VM won't suspend, shutdown or restart - VMware Tools script did not run successfully

[MemberoftheTrib]

The VM displays only the Windows desktop background; i.e., no Start button, taskbar, etc. and is otherwise unresponsive

I cannot suspend, shutdown or restart the VM via VMware Fusion's Virtual Machines menu. The error message states " failed because the corresponding VMware Tools script did not run successfully in this VM ".

When I Quit then resume VMWare Library, attempting to resume Windows, the error message states: “The VMware Tools resume script did not run successfully in this VM".

running:

VMware Fusion Version 2.0.2 (147997)

Windows XP Pro SP2

on Mac OS X 10.5.6

[John_Clarke]

I just had this same exact problem. I opened a support case and they suggested to go to CD/DVD and Choose Disk Image, then search for the windows.iso file. Restarting with that file enabled me to get back the start button, icons, etc. I still had some weird issues (erratic mouse, etc.) but after I un-installed VMware Tools, then re-installed VMware Tools, all is fine. John

[MemberoftheTrib]

Thank you - I also opened a support case and received (after inquiries about versions of Fusion, Windows, etc. - all of which were contained in the request) essentially:

1. Force Quit Fusion and restart Mac after choosing the option to Power off the virtual machine when the Fusion is closed under the general tab - same error message

2. Uninstall and reinstall VMware Tools, after Choose Disk Image > search for windows.iso file - same error message

3. Uninstall and reinstall Fusion

before I try #3, were you browsing for windows.iso on the Fusion CD or your hard drive?

[John_Clarke]

Tribe, I messed around with this and don't know precisely the exact steps I took. But I was able to eventually find the windows.iso file and reboot from it. That brought back my normal Windows XP screen with the start button, icons, etc. From there I de-installed VMware Tools and re-installed. Prior to de-installing Tools though I had some very strange things going on, like an erratic mouse that wasn't doing what I wanted, i.e. I couldn't select "my computer" for awhile. I played around with it and eventually got it to work. Here are the exact instructions I was given by Support. A little hard to follow but the bottom part is re: the windows.iso file. I hope that helps. Re-installing Fusion has to be the last resort. John

Please click on the virtual machine menu and choose "Shut Down Guest" and then click on the VMware Fusion menu and quit VMware Fusion. Then restart VMware Fusion and follow the steps below to manually install VMware Tools if Windows boots up correctly.

Otherwise force quit Fusion and try the following steps.

A) Uninstall VMware Tools:

1) Power on the Virtual Machine

2) Go to Control Panel

3) Open Add/Remove Programs

4) Uninstall VMware Tools if it appears there.

5) Delete the VMware Folder from c:\Program Files (If it exists)

6) Restart the Guest OS

1. Shut down Windows virtual machine by clicking on the Start>Turn Off

2. Click virtual machine>settings in the top menu bar and select CD\DVD. Note down your current setting so that you can revert back as in step 11.

3. Select Use disk image.

4. Make sure that you have a check mark across to "Connected"

5. Browse to and select the windows.iso image. The default location is "Macintosh HD>Library>Application Support >your VMware product >iso images>windows.iso" and please note that this is not the Windows operating system.

6. Click Apply and OK

7. Restart Windows

8. Open My Computer in the guest operating system.

9. Double-click the CD drive and install VMware Tools and complete the Wizard. Windows will restart after the reinstallation.

10. Verify the installation is successful by checking to see if there is a VMware tools icon on your task bar.

11. Return to the setting originally selected before performing step 2.

[MemberoftheTrib]

1) Power on the Virtual Machine

2) Go to Control Panel

how do you access Control Panel? If you mean Windows Control Panel, I have no way to access it - all that will display is the green lawn and clouds. Is there a Control Panel in the VWware menu?

Don't know what it means to reboot from the Windows.iso file

[John_Clarke]

Can you get to the VMware task bar at the top? If so, go to Virtual Machine, then CD/DVD, then Choose Disk Image, seach for Windows.iso and open that to put it into the virtual CD/DVD player. Close down. Then, Quit Fusion. You might have to Force Quit. Go back into Fusion and your Windows XP virtual machine should attempt to come up. For me it did and came up with the start button, etc.

[MemberoftheTrib]

thanks - i've done the browse for Windows.iso before (although I retried it because, well, you never know) )- FWIW, the VMware menu (Virtual Machine | CD/DVD) shows the disk image as Windows.iso, both before and after I browse for it as well as after restarting VMware (following the force quit). Still nothing but the grassy fields and clouds

[John_Clarke]

Make sure the CD/DVD drive is Connected. If it is, and you still have the problem, then I'm not sure I can help further. It was this step that turned the corner for me. John

[MemberoftheTrib]

CD/DVD is connected

I was able to correct via Rollback but unfortunately I haven't taken a Snapshot since December, not realizing that Rollback means losing all subsequently entered data - a highly undesirable alternative

Why is Re-installing Fusion the last resort?

[John_Clarke]

I have nothing factual to base my comment on, just seems like over-kill. Not sure if you'll lose your VM's but probably not.

Snapshots only restore the VM image, not all the data. So you still need to take regular backups. Good luck. John

[marceloosa]

I tried and works:

Quote - (Vegetunks @ Apr 8 2008, 10:32) !http://www.neowin.net/forum/style_images/finity/post_snapback.gif![http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?act=findpost&pid=589321335]

Ok, here is how you do it. Go to the file for the virtual machine in question, for example my XP VM is located at: /users/Asphyxia8489/Documents/Virtual Machines/WinblowsXP/ Right click the file and click show package contents, and you'll have a file with a weird name like: 564df704-2d8d-6b19-b453-6707bec49a1f.vmem it's the *.vmem you've got to look for. Trash this file then open the Activity Monitor and force close the process "vmware-vmx" and "VMWare Fusion", you may need to change the "Show" drop-down to "All Processes". Now empty your trash and load up VMWare again !http://www.neowin.net/forum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif! I'd recommend running a CHKDSK on the VM just incase it's file/mft damage. Hope this helps

[StSurla]

This last one worked for me, though things looked a little different. Went to Applications, VMW Fusion, Virtual Machines, then right-clicked Windows XP Professional and choose Show Package Contents. In that new window I looked for the *.vmem extension. In my case the file name was Windows.XP Professional.vmem. Took a deep breath then trashed that file. BTW I didn't empty the trash.

Next went back to the hung-up VMWare app, went to the Virtual Machine menu item, then held down the Option key and selected Power Off, and it powered off. Then started up VMW again and everything worked just fine. Thank God.

[themill11]

@StSurla

I couldn't find the .vmem file so all I did was took the last part of your instructions:

"Next went  back to the hung-up VMWare app, went to the Virtual Machine  menu item, then held down the  Option key and selected Power Off, and it  powered off.  Then started up VMW again and everything worked just  fine.  Thank God."

and that worked just fine.  Didn't need to delete anything.

Hope this helps someone in the future!