No Internet Connection with Fusion 6.0.2 and Windows 7

[Ryanx22]

I received a copy of VMWare Fusion 6.0.2 through my University back in June. I have a Windows 7 ISO on my computer and was originally using that with no problems. Out of no where, the internet stopped working on VMWare and since then, I can't get it back. I have since tried:

• Uninstalling and reinstalling VMWare
• Changing the network adapter from bridged to NAT and vice versa
• Using a different ISO image
• Taking down the windows firewall

I know there is nothing wrong with the ISO image because when I bootcamped my computer after the internet in Fusion stopped working, the internet on bootcamp works with no problems. The error I keep getting in Windows via Fusion says:

Somebody help me please! Let me know if you need more information.

[Coach300]

Reading this in its entirety, this is a Boot Camp partition of Windows 7 that you are using in Fusion? I ask that right away because I didn't initially detect that your post was about a Boot Camp situation. I'm aware of the "Read everything before doing anything" exercise, although it would have been helpful to have known that up front.

Did you have this working fine in Fusion before upgrading to Mavericks, if you did that? Reading your post, you mention using Fusion 6.0.2 since June (although .02 wasn't available until much later) so you might still be on Mountain Lion or older.

You might need to reinstall VMWare Tools. Note that you may need to delete the Tools first, which will result in some difficulties and hangs, but once reinstalled, may very well be beneficial. Since I don't use a Boot Camp environment, I can't say if you can do this work within a Boot Camp startup, but it may be possible.

[wila]

Hello Ryanx22,

Welcome at the VMware communities.

At first I was wondering if your network adapter was actually connected as the network icon in the bottom right suggest it isn't. But your network adapter icon in the VM's toolbar isn't shadowed so that's not it.

I think it is important to find out if it is your VM that has a problem or if it's VMware Fusion.

If you have another VM on there does internet work there? If you do not have another VM, can you try a live linux CD in a new VM? For example download the 12.04 LTS Ubuntu desktop from here: Download Ubuntu Desktop | Ubuntu and verify that you can use the internet from that liveCD.

No need to install anything, just create a new VM, use the liveCD to boot from and try the internet from the ubuntu VM.

--

Wil

[Ryanx22]

@ Coach300, I did not partition from Boot Camp, it was a straight partition of my hard drive using a copy of Windows 7. You're correct on the updates and what not but this problem arose before Mavericks came out and on the older version of Fusion, whatever that may have been around that time (June). I tried uninstalling and reinstalling VMWare Tools but that didn't do the trick

@ wila, I have 2 virtual machines, both running separate ISO's of Windows 7 but both are having the same exact problem. I gave Ubuntu a try but no luck there either. Just a bunch of messages saying:

Followed by one saying it couldn't find the operating system.

[wila]

You might have missed a step with running from the ubuntu liveCD, but if you have the problem with two separate windows 7 VM's then I doubt the problem is at the virtual machine level.

Not 100% sure what you mean by "running from 2 ISO's" as Windows has to be installed in order to run, but assuming that's because you're not a techie.. I've got another question.

Earlier you said that one of the steps you performed was:

Uninstalling and reinstalling VMWare

In my world that would be a complete uninstall / reinstall of VMware Fusion (not just VMware Tools) and from what your problem suggests to be that is what is needed: A complete reinstall of VMware Fusion.

Is that what you did?

--

Wil

[Ryanx22]

Yep, completely wiped VMWare Fusion off my computer and re-installed. Still no luck :smileyconfused:

[wila]

Ok, time for some detailed data to get a better insight.

Can you please create a support bundle?

In order to do that, in VMware Fusion under the Help menu, select "Collect Support Information".

That will save a tar.gz bundle on your desktop.

Attach the .gz bundle to your reply here and I will have a look at that.

You have to use the "Use Advanced Editor" option in the reply in order to actually attach the file as you will then get a "browse" button.

--

Wil

edit: Woody kindly informed me that since Fusion 6 the support bundle actually has a .zip file extension. I should have verified it before telling you the steps, but was too busy for doing so, so thank you Woody for the additional tips.

[WoodyZ]

In addition to the Support Bundle also archive (compress) the /var/log/vnetlib file and attach it to the reply.

[Ryanx22]

I've attached the entire support bundle that Fusion gave me on my desktop. I'm not sure where the /var/log/vnetlib file is because it didn't come out of the support bundle. Is there somewhere else it should be? Thanks guys.

[WoodyZ]

Ryanx22 wrote: I'm not sure where the /var/log/vnetlib file is because it didn't come out of the support bundle. Is there somewhere else it should be? Thanks guys.

It is not included in the Support Bundle and why I asked for it separately...  The vnetlib file is in the /var/log folder which starts in the root of the Macintosh HD.  Finder (menu) > Go > Go to Folder...  then type /var/log and click Go.

Scroll down to vnetlib and ctrl-click it and select Compress "vnetlib" and it will put the vnetlib.zip file on your Desktop.

[Ryanx22]

Thank you good sir.

[WoodyZ]

Okay the following reoccurs in the vnetlib file...

VNLNetCfgLoad - Unable to open network configuration database file, error: Operation not permitted
VNLNetCfgLoad - Failed to load database cache with contents of file: /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/networking
VNL_Load - Error loading the vnet configuration, file used: /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/networking
VNLNetCfgUnload - Requested cache is not loaded
VNL_ExportDatabaseToFile - Vnetlib Un-Initialized. Aborting API Function: VNL_ExportDatabaseToFile

Additionally the output of ifconfig does not show output for vmnet1 and vmnet8 the latter of with would give connectivity beyond the Host.

The Services for Bridged, vmnet1 and vmnet8 are loading however because there is an issue with the /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/networking file I'd say that needs to be addressed first.

The default permissions should be 0644 and owned by root with the group being wheel.  In a Terminal it would show as in the example below.

-rw-r--r--   1 root  wheel   462 Oct 29 22:08 networking

Obviously size and date/time will differ.

You should probably use First Aid in Disk Utility to Verify Disk Permissions and Verify Disk.

After checking the permissions in a Terminal using the following command and using Disk Utility lets see if the issue persists.

ls -l "/Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/networking"

[Ryanx22]

Verified and repaired both permissions and the disk itself. I then removed the Windows 7 Virtual Machine and re-installed it but still no luck. In terminal, after running the command you sent, I received a message saying:

-rw-r--r--  1 root  wheel  462 Mar  4  2013 /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/networking

Which appears to be what you were saying should exist although there's still no luck with getting internet to the VM.

[WoodyZ]

Attach a new Support Bundle and a new copy of the vnetlib file.

[Ryanx22]

Thanks for your time woody, means a lot.

[WoodyZ]

Okay a cursory check show the same error in vnetlib and no vmnet8 in ifconfig.  I see you have McAfee Endpoint Protection for Mac installed and I suspect that might have something to do with the issue.  While the following McAfee KB is for Mac OS Internet Sharing it might also effect Internet Sharing in VMware Fusion.

The workaround in the McAfee KB is to turn off the Firewall in Endpoint Protection for Mac 2.x.  So try that to see if you can then get a connection with VMware Fusion.

First close VMware Fusion, then turn off the Firewall in Endpoint Protection and then open VMware Fusion and test.

Have a look at: Mac OS Internet Sharing does not work with Endpoint Protection for Mac 2.x Firewall

[Ryanx22]

Couldn't figure out how to turn firewall off so I just completely uninstalled McAfee end point to see if that was the reason. Turns out I still don't have internet connection after re-installing Windows 7 and uninstalling McAfee. Need another support bundle and vnet? Can't figure out why the Mac won't internet share.

[AlbertChurba]

I was having similar issues where no internet or network access worked once Fusion was started (even without any VM running). I did some experimenting by hooking up an external drive to the MAC and installed from scratch followed by the Full install of Fusion. When I originally installed Mavericks I used the 10.9.0 image from the App Store and did the software upgrade to 10.9.1 prior to installing Fusion 6.0.2 Light.

In the experiment I went back to the App Store and re-downloaded Mavericks which contained the 10.9.1 image. I use DiskMaker X to create bootable USB drives. After the 10.9.1 USB was made, I then selected the USB by holding Option at boot chime and installed to the external hard disk which proved success in network functions. Since it was my intention to rebuilt the MAC, I accepted the reinstallation process to fix the problem I was experiencing since time directly translates into money for me.

And to give you some light at the end of the tunnel, I'm including some Windows 7 Ultimate screen snips of both NAT and Bridged setting of a Bootcamp VM running under Fusion 6.0.2 from the rebuilt process described above. It is my typical preference to run as Bridged. I'm also including System Preferences/Security & Privacy indicating MAC Firewall being off yet that should only affect inbound connections to the MAC host and not prevent outbound connections.

I hope you can benefit from my experience and workaround to get you up and running.

[wila]

Even while McAfee now is removed, it might have caused the problem during the installation of VMware Fusion.

If I was you then I would also try to uninstall VMware Fusion, reboot OS X and then re-install VMware Fusion.

If it still doesn't work my next step would be doing that again, but this time also remove the current configuration files after the uninstall. That means you'll have to select your VM again and enter your serial number as well.

Manual uninstall steps of the configuration are in this knowledge base article: kb.vmware.com/kb/1017838

If the KB article isn't completely clear to you then let us know and we'll explain.

--

Wil

[Ryanx22]

Tried removing Fusion completely (including config files from /Library) twice and still no luck. I downloaded Parallels, which stinks compared to Fusion, but internet access is fine there, so I know it's something between my Mac and Fusion or some Fusion somewhere.

Also tried downloading Fusion 5.x - same no result (no internet access).