Upgrade ESX free on a Dell server

[steff70]

Hello,

this is my first post here.

I have at home a Dell T140 running ESX free edition (ESX 6.7.0 update 1) and I need to upgrade it to a newer version.
Dell support website says that "8.0 U3, A08" is supported and Dell is inviting its customers to upgrade to it.

Years ago, when I installed ESX, I used the .ISO provided by Dell, that was customized for the Dell server (it was not the stock one) + I registered ESX with my personal ESX free license key from VMWare (before Broadcom acquisition).

Dell support site says that they can no longer provide VMWare .iSO but them are available on the Broadcom site.

On Broadcom site there is only a stock ISO ( 8.0 U3e ).

Whare can I find the Dell custom image?

the file I need, according to Dell support page, is this one

VMware-VMvisor-Installer-8.0.0.update03-24859861.x86_64-Dell_Customized-A08.iso

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[WILLIAM TWACHTMAN]

I have the same situation.

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[WILLIAM TWACHTMAN]

I have the same situation.

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[Nick_Fletcher]

Hi Steff70,

ESXi is no longer supplied with the OEM Additions included. Normally what would happen is that vCenter would synchronise with Broadcom servers to download VMware products, OEM products and Third Party software from their depot. You would then combine these in the Lifecycle Manager to create an install image which is then applied to the hosts. You used to be able to use UMDS installed on a ProtonOS VM to create a local depot but this now requires a personalised key to be added into the download URLs. You could then create customised images from these, but I do not know how you would be able to go about getting the Dell ESXi customisations without a Broadcom licence and a download key. Unless Dell can provide them directly maybe?

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[pcgeek2009]

In the options for ESX, there is a "Custom ISO" tab. This is where you find the vendor specific versions

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Rodney Barnhardt
vExpertPro
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[pcgeek2009]

It is not a free version, but it is the version you are looking for if that helps. 

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Rodney Barnhardt
vExpertPro
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[steff70]

So... I understood that:

1. the old ESX free was installed starting from the commercial image, then loading a free license key.
   This way is no more available
2. There is the ESX 8 free edition that does no require to load a license key, since it is "embedded" in the image
3. The ESX 8 free edition is a stock image
4. There are no free custom image for Dell

So... at the end of the story... How can I upgrade my ESX 6.7 free edition to the ESX 8.0u3 free, considering I have a compatible Dell server?

What will happen if I install the commercial edition once the trial expires? Will it stop working or will it be downgraded to free edition?

It is for home lab, not commercial.

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[pcgeek2009]

Yes, it will stop working. I have not worked a lot with the new free version because is does not support things like Halodeck deployment for VCF. What may work, is to upgrade using the free version, then apply the Dell VIB's to a datastore and running the following:

esxcli software vib update -d /path/to/Dell_Driver_Bundle.zip

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Rodney Barnhardt
vExpertPro
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[steff70]

So... assuming the stock ISO image of the official ESX 8.0u3 FREE by Broadcom... do you know if it possibile to UPGRADE (no fresh install) the existing ESX 6.7 free custom Dell image to 8.0 u3 stock free?

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[pcgeek2009]

That I have not tried. Maybe someone else knows the answer. I did play around with it and believe as I did do a fresh install, but my VM's were on a separate disk. You could do that if your VM's reside on a disk other than the same one the OS is installed. 

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Rodney Barnhardt
vExpertPro
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[steff70]

I made some tests, trying to replicate my setup.

Since I have Dell server certified for ESX 8, but running ESX 6.7 custom Dell image, licensed with a official free lincense...
I setup a VM where I installed ESX 6.7 starting from the Dell ISO and I loaded the old free license key.
Then:

• upgrading with the official stock ESX 8.0u3 free version, downloaded from Broadcom website, the process stops saying that there are vibs without the sha-256 checksum
• upgrading with the custom Dell customized ESX 8.0u3... it works, but... once correctly upgraded, it asks to me to load the license key, so again I am stuck.

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[pcgeek2009]

You maybe able to use this KB for the VIB’s. I have seen this when I upgraded some Cisco servers and their management tools did not have an updated VIB.

<https: knowledge.broadcom.com external article 409302 these-vibs-on-the-host-do-not-have-the-r.html>
These VIB(s) on the host do not have the required sha-256 checksum for their payloads:.<https: knowledge.broadcom.com external article 409302 these-vibs-on-the-host-do-not-have-the-r.html>
knowledge.broadcom.com<https: knowledge.broadcom.com external article 409302 these-vibs-on-the-host-do-not-have-the-r.html>
[X]<https: knowledge.broadcom.com external article 409302 these-vibs-on-the-host-do-not-have-the-r.html>

[steff70]

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[pcgeek2009]

Here is the Dell KB for upgrade VIB errors.

<https: www.dell.com support kbdoc en-us 000213008 missing-dependency-vibs-error-when-upgrading-esxi-with-dell-customized-esxi-7-x-or-8-x-image>
PowerEdge: Missing dependency vibs error when upgrading ESXi with Dell Customized ESXi 7.x or 8.x Image | Dell US<https: www.dell.com support kbdoc en-us 000213008 missing-dependency-vibs-error-when-upgrading-esxi-with-dell-customized-esxi-7-x-or-8-x-image>
dell.com<https: www.dell.com support kbdoc en-us 000213008 missing-dependency-vibs-error-when-upgrading-esxi-with-dell-customized-esxi-7-x-or-8-x-image>
[apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png]<https: www.dell.com support kbdoc en-us 000213008 missing-dependency-vibs-error-when-upgrading-esxi-with-dell-customized-esxi-7-x-or-8-x-image>

[steff70]

Many thanks for the suggestions, but it seems it does not work.

The mentioned action is to fix broken dependencies not to fix vibs without checksums

• Upgrading official VMWare 6.7 Dell customized to official VMWare 8 free edition fails because of VIBs
• Upgrading to VMWare 8 Dell customized it works, but the result is a setup in evaluation mode expiring in 60 days.

Maybe I am missing something, but seems IMPOSSIBILE to UPGRADE keeping official free ESX and using the custom Dell iso.

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[In-Over-My-Head]

Hello @steff70,
Not sure if you're still looking for help. I see there are two VIB files listed in your screenshot. Did you remove both of them successfully?

esxcli software vib list | grep bootbank

It should return hopefully the two VIB files in the error message. If it doesn't, maybe try searching for just QLC or DellEMC to locate them. If they show up, then run the following command (I would do each one individually).

esxcli software vib remove -n <name of VIB in first column>

A reboot is required afterward. Let us know how it goes

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