Thank you @Takumi Takahata
So whilst I didn't have the disconnection issue (AFAIK) I did have the install issue.
Only fix for me was to remove the USB NIC fling, upgrade as normal, then add the USB Fling.
I'm not sure why VMware cant add it - even if it has warnings not for production use - as lets face it, no one in their right mind would use a removable USB NIC.....
Lets see what happens in the future
Any solution foundI have the same problem now
I'm also getting similar error when trying to upgrade. It fails using VUM in the vCenter GUI with an error:
An error occurred during host configuration exit status: 14
Nothing of note in the usual logs..... and then trying from CLI:
esxcli software profile update -p ESXi-8.0U3-24022510-standard -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml --no-hardware-warning [DependencyError] On platform embeddedEsx, VIB VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.12-1vmw.801.0.0.64098092 requires vmkapi_incompat_2_11_0_0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.
Some extra background - also it is not possible to build a new 8.0U3 ISO with the current USB fling - below is error output which is similar to the earlier flings that were broken after 8.0U2"
WARNING: The image profile fails validation. The ISO / Offline Bundle will still be generated but may contain errors and may not boot or be functional. Errors: WARNING: On platform embeddedEsx, VIB VMW_bootbank_vmkusb-nic-fling_1.12-2vmw.802.0.0.67561870 requires vmkapi_incompat_2_12_0_0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.