No more Netork

[gerhardhiemer]

Hallo,

got a M2 Max with Sequoia 15.1 and since my lst update I have no more network connection. Downloaded the lastest Windows patch but can not install it because my USB is also not working. Tried to install a new VM but the installation program also fails to connect to the network. VM Fusion 13.6.

Please help.

[Technogeezer]

Can you provide more information about what's happening? 

What's the OS (with version) that you're running in the VM?

When you say "my first update", what exactly got updated?

What kind of VM did you try to install and what is the ISO that you used?

Can you collect a quick support bundle (Fusion menu bar Help > Cellect Support Information… > Quick) and attach it to a reply to this thread. 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

HAVE WIN11 RUNNING AND JUST MADE THE MONTHLY UPDATES. TRIED TO INSTALL ANOTHER WIN11 ARM FROM CD THAT I DOWNLOADED FROM MS

Attachment(s)

VMware Fusion Quick Problem Report 2024-11-18 at 15.06.24...06   1.55 MB 1 version

[Technogeezer]

by "CD THAT I DOWNLOADED FROM MS", does that mean that you downloaded the ISO from Microsoft's web site, or used the "Get Windows from Microsoft" feature in the Fusion GUI? It looks like the ISO was built from Fusion, but I'd like to make sure.

One thing I noticed that's out of the ordinary is that you have a file /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/config with the following contents:

vmnet1.hostonlyaddress = "192.168.234.1"
vmnet1.hostonlynetmask = "255.255.255.0"

The network (192.168.254.0/24) referenced in the hostonlyaddress setting doesn't match anything in your Fusion virtual networking configuration. If the migrated time stamp is correct, that file is over 15 years old as well - which makes me think that it left over from something you did a long time ago (perhaps from an Intel Mac) that's no longer relevant. You might want to delete or rename that file as it's not part of a standard Fusion installation.

Your logs are saying that you have two interfaces on your host Mac configured on the same subnet.

• en7 - a Belkin USB-C LAN (wired?) - is active and has an IP address of 192.168.1.20, 
• en0 - WiFi --is active and has an IP address of 192.168.1.236.

This is generally considered bad practice and can lead to strange networking behavior. Can you turn one of them off (either turn Wi-Fi off or disconnect the Ethernet from System Settings > Network)? Then restart Fusion (shutting down the VMs first, then stop and restart the Fusion GUI) so that the virtual networking gets restarted. 

In the VM after you've shut down one of the Wi-FI or wired Ethernet networks and restarted Fusion, see if the problem still exists. If not, proceed as follows.

• Check that VMware Tools are installed in the VM (they'll appear on the list of Installed Apps that you will find in Windows).I
• What does Windows say is the status of the network adapter?
• Can you open a command line prompt (either Windows Terminal/command prompt/powershell), execute the following and post the results?
  ping 192.168.43.1
ipconfig /all

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

I guess I used the MS download and also the version for the new install from within the Fusion gui.

Deleted the config file and made all the modifications you recomended. Find attached screenshots

Network no change

Attachment(s)

VMware.zip   1.77 MB 1 version

[Technogeezer]

The VM is not getting an IP address from the DHCP server on the NAT subnet. 

From the logs it appears that none of the VMware background processes are running. That's very strange.

Can you restart this Mac, log in again, and open Fusion.

Without starting a VM, open the Terminal app and type:

ps -ef | grep -i vm

and post the result of that command (copy/paste the output into a text file, then attach that to your reply instead of using a screen shot). There should be processes listed for vmnet-natd, vmnet-dhcpd, vmnet-bridge, VMware Fusion Services, VMware Fusion Start Menu, and vmware-usbarbitrator. Should look something like this:

  501 56141     1   0  9:21PM ??         0:02.07 /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/MacOS/VMware Fusion
  501 56223     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.02 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/services/VMware Fusion Services 3 4
  501 56270     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.11 /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/VMware Fusion Start Menu.app/Contents/MacOS/VMware Fusion Start Menu
    0 56274     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.06 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmnet-bridge
    0 56279     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.03 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/vmnet1/dhcpd.conf -lf /var/db/vmware/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet1.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet1.pid vmnet1
    0 56289     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.03 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/vmnet2/dhcpd.conf -lf /var/db/vmware/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet2.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet2.pid vmnet2
    0 56292     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.05 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmnet-natd -s 6 -m /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/vmnet8/nat.mac -c /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/vmnet8/nat.conf
    0 56294     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.03 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmnet-dhcpd -s 6 -cf /Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/vmnet8/dhcpd.conf -lf /var/db/vmware/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet8.leases -pf /var/run/vmnet-dhcpd-vmnet8.pid vmnet8
    0 56296     1   0  9:22PM ??         0:00.04 /Library/Application Support/VMware/VMware Fusion/Services/Contents/Library/vmware-usbarbitrator
  501 56328 56311   0  9:22PM ttys000    0:00.01 grep -i vm

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[Technogeezer]

One other question. Was this Mac migrated from an Intel Mac (using Migration Assistant). I'm saying that because I'm seeing some files in the logs in your account's Library folder (particularly Fusion licensing files) that pre-date Apple Silicon Macs.

 If restarting the Mac doesn't allow the Fusion background processes to start, you might want to perform a complete manual uninstall of Fusion using the information in this article: https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/307074/how-to-uninstall-vmware-fusion-manually.html

Make sure you remove the files in the system-wide /Library folder as well as those in your account's library folder ~/Library.

Then re-install Fusion from the disk image file downloaded from Broadcom. Your virtual machines will not be modified or deleted by this process, although you will have to re-add them to the Virtual Machine Library in the Fusion GUI. 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

Yes the Mac was migrated from another. But everything was running and is runnig fine. The Fusion for Mac and the VM was setup new but on the migrated Mac. Which files or directories in /Llibrary and ~/Library you want me to delete? But the Mac/fusion System was now running flawless for more than a year. I changed to things: Installed the Fusion update and modified the network settings to a new order. Right now I disabled the wifi network according to your recommendations. It has to do with Fusion and not with the VMs

[gerhardhiemer]

Restarted the Laptop. Run Terminal. Find the result attached

Attachment(s)

Ps-ef- grep-ivm.rtf   762 B 1 version

[gerhardhiemer]

now I started fusion

Attachment(s)

Ps-ef- grep-ivm.rtf   1 KB 1 version

[Technogeezer]

From what I'm seeing so far, I agree that the problem is with Fusion and not the VMs.

The Fusion background processes are not running. That's what's keeping your networking in the VMs from working. Even if you choose not to use DHCP in the VM, you won't have networking until these processes are running. If it was working before, then there's something that's changed that's preventing Fusion from restarting the processes.

I don't think your problem is macOS 15.1 - I've upgraded to that and it did not cause Fusion any problems. What else has changed on your system? 

I would perform the complete uninstall/reinstall of Fusion at this point. You may also want to use the script found in https://community.broadcom.com/vmware-cloud-foundation/viewdocument/script-to-check-if-all-remnants-of?CommunityKey=0c3a2021-5113-4ad1-af9e-018f5da40bc0&tab=librarydocuments to check that you deleted all the files. Then reinstall Fusion.

 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

I also have some old linux VMs on the same Fusion which get no network connection. They did it before.

[gerhardhiemer]

Made new settings. Disabled DHCP

Attachment(s)

TXT.rtf   2 KB 1 version

[Technogeezer]

I've also done some digging in the logs and found something interesting.

The logs cover 4 Fusion starts from 13-November-2024 through 18-November-2024. All of these indicate you're running on Fusion 13.6.1 and macOS 15.1.

On 13-Nov-2024, the logs indicate that the background service processes should have started -- there's an entry that says /Applications/VMware Fusion.app/Contents/Library/services/Open VMware Fusion Services was opened. Can you confirm that your VMs were running properly on that day? That should rule out macOS 15.1 as the issue if I'm interpreting the logs as saying things were working on that day. 

Starting on 14-Nov-2024, the logs are indicating that the Open VMware Fusion Services process did not start. If that doesn't start, there's no networking available to the VM. Is this when your VMs stopped responding to the network?

Any idea on what could have changed on your system between 13-November and 14-November?

Did anything happen or did you make changes to your system after 2024-11-13?

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

No, idea Do you have a list which files and directories to delete manual? Everything in the /Libraries with VM in the name?

[gerhardhiemer]

Tonight I installed Sequoia 15.1.1, removed Fusion and all the files and directories and installed Fusion.

Result: NO Network

[Technogeezer]

I assume that the background processes are still not running (ps -ef | grep vm doesn't return any of the dhcpd, etc. processes)?

Hmmm. While I try and figure out how we can determine why the background processes aren't starting, can you try to log into another account, open Fusion (no need to to try and run a VM) and then drop into Terminal and see if the background processes are running?

Also FYI here are the files and folders that the script I referred to will report if they are found (these are the ones you should remove):

/Applications/VMware\ Fusion.app (Fusion application)

/Library/Application\ Support/VMware/VMware\ Fusion (folder)

/Library/Application\ Support/VMware/Usbarb.rules (file)

/Library/Preferences/VMware\ Fusion (folder)/

/Users/<your username>/Library/Application\ Support/VMware\ Fusion (folder)

/Users/<your username>/Library/Caches/com.vmware.fusion (folder) 

/Users/<your username>/Library/Preferences/VMware\ Fusion (folder) 

/Users/<your username>/Library/Preferences/com.vmware.fusion.plist (file)

/Users/<your username>/Library/Preferences/com.vmware.fusionStartMenu.plist (file)

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

log in with another user and it works. What can I do to enable it with my userid.
I didn't change anything and i am administrator.

[Technogeezer]

Ok. That's pointing to something in your user profile (or perhaps some temp files) as being the culprit. 

Let's try the following:

As your normal user, open Fusion, open the Terminal app and issue the following:

env

ls -ald /private/var/tmp

sudo ls -alR /tmp/vmware*

sudo ls -alR /private/var/run/vmware

ls -ald ~/Library/Logs

Copy the output from the Terminal and paste it into a text file.

Exit Fusion and log into the other account where Fusion works.

Open Fusion, open the Terminal and issue the same commands.  Copy the output into a text file and put it in a location that can be accessed by your "normal" account.

Log out and back into your normal account.

Attach both text files to a reply in this thread. Please don't attach screen shots - they are difficult to deal with when looking at this kind of output. 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

File could not be attached here. Why?

Attachment(s)

userprofiles.rtf   6 KB 1 version

[Technogeezer]

Got the file, thanks. Will let you know if I find anything.

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[Technogeezer]

I'm not seeing anything that strikes me as causing the issue, unfortunately.

Do you happen to have any disk "optimization" or "cleaning" software that could have run between 13-nov and 14-nov?

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

Hallo,

I downloaded Appcleaner and Pearcleaner from Github at the 7th of November and could have using it on those following days.


Gruß/Regards
Viva la Libertad! Carajo!
Gerhard Hiemer

Estrada da Campina
GMaps 37.115744, -7.693637
Caixa Postal 1374-X
Santa Maria de Santiago
8800-513 Tavira
Portugal

Avenida Donna Lidia, 900
Nova Piracicaba
Piracicaba - SP
13405-264
Brasil

Pestalozzistr. 5
55120 Mainz
Deutschland

Worldwide
WsA: [phone]
Mobil-PT: [phone]
Mobil-BR: [phone]
mail: [e-mail]

[Technogeezer]

Ouch. That's what I was afraid that you'd say. We have seen instances in the forums where "optimization" or "cleaning" utilities have changed something that impacts Fusion. And it's very difficult to find out exactly what they changed.

I personally do not recommend their use. They tend not to make things better and in some cases can make things worse. 

If you did run these, are there any logs that either of those utilities wrote that tells you what they did? (There may not be. Another reason why I don't recommend them.). 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------

[gerhardhiemer]

Hallo, I used TimeMachine and restored an old Version of my VM. That worked. I am using VMware for Fusion now for 15 or more Years but never had such a problem. Did they modify the design for the ARM Version?

[Technogeezer]

This is interesting. What exactly did you restore when you say "old version of my VM"? Which VM did you restore?

Just a couple of comments.

It looked like you may have VMs that you brought over from an Intel Mac. I'd get rid of them unless you need them to migrate data from an Intel VM to an ARM VM. (then "archive" them and delete them). Those VMs are doing nothing but taking up disk space since they can't run on an Apple Silicon Mac.

You might want to re-think your backup strategy if you're relying on Time Machine to back up VMs.

• Backing up VMs with Time Machine backs up the entire contents of the VM each time. For a multi-gigabyte VM, that's a complete copy of the VM each time it's backed up. It'll fill up your backup disk very quickly.
• Time Machine has had lot of issues in the past because it backed up virtual disks as they were being used. That resulted in a lot of corrupt backups. This problem still exists today if you run a VM on an HFS+ formatted disk and try to back it up with Time Machine. Things might be better if your VM is stored on an APFS file system. Time Machine on Monterey and later will take a snapshot of an APFS file system before backing it up. That point-in-time snapshot means that the source of the backup has all of the files of the VM frozen in time -- the copy isn't being modified.  That'll help with the unusable/corrupt VM backup copy problem, but not with the backup disk space requirements. 

As far as "did they modify the design for the ARM version" question, the answer is "sort of". Code was re-written, modified and compile due to the changes in the CPU architectures (ARM vs x86_64). Both tools for Windows ARM and open-vm-tools for Linux had to be ported for the new CPU architectures. But there's a lot of it that's still the same - for example the virtual disk layout is the same as on VMware's Intel-based hypervisor products. 

------------------------------
- Paul (technogeezer)
------------------------------