Cannot upgrade guest macOS 26.6.2 to 26.7

[Pharb]

Upgrading guest macOS 26.6.2 to 26.7 failed multiple times for me (duplicating the VM file before as a backup).

After downloading and preparing the macOS update installation, on installation reboot, the VM get's stuck in a black screen.

After waiting an hour and force quitting the failed upgrade, the VM is back on the previous macOS version and in a broken state with full memory usage:

Maybe similar to #249?

Host: Apple M2 Max 26.7 (25G229)

Same with both:

• VirtualBuddy (Beta 2.2 - 408)
• VirtualBuddy (Beta 2.2 - 417)

[insidegui]

I've had the same issue and I currently don't know of any workarounds. It just seems like Apple broke support for running in a virtualized environment in macOS 26.7. I suggest filing a feedback to Apple using Feedback Assistant.

[mcringbearer]

as an aside, I was able to update 26.6.2 to 26.7 RC3 25G227 It should have most of the security fixes that are in the GA release which is 25G229 (aka RC4). Here's the link if anyone feels they must have those fixes.
https://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/05/25/142-13316-A_FJ5DSBRW7B/7k0wat8f442u03zvwscb4shonznajio0wh/InstallAssistant.pkg

[mcringbearer]

I've had the same issue and I currently don't know of any workarounds. It just seems like Apple broke support for running in a virtualized environment in macOS 26.7. I suggest filing a feedback to Apple using Feedback Assistant.

Just fyi, the same issue exists with Parallels, reported by users. I submitted a ticket for that product (I use Parallels and VB as I also require Windows ARM VM). Perhaps they have some influence with Apple to get a resolution, since they are 'partner'.

ticket # 5831641 if you have access to Parallels

[JohnEeeDee]

I had the same issue (with both 26.7 and 26.7.1), but a frequent workaround that I used successfully in Parallels over the years was to boot into Safe Mode and then a macOS update would work, then boot back into normal mode and go on with your life. I thought I'd give that same workaound a try with VirtualBuddy, but when I used the Boot in Recovery Mode switch on my two macOS VMs running 26.6.2, they immediately get stuck at the black screen as well, with CPU usage but nothing much else. I'm not sure if that's a separate bug, or if the partial upgrade processing that was done before the black screen issue is now causing this same black screen issue in Recovery Mode now...

FWIW in my case, thankfully, I can boot normally and the VM happily runs in 26.6.2. Unfortunately I didn't have the foresight that Pharb did to dup either of my VMs before I tried the 26.7 upgrade 🤦🏼‍♂️, so it is what it is at this point.

[mcringbearer]

@JohnEeeDee
The failed partial upgrade leaves the VM in an unstable, screwed state. I had a backup pre-update attempt, it boots into recovery mode fine. I have found that anything post 26.6.2 won't upgrade to anything later. I tried updating the 26.7 RC3 build to 26.7.1 GA, failed. Parallels acknowledged they were able to duplicate the issue, but no response after that. I've had no issues updating with Golden Gate in VirtualBuddy or Parallels, so I will just live with the 26.7 RC3 Tahoe build for now. I need a current Tahoe system at all times for testing. The only "solution" is to do a fresh install with each new release of 26.x from the IPSW or InstallAssistant.pkg.