This is just a quick tip for my fellow VMware Fusion users, I ran out to this issue while I was freshly running my VMware Fusion pro 11 on my MacBook Pro, macOS Mojave system. This was due to the enhanced security measures taken by apple and I had to do some changes in order start my Virtual Machines.
The below appeared on my screen while I was trying to power up the Virtual Machine.
Could Not Open /dev/vmmon: Broken Pipe

After that Failed to initialize monitor device message appeared

To allow the security restrictions for VMware Fusion application just go to your system preferences by clicking the apple icon at the top of the menu bar

Just “Allow” the application to load, if it is blocked under “General” tab

Allow the application to control the computer under “Privacy” tab, to make changes just click on the “Padlock” 🔒 at the bottom

Now all done, just power up the Virtual Machine

I hope this post will help someone who is having the same issues with VMware Fusion and macOS, Mojave.
Nalina Ravibiruthoji
October 10, 2019Hi
I followed the above steps and do get the additional error “Transport (VMDB) error -14: Pipe connection has been broken”
Aruna Lakmal
October 13, 2019Hi Nalina
Are you still seen the same problem?
marcotini
April 5, 2020I have the same error -14 Pipe connection has been broken.
Aruna Lakmal
April 15, 2020Hi Marcotini
Was it fixed?
Yandis
June 18, 2020mines isn’t fixed either. I even tried to reboot my computer still unsuccessful
Aruna Lakmal
August 3, 2020Not sure something has changed in the mean time.
Oxana
April 11, 2020It’s important to restart the laptop after changing security settings
Aruna Lakmal
April 15, 2020Thanks Oxana adding the recommendations and missing parts! 🙂
Julia
May 13, 2020Thank you SO MUCH for this! You just saved me hours of work (I’d have set the machines up from scratch after moving to a new Mac). Clear instructions, easy to follow – brilliant! Feels like this is exactly what the internet is for <3
Aruna Lakmal
May 14, 2020Hey Thank you very much for the comment! Glad it helped you to fix it.
Paulina
July 3, 2020Thank you so much for the advice. It finally opened up.
Chuck de Young
July 19, 2020I was so frustrated installing Fusion on Catalina 10.16.6. Your very lucid, and screenshot filled article cleared it up. Thanks so much.
Zhibi
August 5, 2020Hi Aruna, I have the company MAC and I even don’t have the information in the “General” tab to allow the VMware to load. Any suggestions?
Aruna Lakmal
August 27, 2020I think those features probably blocked by your sysadmin 🙁
Brian
August 6, 2020There is nothing related to Security & Privacy, worked before I had to replace my SSD. Removed all prior installation, downloaded new file from WMware site, even though it is still getting the same errors.
From the S&P
Allow apps downloaded from : App Stores and identified developers ” no restrictions”
Failed to initialize monitor device.
Please make sure that the kernel module `vmmon’ is loaded.
Could not open /dev/vmmon: Broken pipe.
Transport (VMDB) error -14: Pipe connection has been broken
kextstat | grep vm
190 0 0xffffff7f83b90000 0x15000 0x15000 com.vmware.kext.vmnet (1626.94.56) 85FAC234-2562-37E0-9F67-C38DDE96E647
191 0 0xffffff7f83ba5000 0x13000 0x13000 com.vmware.kext.vmx86 (1626.94.56) 7231262F-A10E-3056-9CA1-C9F6712CC1EE
brice
December 12, 2020Hi, sorry but I have this problem and Hi, Sorry but I have this problem, it’s been a long time since VMware Fusion 11.5 was included in Privacy.
I put the application in the recycle garbage can, empty it, restart and reinstall this 11.5.7 application. No better.
I even reinstalled Fusion after a successful boot.
I still have this problem.
Sincerely, Brice
PS The color of the characters is too light, it’s very tiring to read.
Alan Glendinning
December 22, 2020I am one of the folks that did not get the message about VMware software being blocked to show up in Preferences so I never had the chance to click on the Allow button.
In the VMware forums I found a solution (https://communities.vmware.com/t5/VMware-Fusion-Discussions/VM-s-not-working-in-Fusion/td-p/2289028) that worked for me (running 10.14.6 and V11.5.7 of Fusion):
First, use Terminal to confirm via “ls -lO” that the attribute setting for /private/var/db/KernelExtensionManagement is NOT set to “restricted”.
If it is not, uninstall VMware Fusion manually (instructions available here: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1017838?lang=en_US).
If it is already set to “restricted” then the rest of this fix does not apply.
Reboot into Recovery mode and launch Terminal (in Utilities menu).
If you use FileVault, unlock/mount Macintosh HD with:
diskutil apfs unlock “Macintosh HD”
Now that the disk is mounted, set the needed attribute with:
chflags restricted /Volumes/Macintosh\ HD/private/var/db/KernelExtensionManagement
Restart machine.
Install VMware Fusion.
After install, confirm in Preferences that VMware has Full Disk Access and is listed in Accessibility.
Launch your VM(s). You will probably have to scan your system for your existing VMs due to having uninstalled Fusion. Hopefully, they will now work, as mine did.
Greg Gauthier
January 15, 2021This no longer works (13 January 2021)
Aruna Lakmal
January 17, 2021Really, Thanks for the update!