Something very suspicious going on in Windows VM since upgrade to 13.5

[licensedtoquill]

13.5 seems very stable although it does still start up with a plethora of really arcane error messages.  eg:

"you are running this vm with side panels mitigations enabled" serial0:

Parameter "serial0.fileType" has an invalid value "thinprint".

However, the windows start button still doesn't work (it just makes the windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen disappear)  so I cant actually shut down windows from within the  VM,      and neither does the keyboard when I try, for example, to type in to the white window just to the right of that start button.

But sharing (which didn't work in this VM before upgrading to 13.5) seems enabled on far too much, - so much so that I cant actually run windows explorer on the drive any more. Every instance I try to run gives me only the files on the host! In fact even the VM's desktop shows the files on the host's desktop! I have never seen this before??

So I tried installing Photoshop Elements for windows in the VM: which is quite a large program, (at around 1.5GB compresssed0

Install then tells me it is going to extract its installation files to some temporary subdirectory it will make (obviously) on the host, and then fails immediately with the error message that there is not enough space in the VM to extract!

There are around 10 GB of space on the host as well as 17GB of space in the VM! 

[Technogeezer]

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@licensedtoquill wrote:

13.5 seems very stable although it does still start up with a plethora of really arcane error messages.  eg:

"you are running this vm with side panels mitigations enabled" serial0:

Parameter "serial0.fileType" has an invalid value "thinprint".

However, the windows start button still doesn't work (it just makes the windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen disappear)  so I cant actually shut down windows from within the  VM,      and neither does the keyboard when I try, for example, to type in to the white window just to the right of that start button.

But sharing (which didn't work in this VM before upgrading to 13.5) seems enabled on far too much, - so much so that I cant actually run windows explorer on the drive any more. Every instance I try to run gives me only the files on the host! In fact even the VM's desktop shows the files on the host's desktop! I have never seen this before??

So I tried installing Photoshop Elements for windows in the VM: which is quite a large program, (at around 1.5GB compresssed0

Install then tells me it is going to extract its installation files to some temporary subdirectory it will make (obviously) on the host, and then fails immediately with the error message that there is not enough space in the VM to extract!

There are around 10 GB of space on the host as well as 17GB of space in the VM! 

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What version of Windows are you running in the VM?

Let's take these one-by-one

The "side channel mitigations enabled message" has been a staple of the last few Fusion releases, and it's related to Spectre and other types of Intel CPU flaws that potentially can compromise security. By visiting the VM's Settings > Advanced there's a checkbox to disable side channel mitigations. Your choice as to whether you want to turn these off, but I would think that most people would want the improved performance over the remote chance that their VMs would be compromises.

The thinprint messages are due to Fusion 13.5 dropping support for virtual printers. You get rid of those messages by shutting down Fusion, then editing the .vmx file and removing 3 lines referencing serial0 and thinprint.

For the "windows explorer only showing the files on the host's desktop" issue, do you have Mirrored Folders enabled in the Fusion settings?  I'm wondering if that's related to the "Start" button issue.

[licensedtoquill]

Thank you for that but I wasn't asking about those error messages because they are causing the problems. They dont seem to be even potential reasons why neither the keyboard nor the start button issue arise

And they don't arise in my XP VM on the same host. They only arise in this Windows 10 VM

[Technogeezer]

There's something definitely strange about that Windows 10 VM.  I have a Windows 10 x64 VM running on Fusion 13.5 and am not seeing this.

Could you post the vmware.log file for that Windows 10 VM?

Did you upgrade the virtual hardware version and/or VMware Tools in the VM when you upgraded to Fusion 13.5??

Did you download or copy the Photoshop Elements installer to the VM's hard disk or are you trying to extract it from a VMware shared folder?

[licensedtoquill]

I wonder why I can't find OPTIONS in Settings to locate the log file? Neither from the VM menu, from settings in Fusion, from the settings from that VM when it is selected nor from settings when I run that VM??

I don't remember upgrading the virtual hardware version, although I did upgrade tools numerous times after the upgrade.

I was trying to extract the installer from an .iso I had created from the Elements install DVD and put in the VMware shared folder.  Actually

(I wasnt sure whether  should be installing from the iso or extracting what was in the .iso to a usb drive but I figured I'd find out sooner or later!)

[Technogeezer]

The "current" log file can be viewed by right clicking on the VM in the Virtual Machine Library window, the holding down the Command key. The "Show in Finder" option will turn into "Open latest log file". However this is not ideal if you want to post a copy of the log file. You want access to the log file so you can zip it up and post it. 

The easy way to find the log file if you want to post it is to go to the Finder, locate the VM "bundle", right click on it, and select "Show Package Contents". 

[Technogeezer · Accepted solution]

There's no need to try to extract an ISO to install it.

I'd avoid trying to install things from a VMware shared folder. If that ISO was ripped from a Photoshop Elements install ISO, why not just configure your VM's virtual CD/DVD drive to that ISO file and let it mount to the VM?

[licensedtoquill]

Can you see what is going on/wrong with this file please?

[licensedtoquill]

THANKS AGAIN!  That is  what I'll do as soon as i get that VM working properly again. I had forgotten that I could configure the VM  to 'see' the iso as if it wee installing (eg) tools

[Technogeezer]

You wrote:

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But sharing (which didn't work in this VM before upgrading to 13.5) seems enabled on far too much, - so much so that I cant actually run windows explorer on the drive any more. Every instance I try to run gives me only the files on the host! In fact even the VM's desktop shows the files on the host's desktop! I have never seen this before??

Have you tried turning off sharing in the VM's properties then turning, disabling all shares, and then turning them on again one-by-one?

[licensedtoquill]

OK, I tried turning off all folders and restarting and so far it has been ten minutes of the circular restart logo to turn off!  Then a very long process to get back into the VM, after which I am showed the empty sharing screen. 

Which despite nothing being shared, now gives an error message telling me that one or more shared folders cannot be found! 

Was there anything relevant in that log file?  Or any  indication of what is wrong in this VM that would prevent fundamental elements such as the keyboard and start button from working?

Also, I am stuck in a restart loop of 'VMWare tools has modified sharing settings, you mmust log off to accept these modifications' (cancel get out of the loop) I can get out of the loop but immediately I tick ENABLE SHARED FOLDERS BOX, the loop restarts!

I didn't think this was relevant but I am also stuck in a large windows error message WE CANT SIGN INTO YOUR ACCOUNT loop.

[Technogeezer]

I'm suspecting that there's something up with the sharing settings. It's almost if the desktop is configured for mirroring. 

Before proceeding further, shut down the VM and Fusion and make a copy of this VM to another drive.  Fixing this is most likely going to need some changes in the VM and it's a good idea to have a copy before doing anything more to it. 

Did you configure this VM to Mirror any folders? In the VM's settings, and in the Sharing dialog, do you have anything selected in the "Mirrored Folders" section"

How did you have your user account configured before all of this happened?

Is it a Microsoft account or did you have a local user account?

Can you boot the VM to safe mode? If you can, then uninstall VMware Tools and let's see if we can get any further.  Not going to try this yet...

[licensedtoquill]

it WAS configured for mirrroring but I unchecked that some time ago.

I do already have a working copy of this VM, which  is where this one came from and it worked fine until 13.5 came along. I suppose I can dump it and make a fresh copy if all else fails. I had already done this once but there is no reason why i cant do it again

(I THINK it is a MS account implemented once I get into windows that is failing) 

Firstly I thought I would just start the working original from an external drive to see what happens  BUT it gives the same result. Boot loops on can't sign in to account and install VMWare tools.

[kasper]

Was '13.5' a typo?   Did you mean '17.5'?

If you meant 13.5 then you want to upgrade and I suspect you want

to upgrade your hardware too.  

13.5.   XP.   etc.    These are rather old.

If you stuck in 'legacy' mode, then just freeze the hardware and software.

[licensedtoquill]

Are you sure Player Version 13.5.0 (22583790) isn't the current version?

[Technogeezer]

Fusion (Player and Pro) 13.5 is the current version. 17.5 is the current version of VMware Workstation (Pro and Player) 17.5 is the current version for Windows and Linux.

There looks to be something off between what is in the VM and the state of mirroring.

Since you're working off a copy of the VM. try the following:

• Turn on Sharing and enable the Desktop for mirroring.
• Boot the VM. You may be able to log in now, but I bet the other problems remain. I bet you'll see your desktop folder.
• Go back to the VM's sharing settings and turn off mirroring for the desktop..
• If you get the message about changes being made by VMware Tools ", hit OK, not Cancel. 
• Power off the VM from the Fusion menu Virtual Machine > Shut down

Now try to power on the VM, login, and see if things change. 

[licensedtoquill]

I have tried this numerous times and the results aren't as you describe: Firstly, on boot up I don't get shown the desktop folder (after enabling mirroring)

Secondly, when I start up, i ALWAYS get the boot out loop menu, whether I have changed anything in mirroring or not.  The only way I can get out of the boot loop is to hit cancel.  So  when I hit OK as you say, it just continues the boot loop!  Nothing changes, except possibly that when i tart the VM it does a gigantic amountt of preparing windows and when I close it, it does a gigantic amount of 'circular-balling'

Also (I am sure you know this), reinstalling tools does nothing to change any of this.

[Technogeezer]

Can you get into a command prompt by hitting cmd-shift-F10 when it's asking for a reboot?

Do you have access to the built-in Administrator account in that VM? If not, search the web for instructions on how to enable it in Windows 10, and then see if you can at least log into the VM from that (having disabled all folder mirroring in the VM first).

Then see if you can create a new user account and log in.

[licensedtoquill]

NEARLY TWO MINUTES OF PREPARING WINDOWS (!) got me into it again, possibly with no bot loop this time, - but still with no kwyboard and no start button functionality. But cmd-shift-F10 does nothing.

Anything I can troubleshoot from here?

[licensedtoquill]

Jst upgraded to 13.5.1. XP works fine. Win 10 still no keyboard or start button functionality