back to article Mac update has 3D issues with VMware Fusion, ATI card

Mac users have been told not to install Apple’s latest update to OS X 10.5.7 if they are running VMware Fusion on a Mac that comes loaded with an ATI video card. VMware Fusion is used to run virtual Windows operating systems. When it is used on a Mac Pro or iMac that has an ATI video card with 3D graphics enabled, the OS X 10. …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Can I be the first to say

    It just works.

    Except for when an update deep-sixes your 3D.

    Muhaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

    *strokes big white cat*

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Please....

    Please let's not degernerate into a slagging match again, it's soo boring.

  3. RobMc
    Joke

    so much for...

    "It just works"

  4. Eddy Ito
    Coat

    What can I say?

    At least they tested it and admit it is broken. I'd expect them to tell everyone they had a configuration problem or unsupported modifications or some such male cervidae scat. Sadly, it seems the the wicked witches of Redmond and Cupertino, are looking much like the two party political cartel in the U.S. where the difference is mainly a choice between mayo or mustard on a shit sandwich. I'll let you blokes decide which witch is 'wich.

    Ah yes, 'tis the one with a knotted sleeve filled with ketchup.

  5. WinHatter
    Stop

    Brought to you by

    VMalWare

    If Parallel Desktop is unaffected ... means VMWare is to blame.

    Anyway I've got a Mac & a PC in the end it costs less than losing my time and my nerves.

  6. Jonathan White
    Jobs Horns

    Not Apple's fault

    Seems to me that VMWare are doing something fairly funky which was always likely to break with an upgrade to the video driver. In fact, isn't it the case that in their READMEs VMWare have always said the 3D acceleration is kind of unfinished, isn't necessarily compatible with any particular bit of software on the guest OS and should be considered a bit experimental?

    In any case, given you'd have to have successfully performed the OS update to get the problem in the first place, logically you'd have to say that for the victims in question Apple's stuff did 'just work' - it's VMWare's that didn't.

    Course, there's no reason for the facts to get in the way of a variety of 'tard responses. Where's the 'storm in a teacup' icon?

  7. Henry Wertz Gold badge

    Maybe not to blame

    "If Parallel Desktop is unaffected ... means VMWare is to blame."

    ... Maybe, but I wouldn't jump to that conclusion just yet.

    If VMWare is doing something that relies on "undefined" behavior or doing something similarly dicey, it's VMWare's fault. If Parallel and VMWare just exercise the drivers differently, but both are using valid OpenGL (and whatever other graphical APIs they use) then it's not a VMWare bug, but a driver (or library or OS) bug, pure and simple.

  8. Cameron Colley

    OpenGL problem?

    I've stuck with Nvidia cards, despite the fact ATI perform better for your money, because they seem better supported in OpenGL apps and Linux -- is this a similar thing?

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Hobby Computers

    What do you expect?

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Software to blame. Non story

    To make this clear for the hard of understanding, this issue only effects people using the VMWare Virtualization software to run Windows.

    One of the hallmarks of both VMWare and Parallels is that they hook into the OS pretty deeply and do have a tendency to get upset pretty easily. Given the job they are doing it's not surprising really. You're pretty much running a full spec Windows box in a window on your Mac desktop.

    Personally I use Parallels and while it is great if it can't get its own way on startup it can on occasion cause a kernel panic presumably because it hooks so deep into the system in order to provide the virtualization. Personally I think it's a huge achievement that I can run Windows within OSX at all so I'm prepared to accept some shortcomings. It'll only improve with time.

    So it looks like a small change in the OS update has affected the way VMWare accesses the graphics hardware. Not Apples fault.

  11. Tone
    Go

    WinHatter ?

    how can vmware be to blamed for a mac update breaking vmware?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    3D?

    For what? oh ---- games. Very vital.

  13. Law
    Unhappy

    I wouldn't hold out for a fix if it isn't 100% obvious it's apples fault!

    There's been a problem with VMWare/Spaces for well over a year now - basically if you run vmware in full screen mode then switch spaces, you get windows that have disabled minimise buttons, or look disabled but cmd+m works - VMWare claim it's an apple (spaces) issue - Apple refuse to even comment on it - and meanwhile we are left with an annoying bug for ever...awesome.

  14. raving angry loony

    bleed

    Which is why I never install updates until somewhat after the "bleeding edge" folks have done their bleeding.

    All computers suck. The rest is personal preference.

  15. Mr. E.

    Relax folks!

    The article exaggerates the problem. Obviously the problem is even smaller than the article suggests since my Mac Pro, OS X 10.5.7, ATi, and VMware Fusion don't exhibit any of the problems stated. Consequently, this problem may apply to some Mac Pros with a SPECIFIC ATi card and VMware, but certainly not all of them.

  16. Player_16
    Jobs Halo

    @ Law

    That's confusing. I tried that and it seems to work. Window's program's window minimizes when I click that button but the Mac cmd-m is dimmed when I take the pointer to the menu bar on top. What if you show spaces in the 'task Bar' - Menu bar?

    Since I'm not running games - just Autodesk Inventor - I'm not too worried. It's going OK with no problems.

    @ Will - It just works!

    Muhaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!

  17. Matthew Sinclair
    Thumb Down

    Well duhhh

    ATI has ALWAYS been problematic.

    Why the heck do you think they got bought out by AMD?

    Wasn't because they "perform better" that's for sure!

    Maybe ATI should get off there rump and fix there bloody hardware/drivers for a change.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Gates Horns

    blah blah blah

    curious that when redmond brings out an upgrade that breaks an application they are mercilessly slated for not writing code compatible with a gazillion pieces of hardware + software combos, but apple has such a limited combination of hardware/software configs you'd expect them to get it right, n'est pas?

    and let's be fair presumably it did 'just work' prior to the upgrade?

  19. Law

    @ Player_16

    Sorry - my explaination of the problem was more ranty than clear, it's the mac side of window management that's broke, minimise buttons never come back after you run full screen in VMWare... here's the thread I found when I was trying to find a solution to the problem when I got it:

    http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7651427#7651427

    According to the more recent posts, the problem is shown with most applications that run in full screen mode under spaces now... been over a year, several Apple updates, and not a solution. Ah well.. :(

  20. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Thumb Up

    Really?

    Well I must be one of the lucky ones! I have that ATI spec kit with VMF and XP VM is working fine. My kids games are working fine and believe me when your kids can't do something they let everyone know about it!!!

  21. Robbie
    Thumb Up

    All's well

    No problems for me with VMware + Leopard update. And I never have any problems with Spaces + VMWare.

  22. Law
    Thumb Up

    just updated

    No problems.... but then again I've got an nvidia gpu.... :S

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