Updating ESXi host w/ vLCM and getting "Host not compatible with the image"

[chubbfx]

I have a case open with Broadcom support and I want to get some thoughts on their recommendation to resolve this.

My ESXi hosts we're installed with a vendor-specific ISO image but it's for the wrong servers. The baked in vendor addon is for Cisco E-Series servers but we are using X-Series.

When using vSphere Lifecycle Manager and selecting the correct vendor addon I get "Host not compatible with the image" because it's trying to update the wrong addon (E-Series) with the correct addon (X-Series).

Even when I don't select any vendor addon I still get "Host not compatible with the image."

Broadcom support recommends this if I want to update with the correct vendor addon...

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/343840/esxcli-software-vib-commands-to-patch-an.html

And recommends this if I want to update without a vendor addon...

https://knowledge.broadcom.com/external/article/320562/host-not-compatible-with-the-image-compl.html#:~:text=Cause,may contain some new components

I expected them to recommend reinstalling the host fresh with the correct vendor-specific ISO but I'd prefer not to if it's unnecessary.

[Carl Power]

There may be a way around this without reinstalling the host, but theres some initial risk

The following process essentially resets the hypervisor to the standard build, removing non standard VIBs, then you can apply your vendor addon - I had to do this for vSAN witness appliances to be updated with the clusters (after they were setup with HPE images), which have low risk for me, but it may affect drivers your host relies on.

The process

1. download the standard offline bundle for the same or newer ESXi build - it should be in the format "VMware-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-depot.zip"
2. copy the offline bundle to the host - I use WinSCP to copy the file to the "/locker/packages/" folder
3. open a console to the host and go to the folder with the offline bundle
4. run the following command, replacing the version and build with what you are using
   

   esxcli software profile install -d /locker/packages/VMware-ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-depot.zip -p ESXi-7.0U3n-21930508-standard --ok-to-remove

   --ok-to-remove
   Allows the removal of installed VIBs as part of applying the image profile. If not specified, esxcli will error out if applying the image profile results in the removal of installed VIBs.
   (https://vdc-download.vmware.com/vmwb-repository/dcr-public/780e06f7-08ce-45c3-be80-dd77124e1504/1bea0664-dbd7-4363-aee3-020bfd6fd5c8/doc/esxcli_software.html#:~:text=Forces%20an%20install%20to%20/altbootbank,%2D%2Dallow%2Ddowngrades)

Once completed, restart the host and it should be ok to update with single images