cannot setup/start new VM - transport error -14 pipe connection has been broken

[theun4given]

Hello,

Just installed new VM Fusion (VMware-Fusion-13.0.2-21581413_universal.dmg) on my mac mini 2014.

Want to setup a Windows machine (Win11 x64) from image.

After configuring basics and executing the VM a message appears "transport error (VMDB) -14: pipe connection has been broken".

After reading many posts related to this error message I still could not fix this.

This is what I tried so far:

1) uninstalling (using "Remove-It") and reinstalling (with system restarts inbetween;

2) putting "VMWare Fusion" app in system settings "Security panel" (accessability);

3) manual registering VMWare's company ID in safe mode via terminal;

This is what I'm not willing to do:

1) changing whole system via "sudo root" from terminal!

2) permantly disabling SIP via safe mode!

I never received the message to allow "VMWare..." in the general tab of system settings panel "Security&Privacy". 

So I assume that the necessary drivers (kexts) will not be loaded resp. are available for the system.

Attached please find my log-files and the current settings from the VM (renamed to .log).

My system is running with Monterey 12.6.6, 8GB RAM, Intel Iris Graphics, 2,6GHz Intel Core i5.

Connected devices: Monitor USB hub, Webcam Logitech 920

Any help is really appreciated!

Thanks.

Stefan 

[ColoradoMarmot]

Assuming that this is not patched with opencore:

Using third party uninstallers is a bad idea for most apps, and Fusion in particular.  You need to either use the built-in uninstaller, or do a full manual uninstall: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838#:~:text=Process%20to%20Uninstall%20VMware%20Fusion%2010.&tex...

Once that's done, download the installer again (from VMWare's site), and double click to reinstall.

Note that the installation must be done via an administrative user, and not on a case sensitive file system.

[Technogeezer]

I'm running a very similar 2014 Mac mini with the same versions of Fusion and macOS. VMs are working fine so I suspect something broken on your Mac and/or Fusion installation.

Fusion 13 does not use kexts any more. You do not have to disable SIP or play around with root. There's something else amiss here.

According to what I see in the logs, your VM is appearing to crash right after power-on as there are no more messages in the vmware.log after the power state is set to poweredOn.

Are there any vmware-vmx processes running after the transport error message (drop into a Terminal and issue:  ps -ef | grep -i vmware-vmx )

In my Windows 11 log file, I'm seeing that the USB devices are being reported right after the poweredOn state. Yours stops before that.

While the Fusion GUI is running, can you once again open the terminal and see if there is a vmware-usbdiskarbitrator process running?

Also, are there a set of USB arbitrator logs  named vmware-usbarb*.log found in /Library/Logs/VMware ? If so, could you zip them up and post them.

[theun4given]

HI ColoradoMarmot,

Thanks for your advices.

My system is not patched with OCLP.

Interesting that there is a built-in uninstaller. I cannot find this. Please advise where is it located.

I can try to uninstall all corresponding files acc. to VMWare's website (thnx for the link).

My used installer was downloaded from my profile in VMWare. Is there an another download link?

I am using for years a MacOS user account based on "Admin" and file system is set to APFS since Monterey.

[theun4given]

Hi Technogeezer,

Thanks for your advices.

I did some screenshots from terminal regarding the processes you mentioned (see attached).

I searched for the "vmware-usbarb*.log" in /Library/Logs/VMware* and attached it here (2 logs).

But I found 2 other logs (attached as well) in Applications/Library/VMware/.

Maybe those logs will help?

[Technogeezer]

---

@theun4given wrote:

Interesting that there is a built-in uninstaller. I cannot find this. Please advise where is it located.

I can try to uninstall all corresponding files acc. to VMWare's website (thnx for the link)

---

There's no built-in uninstaller for Fusion. You have to use the KB article to perform a complete uninstall of Fusion (not just dragging the app file to the Trash).

Before re-installing Fusion and trying to fire up that VM again, try disconnecting all USB devices from the system except your keyboard and mouse. (that includes your webcam and any other USB hard drive devices that you don't need).

[theun4given]

Hi,

I did a complete uninstall (acc. to the VMware's article).

Re-downloaded the DMG from my personal licence site in VWware.

Unplugged all except Apple mouse/keyboard.

Shut down the mac mini.

Restart after 30 seconds and installed Fusion Player from new downloaded DMG.

After creating new VM and starting, the same error message appears 😞

Attached please find the logs/screenshot.

[ColoradoMarmot]

The built-in uninstaller is triggered when you drag the application to the trash - it runs in the background.  That's the way the Apple API's now work.

[Technogeezer]

@ColoradoMarmot - well you learn something every day. Didn't realize that Fusion had implemented that.

However, does that get rid of all of the "cruft" that's scattered across the disk? I've not seen it fully delete things that are noted in the KB article. 

[ColoradoMarmot]

Yeah, it's not a full clean uninstall (some apps do that, but Fusion doesn't).  It'll remove most of the entries and cruft (it used to remove the kext's for example), but not everything - it leaves the license file in place for example.

One reason I go through ~/Library once a year and delete all the garbage left behind by programs I don't use anymore.

[theun4given]

As said, I did manual cleanup and new install.

But the error still exist.

Maybe I have to wait for an updated installer.

No VM will currently startup. Tried now also Win10. but resulting in the same error.

My assumption is that it has sth. to do with system rights.

btw, VirtualBox is running (but very poor performance)

[ColoradoMarmot]

If you've used any sort of optimization or cleaner utilities (onyx, ccleaner) that's a good bet.  it could also be corporate MDM or antivirus controls.

I expect a new tech preview in early July.  Might be worth giving it a try - this error has been a major pain point and hopefully they'll at least give more helpful messages.

[Technogeezer]

This is indeed bizarre. If possible, you might want to open a support request with VMware if you have a paid license for the product. (if you're outside the 30 day complimentary support window, you can purchase a per-incident support case through the Vmware Store and use that to open a case through Customer Connect.

Could you also capture a support bundle through the Fusion GUI - Help -> Collect Support Information and post the zip file here?

Start with a quick one.

[Mikero]

What Mac is this with?

[Technogeezer]

@Mikero from the logs that the OP provided, it's a 2014 Mac mini running the latest Monterey. It's an officially supported model for both Monterey and Fusion 13. The OP has stated that there's no OCLP in use. 

I haven't seen a support bundle yet so I can't say what else might be installed.

I'm running pretty much the exact same config and am not seeing this issue. Something's crashing without warning -  the vmware.log just drops off any further output after Fusion logs that the guest has transitioned to a poweredOn state.

[Mikero]

yah duh, I see now OP had it in their initial description lol

It's a weird one... I don't have a bug on this so I suspect that it's related to the local system somehow.

A complete log bundle would be helpful to isolate things a bit further.

[theun4given]

Attached please find the full log bundle done via Fusion GUI (help section).

Hope this will help.

[Technogeezer · Accepted solution]

I see from the logs that you have SIP disabled. Please re-enable it and see if Fusion will now work.

Also, I see you are running Sophos AV. Could you check its logs to see if it may be complaining about anything. As an idea, please disable all of it completely and re-try your testing.

@Mikero I'm not seeing anything that pops out and says "this is why". Any chance of having one of your engineers take a look?

[theun4given]

Hi,

I did disable Sophos on this Computer but no success.

I was wondering the SIP was set to disable. After enabling the VM starts properly!

now installing Win11.

thank you so much!