VMWare Fusion Tech Preview (for M1) error code -14

[ThinkAlex]

Hi! I'm receiving an error while trying to start any arm64 Virtual Machine using the VMWare Fusion Tech Preview for M1 machines.

Here is the full error:

"Transport (VMDB) error -14: Pipe connection has been broken"

I'm new to Fusion so I'm not too sure on how to debug my issue. If you need any more information, which you probably will, please let me know.

[Technogeezer]

More details, please?

What Mac and macOS version?

What are the guest OS versions that aren't working?

Were these VMs working before?

Is this a fresh installation of a new M1 Mac, or did you migrate (using Migration Assistant) from an older Mac?

Have you tried completely uninstalling the Tech Preview using instructions in https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838, rebooting, then reinstalling?

[ThinkAlex]

Model: M1 Pro MacBookPro 16" (32GB RAM, 1TB FlASH)

macOS version: 12.1 Beta

Broken Guest OSs: All

Working before: No.

Tried uninstalling + rebooting + reinstalling a couple times.

[Technogeezer]

Given that you're testing Monterey 12.1 beta, it's best that VMware takes a look at it - who knows what Apple might have changed under the hood. @Mikero - has anyone in VMware seen this?

Also wouldn't hurt reporting this to Apple as a regression.

Do the VMs work with the released Monterey 12.0.1?

[ColoradoMarmot]

Mine still work with the latest 12.1 beta.

[ThinkAlex]

If you would like, I can send my logs, but I don’t know how to, so if you could please send instructions that would be great!

[ThinkAlex]

Just to let you know, I’ve read things about the fact that it should automatically request to install a system extension, but I never received a prompt and I’ve checked in the Security & Privacy section in system preferences.

[wila]

---

@ThinkAlex wrote:

Just to let you know, I’ve read things about the fact that it should automatically request to install a system extension, but I never received a prompt and I’ve checked in the Security & Privacy section in system preferences.

---

You can try:

sudo kextutil /Applications/VMware\ Fusion.app/Contents/Library/kexts/vmmon.kext

There's been reports from others that that was what finally triggered the popup.
Note that that was for Fusion 12.x, not the M1.

--
Wil

[tomatoast]

I'm having the same issue. After trying your solution this is the result

Can't stat /Applications/VMware Fusion Tech Preview.app/Contents/Library/kexts/vmmon.kext - No such file or directory.

I can't find the kext file inside the app. Any other solution? 

[Technogeezer]

@wila this file doesn't appear to be in the Tech Preview.

@tomatoast , @ThinkAlex  is there anything in the vmware.log file inside the VM bundle that might give us a clue on what's going on?

[wila]

@Technogeezer I was afraid of that, but it was worth a shot.. (I don't have an M1 to verify)

--
Wil

[tomatoast]

There is notification like "Virtual video camera failed to connect to the virtual machine" along with "Transport (VMDB) error -14: Pipe connection has been broken". I don't know what to copy from the log but I hope this will help

2021-12-08T14:58:45.760Z In(05) vcpu-0 USB: Connecting device desc:name:VMware\ Virtual\ USB\ Video\ Device:default vid:0e0f pid:000b speed:high family:video virtPath:ehci:0 deviceType:virtual-video info:0000001 version:4 id:0x800000010e0f000b
2021-12-08T14:58:45.760Z In(05) vcpu-0 AVCAPTURE: AVCapture_OpenDevice: Choosing default parameters to create video device.
2021-12-08T14:58:45.760Z In(05) vcpu-0 AVCAPTURE: -[AVCaptureAVFDevice open:genericDevice:]: Capture device not specified, selecting a default video source.
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 AVCAPTURE: AVCapture_OpenDevice: Device created but supported camera settings not found.
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 VUsbVideo: VUsbVideoCreateDevice:Camera device connected to the host does not support any known camera settings
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 VUsbVideo: VUsbVideoCreateDevice:Host does not support any usb supported video frame formats. Creating virtual video device failed
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 VUsbVideo: Failed to create virtual video device: 11
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 Msg_Post: Warning
2021-12-08T14:58:46.902Z In(05) vcpu-0 [msg.usb.virtualVideo.connectFailed] Virtual video camera failed to connect to the virtual machine.

[tomatoast]

2021-12-08T14:58:46.947Z In(05) vcpu-0 DMG_Open: Not an unencrypted .dmg file (footer signature 0x00000000).
2021-12-08T14:58:46.947Z In(05) vcpu-0 DMG_Close: max cached entries 8
2021-12-08T14:58:46.947Z In(05) vcpu-0 CDROM: Checking initial physical media state...
2021-12-08T14:58:46.947Z In(05) vcpu-0 CDROM: initial physical CDROM state is 1 (sense)
2021-12-08T14:58:46.948Z In(05) vcpu-0 HGFSPublish: publishing 0 shares
2021-12-08T14:58:46.948Z In(05) host-35012 VNET: MACVNetPortVirtApiPrimaryIfaceChanged: Global state callback for adapter: 0, primary if: en0
2021-12-08T14:58:46.948Z In(05) vcpu-0 PolicyVMXFindPolicyKey: policy file does not exist.
2021-12-08T14:58:46.951Z In(05) vcpu-0 Vix: [mainDispatch.c:4206]: VMAutomation_ReportPowerOpFinished: statevar=0, newAppState=1872, success=1 additionalError=0
2021-12-08T14:58:46.951Z In(05) vcpu-0 Vix: [mainDispatch.c:4123]: VMAutomationReportPowerStateChange: Reporting power state change (opcode=0, err=0).
2021-12-08T14:58:46.951Z In(05) vcpu-0 Vix: [mainDispatch.c:4123]: VMAutomationReportPowerStateChange: Reporting power state change (opcode=2, err=0).
2021-12-08T14:58:46.951Z In(05) vcpu-0 Transitioned vmx/execState/val to poweredOn
2021-12-08T14:58:46.951Z In(05) vcpu-0 Tools: Adding Tools inactivity timer.

[ThinkAlex]

No such folder exists in the tech preview.

[ThinkAlex]

For the kext folder that is.

[ThinkAlex]

Here is my vmware.log!

[ThinkAlex]

@Technogeezer I've uploaded my complete log; I'm not sure what to look for, though.

[Technogeezer]

Just a thought.

You're getting a whole bunch of errors on the camera device. Can you go to settings and see if there's a camera device configured? If so, then delete it and see if the VM will come up.

I'm running the newly released Monterey 12.1 on an M1 Mac mini and it's working fine so far.

[ThinkAlex]

I have removed the camera and I’m still having the same issue.

[ThinkAlex]

Seems like an update to the next beta of macOS solved the issue!

It seems that VMware Fusion Tech Preview was unable to ask for screen recording permissions from macOS, which is what caused the error. I had no clue something like this could cause this, but I had noticed similar activity with other apps. For example, I couldn't allow zoom screen recording, camera, or even microphone permissions.

Thank you for your help!