All knowledge base posts in Fusion Tech Preview 22H2

Re: Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview Testing Guide

OnjMusic — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 15:29:58 GMT

@Technogeezer you were absolutely correct. In searching, the September 22 came up ahead of July 23. I read that date time and time again and kept not picking up on that fact. I feel stupid now, but thank you for setting me str

I had already redownloaded what I thought was a month earlier version, but of course it's not, it's the most current and I'm back in the VM with everything working just fine now.

Thank you for the quick and helpful response.

Re: Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview Testing Guide

Technogeezer — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 14:45:55 GMT

@OnjMusic

If you go to “About VMware Fusion, what build are you running? It seems to me that you have installed an obsolete 22H2 Tech Preview update from September 2022 since as of today October 1 there is no “September update” to the 2023 Tech Preview. If that’s the case you’ve installed an old version on top of a newer version. That could cause what you’re seeing since the “July” 2023 Tech Preview changed the encryption algorithm on VMs which means they can not be opened with older Fusion versions.

You need to download and install the 2023 Tech Preview using this link https://customerconnect.vmware.com/downloads/get-download?downloadGroup=FUS-TP2023

Re: Fusion 22H2 Tech Preview Testing Guide

OnjMusic — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 13:24:39 GMT

Hi. I've run into a strange issue I haven't seemed to find mentioned exactly.

I was running full fusion 13 with a Windows 11 ARM build on my M1 machine, no problem. Upgraded to July tech preview, no problem either.

Upgrading to September preview after upgrading the tools from July, and the version of the VM itself now presents me with a password on-load that I *know* is correct, but it won't accept.

I believe this is something to do with the TPM, so now I'm left with a machine I cannot access under any circumstances.

Does anyone happen to have an idea what I could do to rectify this? I may try reverting to the July tech preview instead but aside from that, any ideas would be gratefully received.

Thanks for any help.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Lo_Tek — Fri, 16 Dec 2022 21:38:41 GMT

"I use iCloud and not OneDrive" I'm using the iCloud Client for Windows with no issues under the 22H2 release with the ARM release build on my m1 iMac, if that's any help to anyone. Haven't tried the 13 update since this one works well and does what I need to do. Have no desire to live on the "bleeding edge" as it were.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 17:46:30 GMT

Glad you have it working.

The bcdedit command are no longer necessary for running Windows 11 VMs on the 22H2 Tech Preview or Fusion 13. And it doesn't make networking work either, since VMware changed the virtual networking adapter for newly created Windows 11 virtual machines from e1000e (used by the Windows kernel debug adapter) to vmxnet3 (compatible with the driver provided by the Tech Preview 22H2 and Fusion 13).

There's a better way than bypassing the network setup and then installing the tools. Install the tools from Powershell at the very start of the setup process after the VM boots from the hard drive and it's asking what country you're in. Ctrl-fn-F10 at that point, start powershell from the command prompt, then install the tools and reboot the VM. The setup process will restart and the network will be discovered for the OOBE networking check because a network driver is installed.

The process is documented in the latest version of the unofficial Tips and Techniques guide for the Tech Preview, and the Unofficial Fusion 13 for Apple Silicon Companion.

As far as your issue with the AzureAD module, you might want to ask that question in a Microsoft forum. It may have more to do with whether it works on Windows 11 ARM than running on Fusion.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

JNY516 — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 18:16:10 GMT

@Technogeezer

Just wanted to follow up and confirm I was able to get Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_25247.vmdk working using these steps:

qemu-img convert -O vmdk Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_25247.VHD Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_25247.vmdk

(shift + f10) OOBE\BYPASSNRO

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

.\setup.ps1

Running vmware tools installation immediately after bypassing network setup is the way to go. On my previous attempt I ran the bcdedit commands from this thread. Maybe this was causing issues (bsod):

https://communities.vmware.com/t5/Fusion-22H2-Tech-Preview/Vmware-Fusion-Apple-Silicon-Support-Windows/td-p/2868054

... And unfortunately the powershell modules i need require x64 arch lol if anyone has AzureAD module working on M1 kindly reach out to me

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

dminter — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 21:18:12 GMT

Just as a point of information, I reinstalled Parallels for my M1 Apple laptop running latest Ventura OS. Including downloading Parallels software, getting Windows 11 fresh copy from Microsoft, Windows updates, and finding/reactivating my Windows license # - took 20 minutes total. Process is fully automated by Parallels, nearly a handsfree installation. And everything, including file sharing, printing to network printers, networking, and all other stuff necessary to run Quicken is there, and works. That's of course the expectation for Fusion 13. Paid $49 last year for a year of Parallels, second year price is $55. I'll see you guys next year

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

todivefor — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 20:43:37 GMT

@dminter I am in the same boat as you. I run windows for quicken. I have run Fusion since around 2010-2011 when I moved from windows to mac. I switched over to parallels for about a year along the way and then back to fusion which I like much better. I've had this macbook air m1 for a little over a year. I needed a W11 solution to run Quicken. Before purchasing the m1, I tried crossover on my prior 2012 macbook pro to see if it would work. It did, so went ahead with the m1 purchase. I have been running quicken in this environment since. I installed fusion preview (both 21h1 and 22h2) and W11 for quicken. I was not willing to commit to this environment as my production quicken. I have been running fusion 13 and W11 home with quicken since fusion 13 fell. I have had no problems, and haven't run quicken under crossover since. I'll have to upgrade my crossover (21 -> 22) when I upgrade to Ventura. I'll probably do that just to be safe (Codeweavers crossover is having a cyber Monday special ~$30 until 11/30).

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

ColoradoMarmot — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 20:20:40 GMT

@dminter Not whining at all. I'm a bit surprised that they released 13 without better support for windows, but suspect they needed/wanted to get a production release out for linux guest users. I'd very much consider windows support still at the 'tech preview' state though. They should have released it that way - linux release with revised windows tech preview - in the marketing language to better manage expectations.

No sense rehashing all the issues (from MSFT licensing to the VMWare/broadcom acquisition)...we are where we are. I do expect full support sometime next year, but when that might be? Not really there.

I wish I could recommend differently, but for someone in your situation, Parallels right now is the better answer.

Of course, if Quicken would ever release a real mac product, then I suspect about 30% of the need for windows on mac would go away!

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 19:16:07 GMT

Yes, I'm nowhere near what you'd call an "average user" - but I do wear two hats. The other hat is a more "average user" hat and use this M1 for word processing, spreadsheets, email, and web browsing.

In the end, you have to use the tool set that does the job you need it to do and that you're most comfortable with. Today for the not-as technical user, that's still Parallels. You shouldn't need to be an auto mechanic when all you want to do is to drive the car.

Let's hope VMware listens to us and starts making Windows easier to use on M1.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

dminter — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 18:53:27 GMT

@Technogeezer Interesting approach to getting past Fusion 13 limitations on an M1 Apple computer. Thank you for sharing your approach. Too many moving parts for me, and I use iCloud and not OneDrive. Looks like I will be signing up for another year subscription to Parallels. I think it is appropriate to discourage all M1 Apple users to avoid Fusion 13, unless and until VMware fixes the myriad of difficulties and oddball installation requirements that are far beyond the average users capabilities.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 18:20:22 GMT

@dminter asked:

Do you you have Fusion 13 working, including sharing, on an M1 Apple product?

Yes I do.

I do share folders with my Mac M1 host. But not with Fusion's folder sharing. I'm sharing folders with the host using macOS Windows file sharing and via OneDrive.
Fusion's folder sharing, even on Intel Macs, has a lot to be desired.
I also share printers. Since Fusion's shared printers aren't there, I've bridged my networking and use my 2 Epson inkjet printers and 1 Brother laster printer - both of which are able to be used wirelessly with Windows. I suspect that if you don't have printers that support network printing that you could share them from the Mac and they'd be usable. I've tried that briefly and it seems to work but have not done extensive tests.

@JNY516, I just installed the same Dev Channel VHDX from a brand new download, and I'm not seeing any blue screens (yet?) after installing VMware Tools. I do this at the very start of the OOBE setup after reboot onto the hard drive (full details in the Fusion 13 Companion document). One thing that I do that I supposed many others do not (or do not think of) is that I shut down my Windows VMs (all of them) from within the guest. Even when installing the VMware video and network drivers, I shut down the VM from Powershell using a command line utility (shutdown /r /t 0). I do not use the Fusion Virtual Machine > Shut Down menu.

Why? Because there are no VMware Tools other than video and network drivers in the guest that can gracefully tell the VM to shut down when notified by Fusion. I've seen that if you shut down from within the guest, Windows reports that it is shutting down and seems to be performing some actions. If you use Fusion's Shut Down item. the machine almost immediately powers off. I suspect the latter is equivalent to a crash - pulling the plug out while the machine is still running. I don't know if the power off request gets populated into the guest without Tools. So I'm not taking the chance.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 01:05:38 GMT

@dminter - I don't consider it whining. Just another point of view which is 110% valid. We can both agree that Windows 11 ARM on Fusion isn't as easy as it could or should be.

Now if we could just get Microsoft off their self-imposed embargo on Windows 11 ARM, everyone would be the better for it.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

dminter — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 00:04:37 GMT

@ColoradoMarmot Good perspective from both you and @Technogeezer.. What I don't get and cannot accept is VMware promoting a product that simply does not work, or takes a computer scientist of IT guru to install. I am specifically talking about Fusion 13 on an M1 Apple computer, that supports networking and sharing (like every Fusion version I have used). I suspect the typical person that wants to run a Windows VM on an Apple M1 is like me. I have a single program (Quicken) that is best delivered on a Windows platform. I don't want to dig into the "zero's and ones," as the old saying goes, to get it to work.

Anyway, enough whining from me. I will re-up with Parallels for another year and see what happens in the VMware world between now and then.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

ColoradoMarmot — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 23:22:52 GMT

I have 100% confidence we'll see better support next year. Unfortunately as Technogeezer points out, VMWare is a bit of a catch/22. They have massive resources to build really stable products, but some things - like Windows VMWare Tools for ARM, I suspect are a common product driven by ESXi (and to a lesser degree, workstation). So the Fusion team is a bit at the mercy of those other teams priorities and schedules.

As much as I prefer Fusion over Parallels (not a fan of the forced integrations and don't much care for the likely less-than-kosher auto download/install), right now, it's a better use experience.

Once nice thing about their subscription model is that you can use it as a bridge, then move back to fusion when the tools and conversion functions are in place.

For what it's worth, this situation, plus needing better graphics performance than either Fusion or Parallels provides, got me to look into shadow.tech again. It's not cheap, but it's much better than before the acquisition. I expect to have both it and Fusion running side by side for different workloads (and Parallels and Crossover will go on the shelf).

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

dminter — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 06:24:33 GMT

@Technogeezer Do you you have Fusion 13 working, including sharing, on an M1 Apple product? As you literally "wrote the book" (guide) on this, you may be the one who actually got it to work. . I think if I gave it another days effort I might be able to conquer by powering thru more permutations and combinations of the hacks out there. Your guide helped me get networking working on an M1 Apple laptop. The Tools instructions in your guide and from VMware were not successful for me (but thank your trying). But Fusion 13 without Sharing is a non-starter for my situation. $55/year for Parallels seems like a bargain for M1 Apple users who wish to easily and simply run Windows 10 or 11. I will be going into my second year with Parallels in a few weeks. My hopes for Fusion 13 on my M1 Apple laptop are fading...

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 22:01:19 GMT

Well, I'm raising my hand.

I have sharing via Windows SMB file sharing to my Mac and Networking fully operational. And it's been that way for months.While printer sharing from VMware doesn't work, shared network printers do work - I have networked printers which are seen quite nicely by my Windows VM when using Bridged networking. The only things that don't work are copy/paste/drag/drop. And Unity - which I've never used and personally detest it as an abomination - but that's my personal preference. And I don't use apps that require 3D acceleration.

Again, that's me. I'm not saying that you're not having issues. (I've been in the business too long to dismiss complaints). I'm more interested in seeing why you're not seeing what I'm (and others) are seeing..

@JNY516 I'll try downloading that VHDX and see what I can find out. I haven't used Insider Preview vhdx files in quite some time since the ISOs are relatively straightforward to build from uupdump.net.

I see you are using the Dev Channel build. Unless you have a real good reason for doing so, I would avoid that like the plague. IIRC I've had difficulties like what you're seeing with those in the past. And Dev Channel builds are on the bleeding edge, they expire, and are not easily upgraded - you're talking a full reinstall once they do. I'd do the beta build,. I prefer Retail Channel installation ISOs from uupdump (the experiences and procedures are in the Companion document). They've served me well for quite some time now.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

dminter — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 21:44:14 GMT

No combination of internet hacks, powershell, manual install tips from VMWare for Fusion tool installation --- has resulted in a fully functional Fusion 13 on my M1 Apple Laptop, I gave it a day's effort before crying uncle. AFAIK no one here on the forums --- which tends to be serious/stubborn users --- has a fully function Fusion 13 on an M1 Apple computer (fully functional meaning Tools, Sharing and Network all working), I don't like bashing VMware on their own forum, and appreciate that they make Fusion free to many users. But non-functional software (M1 Fusion 13), even free, is not useful.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

JNY516 — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 20:06:55 GMT

@Technogeezer

Windows11_InsiderPreview_Client_ARM64_en-us_25247.vmdk

I can get past the Windows 11 No Network issue, however when going into control panel and viewing the network settings, i do not see any network adapter. Then I try to install vmware tools via powershell (after setting execution policy to remotesigned) and everything looks good. Once i do the reboot, it wont boot back into windows and I get the windows recovery blue screen.

Re: Tips and Techniques for the Apple Silicon Tech Preview 22H2

Technogeezer — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 19:34:19 GMT

@JNY516 - that's very strange hearing that the installation of the tools via Powershell on Windows 11 ARM BSODs the VM. What Windows build are you using?