Git Bash Fails to Launch on Windows 11 VM with Parallels Desktop -- Access Violation in msys-2.0.dll

Environment:

• Host: macOS (15.7)
• Parallels Desktop Version: 26.0.1 (57243)
• Guest: Windows 11 Professional (latest cumulative update as of 13 September 2025)
• Git Version: 2.51.0 (msys2-based)

Steps to Reproduce:

1. Create a fresh Windows 11 Professional VM in Parallels Desktop.
2. Install the latest cumulative Windows updates.
3. Install Git for Windows (2.51.0)
4. Attempt to launch Git Bash.
5. Run `git update-git-for-windows` from PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Observed Behaviour:

• Git Bash does not start.
• Running `git update-git-for-windows` returns error code 5.
• On WinDbg, the process crashes in `msys-2.0.dll` with an access violation in `timegm`.

Additional Experiments and Findings:

• On a clean Windows 11 Professional VM in VMware, both Git Bash and `git update-git-for-windows` work correctly.
• Converting the Parallels VM to VMware allows Git Bash to run and `git update-git-for-windows` to succeed.
• This indicates that the Parallels VM environment may be interfering with MSYS2/MinGW runtime and Git's self-update mechanism.

Debug Evidence (from WinDbg):
```
FAULTING_MODULE: msys_2_0.dll
EXCEPTION_CODE: 0xc0000005 (Access violation)
FAULT_ADDRESS: msys_2_0!timegm+0x581
STACK_OVERFLOW: Detected in msys_2_0.dll
PROCESS: bash.exe
```

Inference:

• The issue appears specific to Parallels Desktop VMs.
• Likely causes include:
  • MSYS2 runtime incompatibility with Parallels virtual hardware or certain memory access patterns.
  • Interference with Git's self-update functionality (`git update-git-for-windows`).

Impact:

• Prevents launching Git Bash on Parallels Windows 11 VMs.
• Breaks Git self-update command.
• Affects MSYS2 or MinGW-based tooling inside Windows 11.

 

I have tried to attach the WinDbg output file but it will not let me. Nor will it let me place the contents of the log file within a code block.