Windows 10 guest "sudden death" on VMWare Fusion 11.5 on MacOS Catalina

[OrsoGrigio]

Hi to all,

I am experiencing a Windows 10 guest "sudden death". The VM quits abruptly and all I see is the VMware "play" triangle on a black background, as if I had shut down the guest.

I have 2 Windows 10 guests on VMWare Fusion 11.5 on MacOS Catalina, each one running in full screen on a dedicated screen (I have a 3 screens setup).

This tends to happen freshly after I restarted the whole system (MAC + VMs), sometimes on one Windows 10 VM, sometimes on the other Windows 10 VM, sometimes on both Windows VMs (but not at the same time).

I am just furious about this. In the middle of the work, the VM simply dies, as if someone had pulled the cord. All of the non-saved data is lost, and my fear is, that the VM file(s) will get corrupted at some time.

Due to the fact that it has happened several times, I activated the "Hang/Crash" Troubleshooting.

This is the log of the last moments of my VM:

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| W115: Caught signal 11 -- tid 9398 (addr 625BC7714)

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: rip 0x7fff67082dc6 rsp 0x70000e729de0 rbp 0x70000e729de0

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: rax 0x625bc7714 rbx 0x7fa716dedb68 rcx 0x1 rdx 0x1 rsi 0x7fa716dedb68 rdi 0x625bc7714

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125:         r8 0x0 r9 0x0 r10 0x114e4cc48 r11 0xffff805f0edd9bac r12 0x625bc7714 r13 0x0 r14 0x625bc7700 r15 0x1

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729DE0 : 0x000070000e729e20 0x00007fff32951003

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729DF0 : 0x0000000000001700 0x0000000625bc6000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E00 : 0x00007fa716dc2d30 0x00007fa746c7c4d0

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E10 : 0x0000000000010000 0x00007fa717038b70

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E20 : 0x000070000e729e70 0x0000000114e4306c

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E30 : 0xaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 0x00007fa716dedb30

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E40 : 0x00007fa716df7390 0x0000000000000000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SIGNAL: stack 70000E729E50 : 0x00007fa716ddb5b0 0x00007fa716dc2d30

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace:

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace[0] 000070000e729820 rip=00000001101e1cb0 rbx=000070000e7298b8 rbp=000070000e729880 r12=000070000e729de0 r13=00000000000001f6 r14=000000000000000b r15=00000001105b2ee3

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace[1] 000070000e729890 rip=00007fff67085b1d rbx=000070000e729d28 rbp=000070000e729890 r12=36dca36955e0aa1c r13=0000000000000000 r14=0000000625bc7700 r15=0000000000000001

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SymBacktrace[0] 000070000e729820 rip=00000001101e1cb0 in function (null) in object /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-vmx-debug loaded at 000000010f7b5000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SymBacktrace[1] 000070000e729890 rip=00007fff67085b1d in function _sigtramp in object /usr/lib/system/libsystem_platform.dylib loaded at 00007fff67081000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| E105: PANIC: Unexpected signal: 11.

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| E105: PANIC: Loop on signal 11.

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| E105: Panic loop

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace:

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace[0] 000070000e728540 rip=000000010f802930 rbx=000070000e728540 rbp=000070000e728a20 r12=000070000e728ed0 r13=00000000000001f6 r14=00007fff93cbd070 r15=000070000e728f38

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace[1] 000070000e728a30 rip=00000001101e1e1f rbx=0000000000000160 rbp=000070000e728a90 r12=000070000e728ed0 r13=00000000000001f6 r14=000000000000000b r15=000070000e728f38

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: Backtrace[2] 000070000e728aa0 rip=00007fff67085b1d rbx=000070000e728f38 rbp=000070000e728aa0 r12=36dca36955e0b80c r13=0000000000000000 r14=0000000625bc7700 r15=0000000000000001

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SymBacktrace[0] 000070000e728540 rip=000000010f802930 in function (null) in object /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-vmx-debug loaded at 000000010f7b5000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SymBacktrace[1] 000070000e728a30 rip=00000001101e1e1f in function (null) in object /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/vmware-vmx-debug loaded at 000000010f7b5000

2019-10-29T07:35:04+01:00[+0.000]| keyboard| I125: SymBacktrace[2] 000070000e728aa0 rip=00007fff67085b1d in function _sigtramp in object /usr/lib/system/libsystem_platform.dylib loaded at 00007fff67081000

I also found this in the log, just 40 seconds earlier:

2019-10-29T07:34:23.562+01:00| vcpu-1| I125: TOOLS call to Ïltú  failed.

2019-10-29T07:34:23.581+01:00| vcpu-1| I125: TOOLS call to n%mtú  failed.

2019-10-29T07:34:23.598+01:00| vcpu-1| I125: TOOLS call to Nîmqú  failed.

2019-10-29T07:34:23.606+01:00| vcpu-0| I125: TOOLS call to ßltú  failed.

2019-10-29T07:34:23.622+01:00| vcpu-0| I125: TOOLS call to Ïltú  failed.

2019-10-29T07:34:23.636+01:00| vcpu-1| I125: TOOLS call to œçltú  failed.

These weird names do sound strange to me, but I don't know if this could have something to do with my issue.

I also have triggered the "Collect Support Information", and I am willing to send it to VMware, in case someone from the Customer Support needs it (it's a 412 MB .zip).

Did this happen to anyone else before?

What can I do to avoid this umpteenth crappy bug of this disgraceful beta-like software?

My gear is the following:

• iMac (27-inch, Late 2013)
• Processor: 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5
• Memory: 32 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M 2 G
• 2 external DELL monitors
• VmWare Fusion 11.5
• MacOS Catalina 10.15 (19A602)
• 2 Windows 10 VMs (both Version 1903, OS Build 18362.418)
• Keyboard: Microsoft Digital Media Pro
• Mouse: Logitech RX1000

[bfan]

Hi, can you upload vmware.log in VM bundle and $HomeFolder/Library/Logs/VMware\ Fusion/vmware-vmfusion.log when the problem occurs again, we can look into it from logs

[banackm]

The crash appears to be coming out of our keyboard code.

You might try adding the following config option to your vmx file:

mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs=FALSE

That will disable our trying to set the host's LEDs when you're grabbed into the VM, but might work-around the crash.

[OrsoGrigio]

Hi, this morning both VMs crashed within minutes.

Then I rechecked this thread.... now I have inserted in both .vmx files the line:

mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs = "FALSE"

let's see if this has a positive effect on this issue.

You can find the problem reports here:

https://test.suntis.ch/transfer/VMware_Fusion_Problem_Report_2019-10-29_at_07.36.00.zip (411 MB)

https://test.suntis.ch/transfer/VMware_Fusion_Problem_Report_2019-11-05_at_08.25.01.zip (80 MB)

(they are too large to be attached here)

[OrsoGrigio]

Hi, any news on this?

I saw that other users have the same problem:

11.5 Windows 10 Crashing Constant

Full Screen VM's move spaces and shut down uncommanded

[hkato193]

You might try adding the following config option to your vmx file:

mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs=FALSE

I also encountered the same problem, and the above config works fine. Thanks bm​ !!

[bfan]

Hi OrsoGrigio,

This problem has been fixed in VMware Fusion Tech Preview 20H1, can you try it to see whether it works for you.

[sosw]

I was so happy when I saw this message. I installed the Tech Preview without issue. But I still got the same computer restart problem. It seemed more stable to start off but now is about the same level of instability from 11.5.

Any ideas?

[bfan]

Thanks for trying Fusion TP.  could you help to upload the vmx log to see whether it is the same problem.

BTW, does the above workaround work for you with TP build?

mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs=FALSE

[sosw]

I tried mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs=FALSE in the config file in 11.5 and it saved it in my install of TP. So I guess I did already try that. I will upload the vmx now.

[OrsoGrigio]

Hi, I am in a production environment, so unfortunately I cannot install a Tech Preview. Any news on when it will be released in an official 11.5.x release?

[ColoradoMarmot]

VMWare doesn't comment on future release plans, so when/if it's in 11.5.x is unknown.  Typically tech previews go live in the fall (around the release of the new OS), so that's probably the longest time you'd have to wait.

[dneri]

thank you

it solved a very annoying problem for me

Domenico

[m1140]

I can confirm this is still an issue in Fusion Player Version 12.1.2 (17964953) on Catalina 10.15.7 (19H1217).
Setting "mks.keyboard.setHostLEDs=FALSE" seems to be working.

[dave6722]

I have choos  VMware Fusion Tech Preview 20H1,  and This problem has been fixed