The Wiert Corner – irregular stream of stuff

If you ever get the error message

This virtual machine’s policies are too old to be run by this version of VMware Fusion.

or

This virtual machine’s policies are too old to be run by this version of VMware Workstation.

Then the solution is really simple:

1. Remove any .vmpl file from your virtual machine’s directory.
2. Remove lines from your .vmx file that start with these keys:

policy.vm.mvmtid =
policy.vm.managedVMTemplate =
policy.vm.managedVM =

Thanks [Wayback/Archive] Rene Larsen for [Wayback/Archive] answering this.

20261028: found the below links

• [Wayback/Archive] VMPL File – What is a .vmpl file and how do I open it?
  

  VMPL files are created with VMware ACE, a product used mostly in enterprise environments. Policy files are useful in this context when employees work from remote locations using VMs.

  NOTE: VMware ACE was discontinued at the end of 2011.

  Apparently, the 2011 VMware Fusion 4 supported or created these policies, and the 2013 VMware Fusion 6 did not support these any more.

• [Wayback/Archive] Starting a virtual machine in Workstation or Fusion fails with the error: This virtual machine’s policies are too old to be run by this version of VMware
  

  Symptoms:
  When trying to start a virtual machine in VMware Workstation 9.x and above or VMware Fusion 5.x and above, you see one of these errors:

  • This virtual machine's policies are too old to be run by this version of VMware. Contact your system administrator
  • Error while loading the virtual machine's policies: A required file was not found.

  …

  This issue can occur in these scenarios:

  • When you attempt to start a virtual machine having an older Hardware version, which has certain policies set for it.
  • When you attempt to start a virtual machine which was shared in Workstation 8.x.
  • In Workstation 9.x and above or Fusion 5.x and above, when you attempt to start an ACE virtual machine which was created with Workstation 7.x.

  …

  To resolve this issue, manually edit the virtual machine’s configuration file (the .vmx file):

  1. Locate the virtual machine’s files. …
  2. Open the virtual machine’s configuration file (.vmx) using a text editor. …
     Note: Take a backup of the .vmx file before modifying it.
  3. Remove the lines which are similar to:policy.vm.mvmtid = "52 d6 6f f9 ## ## ## ##-## ## ## ## 90 7b ce 76"
policy.vm.managedVMTemplate = "TRUE"
policy.vm.managedVM = "FALSE"
  4. Save the file and close the text editor.
  5. Start the virtual machine and verify.

  Note: If you still encounter the error, then browse to the location where the virtual machine files exist. Search for a file with the extension .vmpl, and rename it to .vmpl.old.

  Warning: Renaming/deleting this file from a restricted virtual machine will break it permanently. Contact VMware Technical support for further help in such a scenario.

  I have sorted the affected products by version number for readability (it seems I was just unlucky using a version that bordered on the wrong side of compatibility):

  VMware Fusion 5.x
  VMware Fusion 6.x
  VMware Fusion 7.x
  VMware Fusion 8.x
  VMware Fusion 10.x
  VMware Fusion Pro 8.x
  VMware Fusion Pro 10.x
  VMware Player 5.x (Linux)
  VMware Player 5.x (Windows)
  VMware Player 6.x (Linux)
  VMware Player 6.x (Windows)
  VMware Player 7.x (Linux)
  VMware Player 7.x (Windows)
  VMware Player Pro 7.x (Linux)
  VMware Player Pro 7.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation 9.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation 9.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation 10.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation 10.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation 11.x (for Linux)
  VMware Workstation 11.x (for Windows)
  VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation Player 12.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation Player 14.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation Player 15.x (Windows)
  VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Linux)
  VMware Workstation Pro 14.x (for Windows)
  VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Linux)
  VMware Workstation Pro 15.x (Windows)

--jeroen

via: [Wayback/Archive] VMware Fusion 6: cannot start Windows 2000 VM that worked in VMware Fusion 4 – Ask Different.

PS: Edited on 20261028; added archival links and links to the broadcom documentation and .vmpl extension reference