Running macOS Mojave on VMWare Fusion 11, Photos issue

[Neal001]

I run a MacBook Pro with macOS Mojave (10.14.6).  I have VMWare Fusion 11.5.6 installed and created a VM to run Mojave to test some processes (ie Mojave running in a VMWare Fusion virtual machine, on a Mac which is running Mojave as its operating system).  

When I try to use Photos or iPhoto in this VM, when I open images, they do not correctly open and simply show a black image in iPhoto or a white image in Photos - ie no image is visible.  

Is it likely that I have some settings incorrect?  Any other suggestions?

[ColoradoMarmot]

I believe that both those applications require 3d acceleration to function properly, which isn't available in Fusion 11.  Fusion 12 has a preview of 3d acceleration available, but it's not supported yet (there's another thread in the forum with instructions on enabling it).

[wila]

dlhotka said:
"(there's another thread in the forum with instructions on enabling it)"

Let me save you some time searching.
Requirements are:
- Big Sur host,
- Big Sur VM
- and Fusion 12.

More details can be found in my blog post here:
https://www.vimalin.com/blog/fusion-12-0-metal-support/

--
Wil

[ColoradoMarmot]

Even better, thanks!

But, unfortunately, to the OP I forgot that it's only Big Sur guests, so it won't help running a Mojave guest to get 32-bit software working - my mistake.

[Neal001]

Thank you dlhotka and wil.

That explains the problem.

I have read of people installing macOS VMs as a trial before installing an upgrade on the host system.

Presumably this issue - lack of 3D acceleration - means that this type of installation will not allow use of the Photos app in the macOS VM, and I presume that there are other apps that are unusable. That must limit the usefulness of creating a macOS VM significantly?

[ColoradoMarmot]

It does.  Until Big Sur apple didn't provide hooks to allow it.

Unfortunately, dual-boot, keeping an older machine, or upgrading to current versions are the only real options.

[wila]

Sad but true.

Over time the metal issue will get less of an issue as less people will depend on older OS's such as macOS Mojave.
Once "Big Sur" is considered old... hopefully there won't be another macOS virtualisation blocker such as the missing 3D support we had/have to endure.

FWIW, I just checked on a Catalina box I still have here that I just updated and it did _not_ have a AppleParavirtGPU.kext in the /System/Library/Extensions folder (one can always hope, but alas) So far that kernel extension only exists on macOS Big Sur.

--
Wil