VMware Fusion install stuck on "Initializing VMware Fusion" dialog

[LoneEagle]

I ran into this problem installing Fusion 12.2.4 on macOS Monterey and thought I would post a solution I found.

Fusion first apparently installs correctly with an application size of 1.2 GB. When I open the application for the first time I'm asked to authorize it to install software into the Applications folder. The application size as shown by the Finder goes to zero and then it brings up the "Initializing VMware Fusion" dialog (for a second time) and the progress bar just goes on indefinitely. 

I force quit VMware Fusion when in that state and then try reinstalling. During the install process it asks whether I want to re-open windows that were open when it was killed. I had been in this loop before and answered "no." But when I answered "yes" the licensing window comes up and the install is successful. So apparently when showing the "Initializing VMware Fusion" dialog it was actually attempting to bring up the licensing window but for some reason was unsuccessful.

Since I spent several hours installing, manually removing, rebooting, etc., I thought maybe this would help someone.

[Technogeezer]

That's very strange behavior. How exactly did you perform the initial installation of Fusion? If its installed to the hard drive by clicking on the installer in the .dmg file, it should not be asking to install items from Applications when you start it from the hard drive from the first time.

And, what version of macOS Monterey are you using?

[ColoradoMarmot]

It will ask you to do the one-time setup, but that shouldn't actually do any installs.

OP - are you installing as an administrative user?  And no other security software that restricts installations?

[LoneEagle]

Exactly, this is very strange behavior which is why I documented it in case someone else ends up in the same rathole as I have.

I started the initial installation by double clicking the installer icon in the mounted dmg file.

It seemed to work fine, but when I double clicked on the application in the Applications folder, it asked me for permission to install *to* (not from) the Applications folder. And that's when the endless "Initializing VMware Fusion" dialog appears.

After force quitting and then installing again from the mounted dmg file, then it asked me if I wanted it to reopen windows that were open during the last session. Only when I said "yes" it continued the installation and asked for my license key.

I was installing on MacOS 12.5

I have BitDefender scanning files but it did not add anything to the quarantine during the install process.

[LoneEagle]

As above, BitDefender was running but it didn't flag anything that I saw.

I was installing as an administrator.

[LoneEagle]

One last detail, I had just upgraded from macOS Catalina so I had to install Fusion 12.4 to replace my Fusion 11 install.

After I started running into problems I did a manual de-installation per instructions in one of the postings to eliminate that as a potential source of problems.

[Technogeezer]

That's bizarre behavior. I've never seen that.

Let's eliminate the obvious.

Perform a complete uninstall of Fusion per KB article https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838 and reboot.

Log into the VMware Customer Connect portal and download a fresh copy of the Fusion 12.2.4 installer directly from VMware https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/info/slug/desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_fusion/12_0 . Verify the downloaded file using one of its hashes (SHA1/SHA256/MD5) posted on the download site to make sure it's intact. We want to make sure BitDefender has not mucked around with it.

Disable BitDefender. We want nothing to interfere with the installation.

Open the .dmg file and double click on it to install. Keep good notes on what happens.