UTM 4.6.x fails to boot into BSD ARM VMs

[haihige]

Describe the issue
Starting with UTM 4.6.0, BSD ARM VMs fail to boot properly. I've run into this issue with FreeBSD and NetBSD. Linux doesn't seem to be affected.
The boot menu works (a prompt appears asking if I want to install the OS), but once it gets past that, it changes to "Display output is not active."
I tried both QEMU 9.1 and 7.2 (7.2 is used in 4.5.4), but the issue exists with both in 4.6.x. If I launch UTM 4.5.4, the BSD ARM VMs work correctly.
This can be tested with the standard ARM install images from FreeBSD and NetBSD, although it affects VMs that were created in previous version of UTM as well.

Configuration

• UTM Version: 4.6.x
• macOS Version: 15.2
• Mac Chip (Intel, M1, ...): M3 Pro

Debug log
UTM 4.6.3 debug log
This debug log was grabbed from 4.6.3, but the issue persists in 4.6.4.

[fluff]

I have the same issue with all UTM 4.6.x on non-graphical Debian Linux 12 server VM installs. Works fine in 4.5.4, but all versions of UTM starting with 4.6.0, up to and including 4.6.4, shows "Display output is not active" after the textmode GRUB bootloader starts loading the Linux kernel. (The textmode GRUB bootloader works correctly, but when the Linux kernel takes over, the display changes to "Display output is not active").

[naveenrajm7]

+1
I tried installing multiple Linux Distros, and ran into this issue in some.
I remember it happened in Debian, as soon as I start the installation the screen goes black. To avoid this I had to use Advanced Speech mode Install in Debian to avoid any GUI, another workaround was, trying to install using serial device rather than the display.

[TheRealKeto]

I don't experience this issue at all.

Testing out on an M2 Macbook Air running Sonoma 14.7 with the VM image that FreeBSD distributes on their website for 14.2-RELEASE (.qcow2), the VM boots up, displays the "Display output is not active" message for 5 to 10 seconds, and then correctly displays the tty prompting a login. After rebooting, FreeBSD's boot menu correctly pops up without displaying the "Display output is not active" message.

As for existing VMs being affected, I also don't experience such issue. I had a VM set up for FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE that was made using their official installer image on UTM 4.6.3, and recently just upgraded to UTM 4.6.4. The VM still safely boots; this maybe an M3 issue?

[haihige]

I don't experience this issue at all.

Testing out on an M2 Macbook Air running Sonoma 14.7 with the VM image that FreeBSD distributes on their website for 14.2-RELEASE (.qcow2), the VM boots up, displays the "Display output is not active" message for 5 to 10 seconds, and then correctly displays the tty prompting a login. After rebooting, FreeBSD's boot menu correctly pops up without displaying the "Display output is not active" message.

As for existing VMs being affected, I also don't experience such issue. I had a VM set up for FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE that was made using their official installer image on UTM 4.6.3, and recently just upgraded to UTM 4.6.4. The VM still safely boots; this maybe an M3 issue?

Maybe this issue is just for VMs that boot the ISO, instead of using the VM image.

[TheRealKeto]

Maybe this issue is just for VMs that boot the ISO, instead of using the VM image.
"...had a VM set up for FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE that was made using their official installer image"

@haihige The FreeBSD's official installer is an ISO image. Both methods of making a VM work, at least on M2.

[haihige]

@TheRealKeto I see, I thought you meant the VM image (.qcow2) there, not the ISO.

[haihige]

Did some additional testing with three other Macs, all giving the same results (though slightly different than the M3):

1. M1 on macOS 14.5
2. M1 on macOS 15.1
3. M2 on macOS 15.2

I tested three ARM installer images:

1. NetBSD 10.0
2. FreeBSD 13.2
3. FreeBSD 14.1

With UTM 4.5.4, all three went past the boot menu fine and reached the installation screen. With 4.6.4, only FreeBSD 14.1 made it past the boot menu. FreeBSD 13.2 hangs on the "Display output is not active." screen and NetBSD 10.0 crashes QEMULauncher (crash log attached).

QEMULauncher-2024-12-27-094434.ips.txt

[fluxens]

Same issue with M2 pro on 15.2 (24C101) with Ubuntu 22.04 arm from UTMs gallery.