Strange VMware Workstation and Player bug since Windows 10 19H1 Build 18312, still exists in 18362

[Sotirisdim4]

Ever since 18312, I've noticed a serious bug regarding VMware VMs. Most times, and for completely random reasons, my VMs just refuse to launch. They won't even boot up in the virtual bios and in the status lights on the status bar on the bottom nothing is initialized. Forcefully turning off the VM still does nothing, it stays on the same black screen. When attempting to close VMware, it says the VM is busy. Trying to force quit vmware-vmx.exe, even with all higher level access to the process will refuse to terminate it, as I think it's stuck at processing something in the kernel. The only option is to reboot, because not even signing out and back in closes it. Also, manually trying to power off the vms via cmd (vmware has a CLI tool for that), it just makes it hang or say the vm was never on in the first place. Despite all of that vmware-vmx.exe keeps eating on my resources. Both workstation and player 15 have the same issue. Noticed it in 19h1 builds. Up until 17763 (1809) everything worked, and as a result I reverted back to it.

Additional info: My laptop is HP Notebook 15 bs101nv. The bug has been noticed in both my old installation (18312>18334) and an upgrade to 18362 from a clean install of 17763, still the same after yet another clean install and upgrade (due to unrelated issues). VMware has been uninstalled and reinstalled several times. Still happens after the workstation 15.0.3 update, and also noticed the same behavior in 15.0.4. Same things keep happening though.

Additional info 2: File transfers between host and VMware tools powered VMs that do manage to boot are also broken, hanging before the files are done transferring, which also means the VM is frozen.

I've also made a case using the feedback hub about this, so if you are on a version of Windows 10 that can view feedback from 19h1 builds, please check and upvote https://aka.ms/AA4kyqk​

Additional info 3: FINALLY! Version 15.1.0 has been released, fixing this but once and for all!

[jo900]

Exactly! VMware Workstation 15 is completely broken on new windows 1903.

Go back to 1809 is the only way i think. I not find any workaround yet, just i read here about this big-bug is fixed internally

and they will release a proper working version soon.

I hope next version will be solid, i cannot work on bouncing-unstable software.

[Sotirisdim4]

According to the other thread on this issue (which I just realized it exists... I should look around before I post), It's been fixed internally, and we need to wait for an update, just like you said. I'm keeping the thread up because I went a bit more into detail about it, unless the moderators want to delete it that is, it's fine by me eitherway. Hopefully it gets released before 1903 exits release preview and goes out to the public, otherwise there's gonna be some headache about it.

[cyrus104]

I hope this is fixed / released soon, I get this all the time now.

I cloned a VM and then relaunched that new VM and it fixed that specific one but still randomly have the issue.

[xishengzhang]

Hello, Sotirisdim4

Could you please let us know your CPU type information? Thanks

[Sotirisdim4]

Sure Thing! My CPU is 64-bit, Intel i7 8550U, and since I have it on hand, here's the full specsheet of this laptop

BIOS Type: UEFI

CPU: Intel i7 8550U

GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620

SSD (Main Drive): Samsung SSD 860 EVO M.2 1TB

HDD (Secondary Internal): Seagate HDD ST2000LM007-1R8174 2TB 5400 RPM

RAM Stick 1: SK Hynix HMA81GS6AFR8N-UH 8GB 2400MHz DDR4 SODIMM

WiFi Card: Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168

Ethernet Controller: Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller (Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Adapter)

USB Controller: Intel USB 3.0 eXtensible host controller (2 USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB 2.0 port under the same controller)

SATA Controller: Intel 6th Generation Core Processor Family Platform I/O SATA AHCI Controller (3 SATA ports, only 2 actually have a connector on the motherboard)

Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio (Realtek ALC282)

Although from scattering around the internet, it happens to all hardware configs running 1903, be it desktop or laptop.

Also, this is the product page for the CPU, to get more specific into what you asked for: Intel® Core™ i7-8550U Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.00 GHz) Product Specifications

Also I'd like to mention this is ran on the 64 bit version of Windows 10.

[xishengzhang · Accepted solution]

Hello, Sotirisdim4

Thanks a lot for your quick and thorough response.

The issue you mentioned should be same as the one mentioned in Using VMware on Windows 1903 host machine cannot turn on guest machine , Please wait for the update release for fixing. Thanks a lot.

[Sotirisdim4]

Yeah it seems like it's the same issue for all hardware configs supported by VMware 15 on Windows 10 1903 anyway. If it all goes well, it should be fixed for everyone. Hopefully file transfers have been fixed too (they also were affected in the VMs that did manage to boot). Any idea what was even causing the issue, and when can we expect for the update to go public, if you are allowed to give that info?

[Michael_Gillen]

Fixed in VMware Workstation 15.1.0 and Windows 10 18362.113