's bug. The default behaviour of something we always called/did was changed in a later near-final build of 10.12, and that introduced this bug.

We and Apple are working together but like always we can't disclose timelines.

Please note that we are absolutely working on resolving this issue and issuing an update as soon as we can.

-
Michael Roy - Product Marketing Engineer: VCF
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olafwagner
Contributor
Contributor

I have to agree 100% with the original poster.

I have been using VMware Fusion since version 1.0, and this version KEEPS CRASHING - which I have never experienced on previous versions of Fusion.

I was always impressed at how dependable it was and how stable each version is - until now. I cannot 'trust' this at all at work, because the moment I do I lose work.

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Masoncycle
Contributor
Contributor

I require VMware to work and now it is causing my iMac to crash every hour or so. Very frustrating. Any suggestions for alternate virtual machine software that works with Sierra Mac?

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Luke_H_NYC
Contributor
Contributor

This is kind of unacceptable.  It's been months since Sierra was in "GM" status.  You guys had PLENTY of time to test and get this resolved.  Instead it was left up to the users to find out that this horrible bug exists.  And it took weeks and weeks to even get VMware to admit that a problem existed.  There have been .1 updates to both macOS (10.12.1) and Fusion (8.5.1) with no change in this bug status.  It's as bad as ever.

Will 10.12.2 fix this?? If not, WHY NOT? VMware is one of the largest software companies in the world.  You're telling me that there is nobody at this multi-billion dollar company that knows someone of influence at Apple that can kick whoever's b**t to get this fixed? This is absurd.

The worst part is that there is no KB article or official announcement about the bug. PLEASE POST A KB about this bug and its status, and an ETA for the fix.