Error during installing patches

[brunnenguk]

I've got an ESXi4 host which needs plenty of updates applying. Whenever I attempt to update it with vSphere Host Update Utility it hangs at 45% for a while and then returns the following error:

Patching 192.168.1.12

Start uploading files to host

Metadata and binaries have been successfully uploaded

Scanning the host completed

Start installing patches

Installing patches on 192.168.1.12 : ESXi400-Update01

Trying to put the host into maintenance mode

Entered maintenance mode successfully

Trying to exit maintenance mode.

Exit maintenance mode succeeded

There was an error during installing patches on 192.168.1.12

The patch operation has failed with this error: There is an error during the operation, please refer to the logs for investigation.

Unfortunately it doesn't tell me exactly where the log file is.

I've also tried downloading the update (zip) package and apply that through the same tool (upgrade host rather than patch host) but upon checking the file it reports "unsupported ESX version). The file I downloaded was:

Upgrade package from ESXi Server 4.0 to ESXi Server 4.0 Update 1

The server is currently build 164009

Can anyone advise what might be going wrong? (or where to find the mysterious log file)

[nkrishnan]

Hi,

vSphere Host Update Utility is not used to Upgrade from ESXi40 to ESXi40Update01 using Upgrade package ZIP, vSphere Host Update Utility can be used to Patch ESXi40 Host, also Using for Upgrade from leagcy ESX/ESXi (eg: ESX/ESXI3.5) to ESX /ESXi40. Please follow the below steps to upgrade the ESXi40 Host to ESxi40Update01

First option:

1. connected the vSphere Host Update Utility server to internet ,

2. invoke vSphere Host Update Utility, Once you open the window it will ask to download the patches, Select Yes,

3. Attach the host and click on Scan for patches.

4. It will show the patch ESXi40-Update01, Select it and do the installation. It will upgrade to ESXi40-Update01

Second option:

1. Download the VCLI and install it http://downloads.vmware.com/d/details/vcli40/ZHcqYmRkJSpidGR3

2. Use the vihostupdate command along with Upgrade ZIP bundle, it will upgrade to ESXi40-Update01

vihostupdate --server / ESXi-4.0.0-update01.zip

Third option:

1. Use VMware Update Manager, you need vSphere Center for it. and create the base line with ESXi400-Update01 bulletin and remediate it. Refer the VMware Update manager guide for more information.