After MacOS 15/Sequoia repetitive asks if I've moved or copied the file

[checkyourmirror]

After upgrading to MacOS 15.0 I am getting asked over and over, after reboots, etc if I've moved or copied the VM. How can I get this to stop?

[Technogeezer]

This issue has been reported by users running on Intel Macs. Try answering the question with "I moved it" and see if Fusion stops asking - that seems to have helped others. 

Can you check something? If you're running on a WiFi connection, open the macOS System Settings, and open the WiFi settings. There should be a "Details..." button next to your currently connect WiFi network. Click on it, and check the setting for "Private WiFi Address". Is it set to "Off", "Static" or "Rotating"?

[checkyourmirror]

I’ve been selecting “Moved” so I guess I should try Copied instead, and I changed the Wifi Privacy option this morning because VM kept losing connectivity, and also Norton 360 kept asking to allow various connections. I’ll update when I have some time under the new settings.

[ScottR-H]

When I tried "copied" instead of "moved", I then had to activate MS Windows again.

[Technogeezer]

Don't use "Copied". It doesn't appear to make a difference in the symptoms. What it does do is changes the virtual machine configuration (especially the BIOS UUID) so that Windows thinks you've swapped out a motherboard or restored Windows to a new piece of hardware. That will require you to re-activate Windows.

"Moved" doesn't make those changes and is the preferred answer to that question in this case. You did not make a copy of the VM on the same host.

Can you check the same thing that I asked a prior poster - is your WiFi Private IP address setting set to "Off", "Static" or "Rotating"?

[ScottR-H]

It’s currently set to “Off”

[Technogeezer]

Could anyone that's experiencing this issue please post the vmware.log file for a VM that's having this happen? (The log file is found in the VM's bundle - find the VM in the Finder, then right click on the VM and select "Show Package Contents". Youll find the file there).

It might give us a clue as to what's going on.

[Technogeezer]

@ScottR-H thank you for that. and it eliminates one possible cause. Would you happen to be running any third party anti-virus or network firewall?

[ScottR-H]

I have McAfee Total Protection installed but have it configured only to scan my drive. I do not have its firewall enabled. 

[Technogeezer]

Is McAfee configured to exclude your virtual machines from scanning? (for example, you should exclude the folder that your VMs are stored in, or file extension .vmwarevm?). It's not out of the realm of possibility that an AV scan could be touching or changing something that's triggering Fusion to think that the VM is not where it was left.

[ScottR-H]

I am excluding the VM in McAfee. 

I do want to note that I do not get the error every time I fire up my VM (and I’ve still not determined a pattern).

The next time it occurs, I’ll note the time and grab the appropriate vmware.log

[Rajeswara Reddy Kotla]

Hi @checkyourmirror

Can you please provide confirmation for below queries

1.Have you selected "moved or "copied" when you encountered the prompt ?

2.If you have selected "moved" are you seeing any issue post power on ?

3.If you have selected "copied" are you seeing any issue post power on ?

4.As you mentioned repetitive asks in the title, is it with same VM ? If same vm, then which option have you selected ?

[ScottR-H]

Attached is a vmware.log file which shows the error.

[bjru]

I have exact the same behaviour. Asking me every time I start up a VM.

I don't have installed any virus scanners. 

Hopping I never will press copied instead moved 🫣

[Henry Lizano Mora]

I have the same problem with Fusion 13.6.0, Mac OS X 15.0.1 and ESET 8.1.6.0

[Peter Vogt]

Fusion was working perfectly fine until I upgraded my 2019 MacBook Pro to Sequoia 15.0. Since then, every time I start a VM (Linux or MS-Windows VMs alike),  I am getting asked if I've moved or copied the VM, which is very annoying. Attached is a log file from a Debian VM.

[Aaron Mitchell]

I have the same issue.  I'm using Sequoia 15.0.1, Fusion Professional 13.6.0, and no antivirus installed.  It asks every time I try to run a VM if it has been moved or copied.

[Technogeezer]

There may be a common thread among those reporting these issues. I'm running on an Apple Silicon Mac, and are not seeing these issues since upgrading to both Fusion 13.6 and macOS 16. 

Is anyone running an Apple Silicon Mac seeing this issue? Are those of you seeing this issue running on Intel Macs?

[Aaron Mitchell]

I have a 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel i9.

[Peter Vogt]

Happens on 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro with an 2.3 GHz 8-Core Intel Core i9.

Deactivated my MS-Windows VM after I accidentally hit 'copied'; could restore the VM from a backup.

[ScottR-H]

I, too, have an Intel Mac. 
2.2GHz 6-core i7

[Peter Vogt]

update after installing 17.6.1: when starting a VM I had to click on "I moved it" again but subsequent starts of the VM no longer required this step. I rebooted my Mac and started Fusion again. Starting a VM, on which I had clicked "I moved it" before, now no longer shows the copied/moved window. 
It appears that after 17.6.1, clicking on "I moved it" only needs to be done one time to fix this issue. Or in other words, 17.6.1 has resolved this issue.

[virgiliofornazi]

Its have the same issue after upgrade to Sequoia / Fusion 13.6.1 on my Macbook Pro 16 i9 2021.

The same issue doesn't not happens on my Mac Mini M1 running same Sequoia / Fusion release.

Both machines installed a VM with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, amd64 on Macbook Pro, arm64 on Mac Mini M1.

This appears to be a issue within intel VMware Fusion version only

Attached a logfile of vmware boot attempt. Things noticed on log: uuid bios /location differs, that's probably why this is happening.

2024-10-10T23:53:58.076Z In(05) vmx DICT                 uuid.bios = "56 4d 15 e7 38 94 b9 f9-4e cc 18 ea 35 18 9e 97"
2024-10-10T23:53:58.076Z In(05) vmx DICT             uuid.location = "56 4d 6d 5f fe 97 68 33-e7 cf 09 d7 e4 09 66 15"

....

2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05) vmx Msg_Question:

2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05) vmx [msg.uuid.altered] This virtual machine might have been moved or copied.
2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05)+ vmx In order to configure certain management and networking features, VMware Fusion needs to know if this virtual machine was moved or copied.
2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05)+ vmx
2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05)+ vmx If you don't know, answer "I Co_pied It".
2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05)+ vmx
2024-10-10T23:53:58.098Z In(05) vmx ----------------------------------------
2024-10-10T23:53:59.444Z In(05) vmx MsgQuestion: msg.uuid.altered reply=0
2024-10-10T23:53:59.444Z In(05) vmx Module 'UUIDVMX' power on failed.
2024-10-10T23:53:59.444Z In(05) vmx VMX_PowerOn: ModuleTable_PowerOn = 0
2024-10-10T23:53:59.445Z In(05) deviceThread Device thread is exiting
2024-10-10T23:53:59.445Z In(05) vmx Vix: [mainDispatch.c:1172]: VMAutomationPowerOff: Powering off.

[Peter Vogt]

I spoke too soon. After booting up my Intel 2019 MacBook Pro (Sequoia 15.0.1) and starting Fusion 17.6.1 all of my 10 virtual machines ask whether I moved or copied them. So the problem is definitely not fixed with 17.6.1. I wonder why it worked yesterday but no longer today...

[Ciagpungpang]

I'm on a MacBook Air M1 here, and I have similar behavior. Not every time, but randomly, I get asked if I copied or moved VM. I don't have experience with previous versions of the system. I haven't been using Fusion for long. I'm running Sequoia 15.0.1.

[Mark Peacock]

Same issue whenever I start up my Win11 24H2 ARM VM. I'm running Fusion 13.6.1 on Sequoia 15.0.1 on an Apple MacBook Air M3. I've attached the latest log file.

[brentofenstein]

I also have this issue and I'm on an Intel based Macbook Pro 16-inch 2019.

[Adam Eckerle]

Having this issue on both an M3 Macbook Pro and an M3 Macbook Air. Started after the Sequoia upgrade and running the latest Fusion update. Happy to upload logs if more are needed.

[James Pyle]

I was having the same issue.  

I noticed that under the Mac System Setting > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > VMware Fusion was off.  I turned it on and restarted VMWare Fusion and I didn't get the message.  Just to make sure I shut down Fusion and restarted my Mac and loaded my VM (Windows 11 Pro for ARM) and still didn't get that copied or moved message.  I had been getting that moved or copied message since updating to Sequoia.  Hope this works for others if it comes back I will post.

James

[Peter Vogt]

Mac System Setting > Privacy & Security > Full Disk Access > VMware Fusion was ON. Switching it OFF and back to ON again, restart, nothing, still the same problem, it keeps asking whether I copied or moved it on my 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, very annoying...

[bjru]

The solution from @James Pyle is not working for me. Still having every day the same message.

[LibA]

I have this problem too. It seems definitely related to the last/current subscription version. I can't say if it is related to Sequoia or not. I noticed that things change if the last used wifi connection is active or not. It seems that when not connected to wifi, Fusion enquires for copy/move systematically. Looks like a bug to me.

[LibA]

In my case, it seems related to the active wifi connection. When last used wifi connection is ON, there is no Copy/Move enquiry. Otherwise if there Wifi is OFF or if the IP assigned by the DHCP changes, then the enquiry popup shows up again. 

[Deshik Narasimha]

@Technogeezer

yes this continues to happen on apple silicon Macs too

[hollistonma]

In case it helps anyone, here are the steps I followed after reading threads about the interaction with MacOS 15 and Fusion (Win 11 Guest OS) running on a 2019 Intel MBP.

I had been running MacOS 14.7.1 with Win 11 running on Fusion 13.6.0 and all was well.  I have a fixed IP address from my router for the MBP and Fusion using Bridged Networking.  (Backed up this version of both the entire MBP and the VM.)

First I upgraded to Fusion 13.6.1 using the "Check for Updates" menu option.  13.6.1 updated with no issues.

I then ran Fusion 13.6.1.  I wasn't prompted to answer any questions re: copying or moving.  Started Win 11 and shut down without any issues.  (Backed up again at this stage.)

I thine upgraded to MacOS 15.1.1.  Confirmed that I still had a fixed IP address and Private Wi-Fi "Off" for my home wi-fi networks.  Started Fusion and wasn't prompted to answer any questions.  Shut down and ran again with no issues.  (Made a back up at this stage in case I run into issues until my next weekly update next week.)

Not sure if it's coincidence or whether the sequence of upgrading and/or fixed address made a difference.  In any case, hope this is helpful to others.

Follow-up Dec 2, 2024:

Well that didn't last long!  Received a message asking if I had copied or moved the file.  I chose "moved" and Fusion started and Windows 11 guest ran fine.  Closed Win 11 and Fusion and restarted with no message so fingers crossed.

Not sure if it's a coincidence or not but when my MBP had woken from sleep (which is when I was asked if I had moved or copied the file), my MBP's systm clock (set to automatically set the time) was about 25 minutes behind.  Strange incident that occurred about 2 weeks ago (before installing MacOS 15 or updating Fusion).  After I resolved the issue with Fusion the only way to have the clock be on the correct time was to shut down the MBP and restart.  Clock on time and started Fusion again (with no message this time).

Hope this issue is resolved however am not so optimistic at this point.

[Nikita Ignatev]

At 13.6.2 the problem is not reproduce. But I don't restart my Mac.

[A A]

Upgraded to 13.6.2 but still experiencing this same issue and continue to be asked to "Take Ownership" and if I "Copied / Moved" the VM upon shutdown and restart of the VM instance.

[Sam Park]

Still experiencing this issue for my Win 11 VM on M3 Max, macOS 15.2, Fusion 13.6.2.

[Technogeezer]

Still experiencing this issue for my Win 11 VM on M3 Max, macOS 15.2, Fusion 13.6.2.

If using a Wi-Fi connection for your Mac, have you checked that its Private Wi-Fi address setting is configured for Fixed or Off, and not Rotating?

[Snail off]

This happens to me when I switch Wi-FI, is it same for you?

[Craig Spradling]

Four months later this still exists.  Running the latest Fusion 13.6.2 on a 2019 Intel 6-core i7 16" Macbook Pro with Sequoia 15.2.  It's been an annoyance up until now, but it's causing TurboTax to require reactivation every time I start up the VM.  It even does it after Suspend.  Intuit only allows 10 PCs on the personal TurboTax and 5 PCs on the corporate TurboTax.  Because of this Fusion bug, I'm already at three activations / PCs for each.  Broadcom...how about some feedback?  Or is the Fusion project dead???

[Technogeezer]

@Craig Spradling 

Even when VMware owned the product, they never gave us any indication on when (or if) bugs in Fusion would be fixed. Even if you opened a support ticket. I saw a reference in the Workstation forums that reference an upcoming new version, and usually new Fusion and Workstation versions are released at the same time. So all we can do is hope this issue is fixed when we see a new release.

The only things I can suggest are to check to see if you're running the latest Sequoia release (15.3, although 15.2 contained some Apple fixes related to networking). And make sure that the Wi-Fi connections "Private Network Address" is NOT set to "Rotating". 

Until Broadcom gets this identified and fixed, always answer the "moved or copied" question with "moved". Answering "copied" will change things in the virtual hardware that software in the VM may think it's running on a different machine. If you answered this as "copied" it's conceivable that TurboTax will think it needs another activation for software already installed in your VM. . 

[Craig Spradling]

@Technogeezer thanks for your optimism.  Considering Broadcom made Fusion free, my cynical take is that they've deep six'ed it.  There's always Parallels, but I've had a long good run with Fusion.  I employ the best practices you mentioned ('private network address' off, selecting Moved vs Copied, etc).  I'll update to Sequoia 15.3 from 15.2.  I don't mind the occasional nuisance, but when it affects my 3rd party licensing my patience dwindles.  Thanks

[Brandon LaCava]

I edited the .vmx file and copied uuid.bios into uuid.location so that they match. Seems good so far.

ie.:

erial0.fileType = "thinprint"
serial0.fileName = "thinprint"
serial0.present = "TRUE"
extendedConfigFile = "RedHat 8.4.vmxf"
uuid.bios = "56 4d de 44 2d b5 d3 1e-87 f7 a5 86 fa 70 75 34"
uuid.location = "56 4d de 44 2d b5 d3 1e-87 f7 a5 86 fa 70 75 34"
nvme0:0.redo = ""
pciBridge0.pciSlotNumber = "17"
pciBridge4.pciSlotNumber = "21"
pciBridge5.pciSlotNumber = "22"
pciBridge6.pciSlotNumber = "23"
pciBridge7.pciSlotNumber = "24"

[Terrance Johns]

This may have been answered, but this issue has been open (and a nuisance) for me since upgrading my MAC-OS months ago.  I believe it was upgrading to 15.0 as mentioned on by the OP. My issue was that every time I would move my laptop to a different wi-fi network or physical location, upon startup my VM would ask if I've moved or copied the VM.  

I finally figured out the resolution to my issue after MONTHS of searching.  The parameter 'uuid.action = "keep"' needs to be added to the .vmx config file.  This prevents the uuid parameters from changing every time a network or a location is changed.

The solution was found here - "Changing or keeping a UUID for a moved virtual machine"Article ID: 320246 Updated On: 11-15-2024

Article 320246

So far this has worked for me.  More experienced users, please see the article and please comment to make sure what I think is a fix is the correct path here. 

[Terrance Johns]

I think I fixed my VM that has been an issue since upgrading to MAC-OS 15.0. I found this article (Article 320246 "Changing or keeping a UUID for a moved virtual machine"):

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/320246/changing-or-keeping-a-uuid-for-a-moved-v.html

I modified my vmx file to include this line:

uuid.action = "keep"

I added it just before all other uuid.xxx lines. Now I don't get prompted when I switch wi-fi networks that has been ongoing for MONTHS.