help --- Fusion 7.1.2 causes BSODs

[BTashchuk]

Summary:

I'm having problems running Windows XP SP2 under Fusion. Everything works with Fusion 7.1.1, but I get constant BSODs with Fusion 7.1.2.

Details:

I have some software I use locally and don't care if XP is insecure since I don't let it out to the Internet. Here's what I've done to test and debug:

1) I installed Fusion 7.1.1 from .dmg. I'm on OS X 10.8.5 on a Macbook Pro with 8 GB RAM.

2) I installed XP Pro SP2 full retail copy from DVD. activated (via the internet). Works fine. My software works.

3) After XP activation, I switch my VM network to "private to my Mac" to keep XP away from the Internet

4) Fusion offers me 7.1.2 update

5) I shutdown my VM. I allow Fusion to update itself to 7.1.2

6) when I restart XP, Fusion automatically updates VMware tools

7) everything goes haywire

😎 XP gets repeated BSODs and reboots sometimes as quickly as within 20 seconds, even just as I'm logging in

9) the BSOD error is STOP c000021a with a status of 0xc0000005 (sorry I should have taken a screenshot but didn't)

10) what can I do???

More information:

11) I deleted Fusion, including Preferences, Application, Library, etc. I reloaded 7.1.1. Everything works again. This is with a saved copy of my XP VM which I installed under 7.1.1, not with the VM that had 7.1.2 VMware tools installed.

12) I allow update to 7.1.2, XP starts getting BSODs again

13) I'm back on 7.1.1 and don't want to go to 7.1.2 again just to get a screen cap of BSOD. There is apparently no way to keep 7.1.1 and 7.1.2 on the computer simultaneously.

Anyone else having problems with 7.1.2?

Fusion only supports XP SP3 (although Workstation supports XP SP2). I don't want to go to SP3 because I don't want all the hassles of enabling XP out to the Internet to do its "windows genuine advantage" periodic checkin with Microsoft. Like I said earlier, my software doesn't need the internet so I don't want to let XP out to the Internet. I simply use a shared folder to move data back and forth between OS X and XP.

Am I making a mistake trying to stick with XP SP2? Am I fighting a losing battle?

Should I move my computer to OS X 10.9 or 10.10? Is there a chance that would help?

Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[Mikero]

That's weird... do you have a support case filed?

If so, what's the case number so I can check? 

Everything you're doing should work just fine as it, this is either something weird corrupted in Windows that exposes itself when the virtual hardware changes/divers installed, OR it's a bug of some sort.

[dariusd · Accepted solution]

We're aware of a problem with Windows XP versions prior to SP3, affecting the installation of the latest VMware Tools released with Fusion 7.1.2 and Workstation 11.1.2.  This thread has more details: VMware Tools regression in Workstation 11.1.2

You may be able to install the Microsoft hotfix for KB921337 to address the problem.

Cheers,

--

Darius

[BTashchuk]

You guys are the greatest. That thread in Workstation exactly described my problem. For the record, here's what I did to fix things:

1) go to

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/921337

2) put in your email, Microsoft will send you a link to the hotfix

3) apply hotfix to XP SP2 VM

4) shut down VM

5) Update Fusion to 7.1.2

6) start XP2 VM and allow VMware tools to be installed

7) everything appears to work, no immediate BSODs

[steve_goddard]

Hi there,

Just to add the sxs.dll is causing heap corruption which brings down the csrss.exe process which generates the BSOD WINLOGON_FATAL_ERROR (c000021a)

A Microsoft patch to download fix for broken sxs.dll is also found here:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/943232

We are tracking down the manifest file which has the offending text causing the bug to be exposed by our VMware tools too.

Thanks.

Steve