VMware Communities
lurched
Contributor
Contributor

Windows 10 - black screen after login

I am running the latest version of Fusion, 10.0.1, on my iMac Desktop (macOS V10.13 - High Sierra), with two (2) Windows 10 VM's. After logging in both VM's go to a black screen.  This occurred after latest Windows update.  I have tried suggestions from other posts but none of them seem to help.  I am looking for some more ideas.

Reply
0 Kudos
20 Replies
RickShu
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

Hi lurched,

This is a known issue related with Windows 10 Fall Creator's Update, we are currently working on this, and in the meanwhile, would you please try to disable 3D acceleration and see if it helps.

Regards,

-Rick

Reply
0 Kudos
lurched
Contributor
Contributor

I have tried disabling 3D acceleration but it made no difference.

I then tried re-enabling it. Still the black screen prevails.

I have also tried other display type option changes - nothing seems to affect the problem.

Reply
0 Kudos
Mikero
Community Manager
Community Manager

It's likely that this issue is related to Tools and our graphics driver.

This is going to be updated in the next release.

For now, we are running a beta so if you get in touch with support and report this issue we can enroll you and get you the newer tools which should resolve the issue.

-
Michael Roy - Product Marketing Engineer: VCF
Reply
0 Kudos
Simonmiller
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

Is there any more word on this problem being resolved please?

I just paid to upgrade to VMWare Fusion 10 today presuming this would fix the problem, only to find it didn't. I'm running Windows 10 on my late 2012 iMac running Mac OS X 10.13.1 and am getting the black screen after entering my Windows 10 password on the login screen.

Reply
0 Kudos
lurched
Contributor
Contributor

This has been quite a disappointing journey for me so far.

I reached out and was contacted by a representative from VMware and we setup a remote desktop session where he got onto my Mac and tried to help me out.  He tried to repair one of my Windows 10 VMs but after numerous attempts he told me he was unable to fix it and I had 2 options - 1.) restore from backup and 2.) create a new Windows 10 VM and transfer the data after attaching to the broken VM.

We tried option #2 and it works only because the new VM was created using an older version of Windows 10.  (Windows updates had to be disabled.) It is also not the greatest solution because it is a re-creation of my original Windows 10 VM and not exactly like my original.

He acknowledged there were known issues with the file system and I didn't understand how this related to the the video drivers being corrupted.  When he created my new VM, he had the filesystem set to full allocation mode to address the known issue.

My latest position is that I am going to get another backup drive and backup what I have right now.  Then I am going to take option #1 and restore my full system from my last good system backup before the corruption (the Windows 10 Fall Creators update). And then go from there disabling Windows updates and wait for a VMware solution to come soon hopefully.

I wish the VMware and Windows people had worked together and tested this before the Windows 10 release.  Perhaps they did.  Regardless, I am very disappointed.  I am sorry that everyone else is having to deal with the problem because it is a big time and money waster and we expected more from VMware based on their past performance.

Reply
0 Kudos
Simonmiller
Contributor
Contributor

Hmmm that sounds like a complete nightmare!

I'm just a bit annoyed I paid for the upgrade thinking that would fix it and I'm having exactly the same problem with no real solution in sight. I'll maybe open up a support ticket then.

Reply
0 Kudos
unltd
Contributor
Contributor

Has this been resolved? We are facing this issue now

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi unltd,

AFAIK this was resolved in a VMware Tools update, what version of VMware Fusion are you running and what VMware Tools version has been installed in your guest?

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
unltd
Contributor
Contributor

Hi, just tried it earlier, first it was 8.5.9 and it did not work, so I thought it was the version then I ”upgraded“ to the latest VMware Fusion Pro 10.1.0 and I made sure I downloaded and reinstalled the VMware tools. It did not work, still getting a black screen after login.

The windows 10 is a 1709 build and after getting the black screen I can alt-control-del to sign out to get back to the main login screen (which works).

When I peform a shutdown it sometimes throws an exception error for svchost.exe

I tried booting up in safe mode and I can go to the desktop screen but everything is missing, when I try and click on the windows icon, it takes a long time then throws a windows explorer execption.

Tried turning off 3D acceleration and also retina unity feature. Even changed the ram etc to see if it was causing the issue.

So now I am stuck with using the shift restart on windows 10 login screen and rolling back the windows version then clicking the advanced option of do not update (for a limited period).

In short, I tried every pausible way to fix this multiple times. There was once I purposely deleted the VMware display driver from windows device manager after the rollback to reinstall using VMware tools then upgrade but it did not work....

So can someone from VMware and people who actually faced this issue confirm that it had been fixed and point me in the right direction? Would be much appreciated

Reply
0 Kudos
wila
Immortal
Immortal

Hi,

I'm not from VMware, but did see this issue on Fusion 8.x

The way I resolved it was by installing the latest VMware Tools.

Note that for Kaby Lake processors on macOS 10.13 that there is still a known issue (see at the bottom of: VMware Fusion 10.1.0 Release Notes )

Fusion 10.1 comes with the latest VMware Tools (10.2.0) which should fix your issue.

https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Tools/10.2/rn/vmware-tools-1020-release-notes.html

As for re-installing VMware tools did you use control panel to uninstall VMware Tools, then reboot the guest OS to make sure ALL drivers are gone and re-install VMware Tools and subsequently again reboot?

Quite often a repair install or reinstall on top of an existing VMware Tools install does not update all the required files and that causes a lot of confusion and trouble for Windows guests.

FWIW, please note that he Community Forum is not an official support-forum and is not officially monitored by VMware Support or Product Managers.

This is a community based forum where VMware Fusion users help other users.

So most of the time -like now- you get an answer from a volunteer.


As a side note there are VMware employees who keep an eye on the forums and try to help out, but they might not see every post and most - if not all of them - are doing so in their own free time.

To get official support please go to: Fusion Support and open a ticket at File a Support Request

--

Wil

| Author of Vimalin. The virtual machine Backup app for VMware Fusion, VMware Workstation and Player |
| More info at vimalin.com | Twitter @wilva
Reply
0 Kudos
unltd
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks mate, the model that I am having issues on is in fact a Kaby Lake, but on a Sierra 10.12.6. We never liked upgrades unless necessary.

will be trying the full uninstall and install, will update regarding the results.

many thanks for another method which I had not tried.

Reply
0 Kudos
unltd
Contributor
Contributor

unfortunately, a full uninstall and reinstall of vmware tools did not help.

Could the threadstarter, others who have faced this issue of black screen after logging in or someone from VM confirm if a fix had been implemented?

Reply
0 Kudos
JLT25
Contributor
Contributor

If this can help someone...I had the black screen in Windows 10 after a windows update. I had no way to enter the VM again. My usual solution is to reboot in safe mode but windows 10 is too fast and F8/Shift F8 doesn't work anymore. I found on some site that Windows 10 will automatically go in safe mode after 3 crashes so I interrupted the VM 3 times and at the next reboot I got the safe mode menu! From that point I was able to repair the VM. I have Fusion 7 on OSX El Capitan.

Reply
0 Kudos
iCyberDefence
Contributor
Contributor

Firstly thanks for posting the issue....I have exact same issue.

It has resolved now...I am actually emailing from my windows VM Smiley Happy

I upgraded Vmware Fusion to 10.x to resolve Windows 10 issue.. still I had the same problem. After speaking to various people in other networks, I found it's Windows issue.

Latest Windows 10 update will solve it.

Here are the steps for you...

1. Load your VM to Safe Mode with Networking. There are various articles on this. To simplify - just press Fn and F8 key. Please kill the Windows 10 Black window VM and restart using Fusion screen.

2. Once in Safe Mode, you will be able to browse but not be able to go to "Windows update" section.. strange from Microsoft!

So browse using I.E and google search Windows 10 update.

Microsoft provides two options - 1. update using your laptop's windows update 2. download using browser and install it.

Choose option 2 and try installing it...

You need to have patience .. trial and error. as it's in safe mode  and screen pixel is really bad..

After couple of attempts.. it starts installing patch

restart the machine.. it's all good.

3. As a final check.. go to Windows update and ensure all the windows patches are installed.

Speculation is .. this is the patch for spectre and meltdown

Hope this helps!

Reply
0 Kudos
chrislists8
Contributor
Contributor

I came across this and it works for me. Disable the SVGA.

https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=wKRJP_0vnj0

Reply
0 Kudos
gebanks
Contributor
Contributor

This link seems to be broken.  How do you disable the SVGA?

Reply
0 Kudos
rickpage
Contributor
Contributor

I'm having the same issue. Here is the link to the Youtube video.

5 Minutes Tips: Avoid VM Tools install results in a black screen - YouTube

I'm hoping to get this resolved as well.

My issue first started with the Windows 10 host crashing while doing a background update that I wasn't aware of while I had a Windows 10 vm running. I am guessing the Windows 10 vm was also in a middle of an update.

After restarting, the host finished doing its update and I launched the vm. I got the Windows screen where you need to press a key, swipe up or any other action to bring up the login screen.

Unfortunately, the login screen would flash up and then disappear back to the original screen. Even going into safe mode resulted in the same results.

Luckily, I could go into vm settings and enable auto-login. I was hoping problem solved, until auto-login brought me to a black screen.

I have now disabled 3d acceleration, and reduced resolution down to 640x480 and hoping the above video can shed some light.

UPDATED: The video was useless. How is one suppose to reinstall the vm tools when the screen is black. Unfortunately, I do not have a snapshot of this vm. I was able to go back into vm settings and disable auto-login. But now I am back to my original problem of not being able to login.

I have read that I need to perform a windows upgrade repair. But guess what?! You need to first be able to login into Windows and do the upgrade. It can't be done from the bootable iso.

It is very frustrating when the tools to fix a problem can only work when the system is working in the first place.

Reply
0 Kudos
vas7
Contributor
Contributor

When the VM starts (when you see the POST screen and before the Windows start)

  • press F12 in order to start the "Automatic Repair" (it's a little tricky to get, need to try a few times probably)
  • In the "automatic repair" screen select "Advanced options"
  • On the next screen select "Troubleshoot"
  • On the Next screen "Advanced Options"
  • On the next screen "Startup settings"
  • On the Next screen hit "restart"
  • In the list of options select "Enable Safe mode" or "enable Safe mode with networking"

Windows 10 now boot in safe mode and you can see the desktop

Use the Search tool and locate the "This PC" app, right click on it and select Manage.

When the Computer Management loads select "Device Manager" from the list on the left and

in the "Display Adapters" section, select the installed "SVGA driver" (that causes the problem) and right-click on it.

Select update Driver --> Browse my computer for driver software --> Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer

and choose Microsoft Basic Display Adapter.

Restart and the black screen is fixed

Reply
0 Kudos
Aibola
Contributor
Contributor

I like to add that I have the same issues with my Windows 10 Pro 1903.

This is my basic image that even hasn't got the VMware tools installed.

In the preview screen of the Fusion virtual machine library I see that the machine boots to the desktop.

Even when typing the password I can login to the machine.

Schermafbeelding 2019-10-11 om 14.16.59.pngSchermafbeelding 2019-10-11 om 14.17.57.pngSchermafbeelding 2019-10-11 om 14.18.17.png

Reply
0 Kudos