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plasticphyte
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

VMware Fusion Pro 11 - Security settings and osascript prompt - macOS Mojave

When launching VMware Fusion Pro 11, I'm constantly getting prompted to make sure that I make sure 'Allow apps download from' in Security & Privacy preferences pane is set to 'App Store and identified developers'. This is the case, however the alert does not go away and there is no visible preference to turn off this notification.

This is not a pleasant interaction with the app as I'm led to believe that I have something incorrectly configured with my system. At the very least the warning should appear once, and be disabled thereafter upon the user acknowledging the alert.

app_cannot_run_correctly.png

Additionally, with the changes in macOS Mojave with regard to users providing consent when certain events take place (as part of the TCC protections), I continue to receive prompts from macOS to allow osascript to run until I either allow it or block it.

This is bad for normal non tech users for several reasons:

1) I do not know what it is that the osascript is doing.

2) VMware Fusion should be the parent process responsible for whatever the osascript is doing. It is not. So this alert can lead to confusion as to what is happening and what app is actually responsible for generating this prompt.

3) Unless there is very good reason, applications should avoid anything that will cause these user consent dialogs

After digging through the VMware Fusion app bundle, I have narrowed down the cause. There is an osascript embedded in /Applications/VMware\ Fusion.app/Contents/Library/VMware\ Fusion\ Applications\ Menu.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar that executes this: osascript -e 'tell application "System Events" to delete login item "VMware Fusion Applications Menu"'

If there are Apple provided API's for interacting with login items, including adding/removing them, please switch to using these instead of osascript. This will avoid an unnecessary trigger of the user consent dialogs.

osascript_vmware_prompt.png

vmware_osascript.png

10 Replies
ColoradoMarmot
Champion
Champion

There is something odd about your configuration - the OSAscript prompt isn't normal, and that dialog should go away.  Did you install and run Fusion from an administrator (not standard) account?

In either case,  try moving Fusion to the trash, emptying it, and reinstalling (from an administrator account of course) to reset the permissions and kext's.

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plasticphyte
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

App was installed using an account with admin credentials. An upgrade over Fusion 10 Pro.

Have removed the app from /Applications and emptied trash.

Have removed Fusion related folders/files from /Library/Application Support, /Library/Preferences, ~/Library/Application Support, ~/Library/Preferences, /private/var/folders/bw/j8v47b2540z5x6sxj_k68thm0000gn/C/com.vmware.fusion, cache folders, /private/var/folders/zz/zyxvpxvq6csfxvn_n0000000000000/T/AppTranslocation/647A556D-8667-47B8-B0D2-20A608AC07B5/d/VMware Fusion.app, etc.

No change. Have re-downloaded the app several times and tried re-installing each time.

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ToPries
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problems after trying to install fusion 11 as an upgrade!

Hope for any good solutions!!!

Torsten

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JessieZhang
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi plasticphyte​,

If Fusion shows the "Application cannot run correctly" message every time you launch Fusion, it is very likely Fusion that you installed is not in a good state to work. Could you please confirm if your VM can power on properly in Fusion:

1) If you see this message and your VM cannot start up, please follow the text suggested by the message to set 'App Store and identified developers' in Security & Privacy system preferences and re-download Fusion 11 install image

2) If you see this message and your VM can start up properly, that should be a problem with Fusion. Please help collect Fusion UI log from ~/Library/Logs/VMware Fusion/vmware-vmfusion.log.

Thanks

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plasticphyte
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Here is the vmware-vmfusion.log file.

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plasticphyte
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I've "resolved" the issue by creating a deployment package as per instructions here: VMware Knowledge Base

I removed all the previous cruft from the VMware Fusion 11 install attempts, and used the deployment package to install VMware Fusion 11 Pro.

andrew_lp
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issue, regardless of the options set and I am unable to start a VM as they all return "Internal Error"

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altanis
Contributor
Contributor

I was able to resolve the "Internal error" issue and to install version 11 properly.

1. Do not start the "VMware Fusion.app" from the mounted .dmg

2. Remove all previous VMWare fusion installations. You could use e.g. "AppCleaner" (which, by the way, was used at the last upgrade hassle by an VMWare employee on my Mac 😉 )

3. Copy "VMWareFusion.app" to your Applications directory

4. Start "VMWareFusion.app" from the Applications directory

iversond
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks - that worked for me too.

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aklump
Contributor
Contributor

This worked for me.  Thank you!!!  Same issue.  Upgraded from 10 to 11 and then "Internal error".  To note I'm not on Mojave, but High Sierra.

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