Windows 10 Network Controller Driver - Running on Fusion 11 on a Mac Mini

[rfbuehler]

Ive used Windows 10 running on an iMac and MacBooks with zero issues.

I have a Windows 10 instance running on Fusion 11 on a MacMini and it Cannot find the drivers for the Network. (Driver not found)

I've deleted the device in Device Manager and rebooted and it finds a device again but no drivers.

I installed a USB ethernet controllers and let it look for  updated drivers using the USB device for internet access. Still NO luck.

Any suggestions.

By the way I deleted all the Network devices in Fusion rebooted then added one back in same problem.

[scott28tt]

Windows needs a driver for the network adapter in the VM hardware, not the physical hardware.

This section of the documentation is a good reference: Configuring the Network Connection​

[rfbuehler]

I went thru all that.

As I said I have run Windows 10 on both an iMac and a Mac Book. (Basically the same environment)

I have this instance on a new MacMini and the Network interface on the Windows 10 does NOT find the correct driver to talk with fusion.

I don't know if this is of any importance but I am using fusion 11.5.6.

What version of VM Ware tools do I need to use with this version of Fusion? The table that shows which tools version to use only goes up to 11.5.5

The device it cant find the driver for is below

Device PCI\VEN_1022&DEV_2000&SUBSYS_20001022&REV_10\4&3ad87e0a&0&0888 requires further installation.

[scott28tt]

I would try steps 11-15 from this: VMware Knowledge Base

[wila]

Hi,

For a guest OS running in a VM it does not make any difference on what physical host it runs...

There should be no driver differences between running on a macbook, a mac mini or a mac pro or even for running on a windows host running VMware Workstation (unless you're trying to run a macOS guest as that is prohibited on a windows host)

This is one of the advantages of using a VM, it sees the same hardware whatever host you're running on.

The exceptions are:

- CPU -> it is exposed to the guest OS

- USB devices -> as you can directly connect those to the guest.

Other hardware such as network adapters, motherboard, keyboard, mouse, display etc... are all virtualized and that means a virtual hardware device is presented to the guest.

As such your "the guest OS doesn't see its network controller" most like is due to the following issue:

Your copy of the VM is corrupt.

My suggestion is to make a fresh copy using separate media (don't use the exact same external HDD)

--

Wil

[rfbuehler]

I had done all of those in the past but repeated the steps again.

It does not find the Ethernet Controller BUT under Other Devices it sees an Ethernet controller but cannot find a driver even when I manually point it to the VM Ethernet controller.

[scott28tt · Accepted solution]

If the OS doesn’t have a driver for the virtual NIC (which depends on the type of NIC in the VM hardware) then VMware Tools should have it.

Have you checked in the VMX file of the VM package what type of NIC it is set to use?

ethernet0.virtualDev = ???

[Mikero]

Try this:

1) make sure tools is installed

2) Power-Off the VM

3) Delete the NIC

4) Power on the VM, let it realize it doesn't have a NIC.

5) Power off the VM after a cycle without a NIC

6) add a new NIC

7) Power on the VM

8)???

9) Profit.

[rfbuehler]

edited the VMX file and set the ethernet0.virtualDEV = "vmxnet3"

rebooted and it configured the Ethernet controller correctly

Thanks

[shadfar]

Thank you! you fix helped me get network back on my VM running on Big Sur b3

[MattBullen]

This also fixed Win 11 Preview VM.. Same issue... Cheers All..

Regards

MattB

[glycogeek94]

thanks, this worked for me as well. (host OS, MacOS big sur)

(guest OS: updated from win10 to win11 prev on VMvare fusion)