VMware Fusion black screen on boot

[muhsag]

I'm having this issue with VMware Fusion recently when I try to start metasploitable 2 virtual machine which is basically Ubuntu. So once I click on "start up" button I get a solid black screen and that's it nothing else happens. I do not even get the VMware BIOS screen. Things I tried to resolve this issue are:

• Deleted the virtual machine and reinstalled it.
• Removed VMware and reinstalled it.
• Unchecked the "Accelerate 3D Graphic" box.
• Checked the intel VT-x/EPT box.

The virtual machine specification are:

• 1 processor.
• 512 MB of RAM.

The VMware Fusion is Professional Version 8.5.6 running on MacBook Pro 2016 with touch bar model with the latest update.

[awhitaker_mh]

Confirmed!!

I joined the Apple Beta Software Program and downloaded Sierra 10.12.5 Beta

After updating to the beta version, I am now able to see complete bootup - no more black screens..  Very happy - Let's just hope this beta doesn't break anything else.

[JustinFusionUse]

I'm seeing this black screen under very specific circumstances.  When using an external monitor all VMs work great video wise.  When I'm using the Mac (pro with touchbar, Radeon vid, Fusion 8.5.6, MacOS 10.12.4) then when I start my Linux VMs the screen is black **but** if I the fire up my Win10 VM the linux VMs suddenly work - the black blank screen magically turns on and I see the console - and then if I shut down that Win10 VM the linux VM suddenly goes black and blank again.  I've tried turning off and on Accelerated graphics for the Linux VMs but that had no effect.

So as it is right now, I must have my Win10 VM running to see the consoles on the Linux VMs if I'm using my laptop by itself without an external monitor.  I can also SSH into my VM when the console is black but that's only after it has booted up successfully, which it will not do unless that Win10 VM is up and running.

[muhsag · Accepted solution]

Finally I got it working guys without getting the beta version.

so apparently the problem was with Siera 10.12.4

The solution to this problem is to open the .vmx file of the virtual machine, and add the following line to it:

mks.enableGLBasicRenderer = "FALSE"

Hope this helps the rest of you guys.

[JustinFusionUse]

Perfect, this worked for me.

Using an external monitor and/or just using the retina screen now all behave the same with this setting on the Linux VMs.  I no longer need to have a Win10 VM running, just to prevent black screens on my Linux VMs.

[7amdrop]

Works for me too. Thanks I finally have a working Fusion install on my MBP.

[sporkme]

You just saved me hours of fiddling around with OPNSense.  My Windows and OS-X guests were fine, but was getting a black screen on boot with this OPNSense ISO.  Thought it was a FreeBSD 11 issue or something, but as you noted, no POST screen or anything.

Where did you get this info?  Anyone from VMware watching?  Will an official fix be rolled out?

[ag2231]

How do I access the .vmx file and where exactly do I enter the line you mentioned; mks.enableGLBasicRenderer = "FALSE"

[Rafferty2000]

Hi there,

I'm stuggling with this black-screen problem. I have a added

mks.enableGLBasicRenderer = "FALSE"

to my ".vmx" file, but this hasn't solved the problem. When I do get the VM running again, will this affect OpenGL, which I use extensively?

My configuration is

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2014)

2.5 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

macOs Catalina 10.15.3

VmWare Fusion 8.5.10

I had been running this Windows VM successfully under VmWare on this Mac since buying it in 2014 - it has worked for years.

Within VmWare's preview, the VM renders correctly - so the VM is running. It's just not drawing it's own screen.

Any help gratefully received

Best Regards

[wila]

Hi Rafferty2000,

This particular issue is because your Fusion 8.5.10 does not support macOS Catalina.

The only proper solution for this problem is to upgrade to VMware Fusion 11.

Bonus is that you then also no longer run a version of VMware Fusion that has a bunch of known security defects.

--

Wil