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BelleNaessens
Contributor
Contributor

URGENT & IMPORTANT: CPU disabled after inadvertent OS upgrade

VMware Fusion 6.x - CPU has been disabled by guest after attempting to upgrade the virtual OS to High Sierra (which I just learned is not supported by this older version of VMware Fusion).

Unfortunately, I had a Filemaker database server running on the virtual machine, with 2 databases running on it, and it turns out only 1 of the databases was included in the back-up scheme. I urgently need to find out if there is any way I can access the files stored on the virtual machine from the host machine (Mac OS 10.7).

I am completely at a loss: this setup was conceived by my brother-in-law, who was my IT go-to-guy and a very highly regarded IT security professional. However, he passed away last year after a motorcycle accident and I have not yet found a new trustworthy IT support person/company who know their way around both Mac and Windows, hence my request here. I am self-employed and do not have huge budgets backing me up.

Edit: of course if anyone knows how I can get the VM up and running again (is there a way to do a roll-back to the older version of my OS on the VM?), that would be even better, but I'm not getting my hopes up as yet...

Message was edited by: Isabelle Naessens

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9 Replies
parmarr
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

You can take a snapshot (Working with snapshots (1009402)https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1009402) and try to roll back to old version

Sincerely, Rahul Parmar VMware Support Moderator
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ColoradoMarmot
Champion
Champion

There's no easy way to downgrade a MacOS install.  First, I'd make a copy of the virtual machine to another drive (sounds like you need a good backup in any case - and don't use time machine).  Your best bet is probably just to upgrade to Fusion 10, which does support High Sierra.

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

When your host machine is running 10.7 then you cannot upgrade to Fusion 10 as the minimum supported host OS for Fusion 10 is OS X 10.11.

I also wonder if your hardware passes the system requirements of Fusion 10.

Fusion 10 system requirements

So while Fusion 10 is recommended, I think that at this stage it will only bring more trouble.

I have been able to run macOS High Sierra guests on Fusion 7, Fusion 8 and Fusion 10.

An upgrade to Fusion 7 might get it to work, but even that isn't certain at the moment.

As we currently have to guess many factors on your setup, could you please attach a vmware.log file from your VM.

If that question is too technical, then please create a support bundle via the menu -> Help -> Collect Support Information.

That will create a file on your desktop, attach that file to a reply down here.

--

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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ColoradoMarmot
Champion
Champion

I missed that the host was 10.7. 

First, that's an ancient machine, so there's a couple of points right off:  First, it shouldn't be on the Internet - that's like running Windows XP these days.  Second, if it has the original hard drive, it's probably on it's last legs, so a good backup is essential to prevent the whole thing from being lost.

You're in a bit of a pickle, as there's no supported way to downgrade any installation of OSX that's supported.  The best suggestion I have is to run a time machine backup from *inside* the guest, then try to create a new VM with the right OS version, and during installation run the migration wizard pointed to the time machine backup. 

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Just a follow up on the post that a user made and then subsequently deleted.

In that post it was claimed that you can run the VM on other virtual desktop products from VMware.

Unfortunately that is not the case as your guest is running macOS/OS X.

You can only run that type of guest on apple based hardware.

So you can take that VM and run it on another mac that runs Fusion (or even vSphere) but you cannot take it to Windows or Linux.

--

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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HackerKitty
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Sorry it was me, who deleted the post.

After I posted the comment I realized that the OP was talking about MacOS VM which can be only opned in Mac OS.

I felt so stupid and deleted my comment.

I think the best course of action is that the OP makes a copy of VM and ask someone who can open it for him/her.

Since Fusion can be used for 30 days in trial period, anyone who has a current Mac can help OP without purchasing a copy of Fusion.

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HackerKitty
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I just remembered I updated my granny's MacBook to HighSierra last month.

It was late 2009 model and originally came with Snow Leopard (10,6).

What is the model of your Mac?

You might be able to upgrade your Mac to HighSierra and install the latest Fusion which will definately solve this imcompatibility issue.

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wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi HackerKitty,

No worries, I just replied here because the topic starter would have gotten an email notification with a solution that in the end would not have helped.

We all make mistakes, I know I do.

As for a 2009 model apple,

I certainly hope the TS has something newer as the CPU in that model would be too old for the system requirements in Fusion 10

Taking the VM to another apple host that is a bit current would work though.

--

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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HackerKitty
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello wila,

I was looking at

VMware Knowledge Base

Supported host operating systems for VMware Fusion and VMware Fusion Pro (2088571)

but did not realize that there was also a hardware requirement. Make sense.

So my granny's MacBook is out of luck....

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