Moving from 8.5.10 to Player 12

[149Bway]

VMWARE FUSION Version 8.5.10 (7527438\
MacOS MOJAVE 10.14.6
IMAC 21.5 inch LATE 2015
PROCESSOR 1.6 GHZ INTEL CORE i5

I use Fusion 8.5 to access WindowsME in which I maintain databases and do word processing.

If I buy Fusion 12 Player will Fusion 12 recognize the existence of the 8.5.10 and migrate the Windows files from that into 12?

Is the Fusion 12 Player price of $150.00 a complete one-time fee?

Basically is this a brainless process on my part?

Thank you...

[ColoradoMarmot]

Fusion 12 won't work on Mojave.  If you're asking about upgrading to Monterey, then yes.

The process is: 

1) Shut down the VM (not suspend)

2) Back it up

3) Remove any snapshots

4) Uninstall Fusion 8.5 (drag it to the trash)

5) upgrade to monterey

6) install fusion 12 (if it's for personal use, you can get a free license btw)

7) boot the VM, upgrade the virtual hardware and VMWare tools

As an aside, that VM will never be supported or realistically run on an M1 mac.  Might be worth starting to plan for a migration to modern tools.

[149Bway]

I would really rather stick with Mojave.

Is there a Player edition that will work with Mojave?

My questions regarding migration to the new Player and new player costs still apply.

thank you...

[Technogeezer]

Fusion 11.5 is the last version that supported Mojave. Fusion 11 is no longer sold by VMware - it is considered an end of life version.

If you purchased a Fusion 12 Player license, it can be down-graded to Fusion 11. Unfortunately there does not seem to be upgrade pricing from Fusion 8 to Fusion 12 (upgrade pricing is for Fusion 10 and later).

Fusion 12 Player does have a free personal use license (it's free for non-commercial uses). That would lower your costs dramatically if you were running Catalina or later. But this license is not able to be downgraded to Fusion 11 since no version of Fusion had a personal use license before Fusion 12.

I understand that you may want to keep running Mojave - especially if the iMac has a hard drive instead of an SSD. But Mojave is no longer receiving security updates from Apple, by the way. There are risks to using operating systems that no longer receive security updates from its developer.

[jainraje]

Hi, I'm in need of guidance to upgrade my MBP OS/VMware to a newer version. I'm running Windows10 in VMware and do not want to loose anything. Seems like VMware Player 12 is my best option. Will the Player12 recognize and upgrade my existing Windows VM?

My HW: MBP 15-inch, Mid 2014 (2.2G Hz, Intel i7)

Current configuration:

OS: Hi Sierra v10.13.6

VMWare: v8.5.10

Windows: Windows10

Target Configuration:

MacOS: Big Sur v11.7 (latest which supports the HW)

VMware: Player 12

Windows: Windows10 (same as previous)

Main reason for the update is to get my MBP running a newer and supported macOS. I'm very nervous about this upgrade and that I may loose some critical functionality.

What are the steps for the upgrade (same as defined in this thread)? Any risk area's of loosing key aspects w/ my current configuration?

TIA, jainraje

[ColoradoMarmot]

First, shut down your virtual machine (not suspend).  Then make a backup - not time machine - a real backup to another place.

Then remove any snapshots in the guest.

Upgrade the host to big sur 

Install Fusion 12

open fusion, and in the vm library, go into settings for your VM and update the virtual hardware

boot the guest and install the updated tools in it.

Note:  Apple has finally published a support policy for OS versions. The old N-1 or N-2 assumption we all made is no longer valid. Only the current major release is guaranteed to get all security patches.  Others may or may not get them based on the nature of the patch.  So right now that's Ventura for guarenteed support, with Monterey probably getting most patches.  Big sur is in the 'iffy' range IMHO.  Net is that it's probably time to start budgeting for a new machine.  If you do, remember that M1 machines cannot run Intel guests, but do run Windows 11 guests which have an internal intel emulation that works for most things.

[jainraje]

I was hoping you might see my post and reply. Thank-you! I'm thinking that yes I will perform this upgrade. I'll prepare and then do the upgrade next week. Have you had any experience in upgrading mac hw from Hi Sierra to Big Sur? Even that I'm nervous of losing something...

[Technogeezer]

Before upgrading macOS from High Sierra, to Big Sur (or later) I would manually uninstall any existing Fusion version using the instructions found in https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838 This will not touch any of your virtual machines.

Then after upgrading macOS, check permissions on the directory /private/var/tmp. There have been reports in this forum of something behind the scenes changing default permissions on this directory, which results in Fusion refusing to start virtual machines. After the macOS upgrade is a good time to check that this hasn't happened to you.

Use the command line in the following example below in the Terminal app to make this check. (If you're into cut and paste, just use the first line, and don't include the %). The output should look something like this (date and time don't matter).:

% ls -ald /private/var/tmp
drwxrwxrwt  4 root  wheel  128 Oct 30 12:40 /private/var/tmp

 If you find that the permissions do not match 'drwxrwxrwt', issue the following command when logged in as an administrative user to fix them:

sudo chmod 1777 /private/var/tmp

Then install Fusion 12 player.

[jainraje]

Thanks for your post/comment. This is *very* good to know.

Moving from Hi Sierra should I consider a earlier version of the macOS other than Big Sur? For example, Catalina or Mojave? I am choosing Big Sur only because according to Apple Big Sur is the most recent compatible w/ my MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014).

Again, I so nervous about upgrading I'm willing to purchase newer HW. However, it would be great if I can upgrade wo loosing anything.

[ColoradoMarmot]

The apple upgrades generally go just fine.  I do recommend shutting down, remove any external devices, and booting clean before doing it just to be extra safe.  Other than the virtual machine, if you have a time machine backup, you can recover everything if it goes wrong.  

If you want to be even extra safe, you can use carbon copy cloner (www.bombich.com) and make a full backup of your entire drive to another disk (and as long as Fusion isn't running, and the virtual machine is shut down (not suspended), it works for backing VM's up too.

The big change from high sierra to big sur is that you'll lose any 32-bit programs.  I used https://www.stclairsoft.com/Go64/ to check and see what will and won't work.

The new hardware is amazing, but you'll definitely lose your existing windows 10 VM - there is no way to run that on M1 (arm) hardware - it's like moving from diesel to gasoline.  You'd have to build a new windows 11 VM from scratch using the tech preview and reinstall all your software in the guest (there's no migration from Win10 Intel to Win11 ARM AFAIK).  You could get one of the last intel macs, which should keep you in good shape for 3-5 more years, but at some point, an upgrade will be required to M1.  All depends on the intel software in the guest that you need to run.

If you get a newer intel machine, you can use the migration wizard to move everything over, but in that case absolutely do the shutdown/cleanup and uninstall steps before doing the migration.

[jainraje]

I'm *very* much looking forward to get a M1(or newer) MBP at some point in the future. My thinking is there is still good life in this Retina 15" Mid 2014 MBP so I am leaning towards doing the upgrade. I just spoke w/ Apple support and am feeling much better about updating to Big Sur. The support via the VMware community is amazing is if I get in trouble at least I have a group I can communicate with. Both you and the other fella are awesome! Thank you for the link to the 32-bit app checker. Its perfect. I just scanned and found a handful of 32-bit apps which luckily I do not use anymore. I will remove these to free up space to prepare for the update. Thank-you again for your comments. I am very grateful. 

[ColoradoMarmot]

Best of luck!

[Technogeezer]

Ditto here as well. Check back in if you run into anything unexpected. 

[2949099849]

I have a similar issue to the previous poster - hoping experts can weigh in!  I have a paid version of VMware Fusion 10 that I had been running on a 2011 Macbook Pro. This spring, I upgraded the OS to Mojave (10.14.6) and installed an eval version of VMware Fusion 11. All was working fine, but I didn't use Fusion for a while and forgot to buy a license.  Now I'm in a bind: Whenever I start the eval version of Fusion 11, it pops up a window with a "Buy" button -- but that will only take me to purchases of Fusion 12. I know that 12 won't run on this OS.  I'll lose some apps that I'm still using if I upgrade to Catalina or more recent OSs.

At the moment, I really want to keep running Fusion 11 on this machine. (At least until I can save out some data running in programs in the VMs). I'm running a Windows XP VM (I know, I know) that has some stuff I want to keep.

What are my options?  I'll likely get a new Macbook Pro in the next 2-3 months and could run Fusion 12 Player on it. But will my VM port over?  I don't even know if I shut it down or just suspended it before the eval expired.

I'd appreciate any options/advice!  Thank you!

(P.S. dlhotka: I worked at big company with you a few years ago, and I know your Dad from photography 🙂 Small world.)

[Technogeezer]

You're correct that Fusion 12 won't run on Mojave. But a Fusion 12 purchased license (Player or Pro) can be downgraded to Fusion 11 through the VMware Customer Connect portal. The free personal use license can not.

If you're considering purchasing that Fusion 12 license, I'd do it sooner rather than later. The ability to purchase Fusion 12 licenses may go away once the rumored "next version" of Fusion 13 is released (and that's hinted at being some time this month). If VMware behaves like they have in the past,  if you purchase a license now, they might give you the Fusion 13 license for free.

To your question about a new MacBook  - If you buy a newer Intel Mac (used or refurb since Apple no longer sells new Intel based Macs), your VM will port over fine. If you buy an Apple Silicon (M1/M2) Mac, VMs you created on an Intel Mac will not port over/run. The new Macs do not have Intel CPUs, which are required to run VMs created on Intel Macs or PCs.  

[ColoradoMarmot]

Buy 12 and you can downgrade it to 11.  The free key for 12 won't work.  Customer service can help you do that.

Warning on the new MBP:  M1 machines require ARM based guests, so none of your current VM's will work.  You can build a Windows 11 VM with has a rosetta-like emulator inside it that can run most intel based software.  Fusion.next should be out in a few weeks that'll run officially on that platform.

Small world indeed!

[2949099849]

Thank you again for your advice, @ColoradoMarmot & @Technogeezer!  I purchased a Fusion 12 Pro license, and it worked like a charm on Fusion 11 (no special downgrade step even needed). I'm up and running again, thanks to you!

[Technogeezer]

👍👍

[jainraje]

Hi @dlhotka & @Technogeezer! 

I plan to do the update this weekend. 

Here are my planned steps:

1) Shut down the VM (not suspend)

2) Back it up

3) Remove any snapshots

4) Uninstall Fusion 8.5 (drag it to the trash)

Before upgrading macOS from High Sierra, to Big Sur (or later) I would manually uninstall any existing Fusion version using the instructions found in https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838 

5) upgrade to Big Sur

Then after upgrading macOS, check permissions on the directory /private/var/tmp. 

ls -ald /private/var/tmp
drwxrwxrwt  4 root  wheel  128 Oct 30 12:40 /private/var/tmp

6) install fusion 12 Player (will be for personal use, w/ a free license btw)

7) boot the VM, upgrade the virtual hardware and VMWare tools

open fusion, and in the vm library, go into settings for your VM and update the virtual hardware

boot the guest and install the updated tools in it.

Am I missing anything?

I’m unclear on the following?

#3 - how to remove snapshots?

#4 can the app be dragged to trash or is it better to follow the instructions to manually uninstall it (I'm thinking the later)

#7 - how to update virtual HW. I’ll figure it out when the time comes...

Thank you for providing technical details which give me confidence the update can be done successfully. I'm very nervous but and going to do the update!

[Technogeezer]

---

@jainraje wrote:

Then after upgrading macOS, check permissions on the directory /private/var/tmp. 

ls -ald /private/var/tmp
drwxrwxrwt  4 root  wheel  128 Oct 30 12:40 /private/var/tmp

I’m unclear on the following?

#3 - how to remove snapshots?

#4 can the app be dragged to trash or is it better to follow the instructions to manually uninstall it (I'm thinking the later)

#7 - how to update virtual HW. I’ll figure it out when the time comes...

Thank you for providing technical details which give me confidence the update can be done successfully. I'm very nervous but and going to do the update!

---

On comment. Make sure you fix the permissions on /private/var/tmp if you find they are not as expected..

to #3 - highlight the virtual machine in the Fusion GUI (virtual machine library screen), and choose "Virtual Machine" in the macOS menu bar, then "Snapshots..." then "Snapshots..." from Virtual Machine dropdown menu.

To #4, follow the manual uninstallation steps in the tech note to remove all vestiges of Fusion 8.5. The instructions include dragging and dropping your existing application to the trash. Even though the document specifies Fusion 10 or later, the instructions will help you find and remove any other support files that Fusion may have placed on your disk. Don't worry if some are not found, some of the locations are version dependent.

To #7 - to upgrade the virtual hardware, open the virtual machine's Properties, and select "Compatibility". That's where you can upgrade  the virtual hardware version.

You may also wish to upgrade VMware Tools in the VM if it's not done for you automatically.