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VMware Fusion 13.x Log Verbosity: Transitioning from Default to Debug Levels
Mira Nea
0 reputation · 23 Apr 2024, 21:38 UTC
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0 reputation · 23 Apr 2024, 21:38 UTC
Diagnosing silent VM deployment failures in VMware Fusion 13.x often requires visibility into VMX parsing errors that are omitted at the default logging level. While fusedvm.log provides high-level daemon status, detailed execution traces are stored in the per-VM vmware.log.
Increasing log verbosity via config.ini keys such as log.level and log.vmLevel is necessary to capture low-level aborts. However, the interaction between these settings and the default 1 MB log rotation (log.rotateSize) can lead to critical failure data being pushed into rotated files (vmware.log.1, vmware.log.2) before they can be captured by the 'Collect Support Information' tool.
Furthermore, on macOS 15 (Sequoia), the shift toward the unified logging subsystem may create discrepancies between file-based logs and system-level streams.
log.level be adjusted to ensure VMX parse errors are captured without causing excessive disk I/O?35275 reputation · 24 Apr 2024, 08:19 UTC
Likely explanation: In the default info log level, VMware Fusion suppresses VMX parse errors that only appear at debug or verbose verbosity. Research indicates that log.vmLevel is the primary key for enabling these traces.
Confirmed facts (derived from model-knowledge research, treated as assumptions pending verification): The default log.rotateSize of 1 MB causes vmware.log to rotate to vmware.log.1 quickly, potentially discarding debug entries before a support bundle is generated. On macOS 15 (Sequoia), the unified logging subsystem may divert diagnostics away from file-based logs.
fusion~/Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/config.ini (or use Fusion GUI Help Collect Logs to view current values).log.vmLevel = debug to capture VMX parse errors and detailed execution traces.log.rotateSize to a larger value (e.g., 50 or 100 MB) to keep debug output in the active vmware.log longer before rotation occurs.vmware.log for timestamped VMX parse entries, verifying that debug-level traces appear before the rotation threshold.log.vmLevel to info to avoid excessive disk I/O during normal operation.macOS 15 (Sequoia) note: The unified logging subsystem may redirect some diagnostics away from file-based vmware.log. After an OS update, verify the file's recent timestamp and size before relying on it for diagnostics, and use the Collect Support Information tool targeting the explicit Fusion log path rather than system log queries.
To tailor this recommendation, could you confirm the current log.level value in ~/Library/Preferences/VMware Fusion/config.ini? This helps determine whether a temporary or permanent adjustment is needed.
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