Upgrading your VMware ESXi host can be an exciting time for your organization, especially when you are upgrading from version 7.0.3 to the latest version 8.0. With new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements, the process can bring significant benefits to your virtual environment. However, the upgrade process can also bring unforeseen issues. In this blog post, we will explore some of the common issues that can arise during an ESXi upgrade and provide solutions for resolving them, specifically for the upgrade from version 7.0.3 to 8.0.
Let’s see our first issue. After uploading the HPE Custom Image (VMware-ESXi-8.0.0-20513097-HPE-800.0.0.11.1.0.17-Dec2022.iso) to Lifecycle Manager and creating a baseline having only this iso image, we’ve scanned the ESXi Host against the baseline.
Issue 1
After scanning was completed, we got the status – Incompatible. When checking the Details, we found issues with some VIB(s) not having the required sha-256 checksum for their payloads.
The exact error is:
“These VIB(s) on the host do not have the required sha-256 checksum for their payloads:
{precheckError}
This will prevent VIB security verification and secure boot from functioning properly. Please remove these VIBs and check with your vendor for a replacement of these VIBs.”
As you can notice, no VIBs are speciefied. At this point we couldn’t just connect to ESXi Host and delete random VIB(s) till we get it to work.
So we’ve decided to make the upgrade via HPE iLO Interface. If you want to see how this is done, please check for a video and text tutorial here.
At some point after all packages have been loaded, the install partition has been selected, just before starting the actual installation, we got the error related to the VIB(s) missing checksum also here.
Fortunately now we also have the package name. We’ve stopped the installation by pressing F11 to reboot the host and waited to boot the ESXi Software with version 7.0.3. After that we’ve connected to the Host via ssh and issued the command to list the packages. Then we removed the hpnmi VBI.
#esxcli software vib list 
#esxcli software remove -n hpnmi
As stated, after removing the VBI, the system needs to be rebooted. Once the host is up again, scan against baseline. Now the status will show as Non-compliant. At this point you can start with Remediate.
Issue 2
A second error that we found, also related to the VIB(s), is the one bellow. In this case we have received though a list with the VIB(s) making issues.
You have to connect to the host via SSH and remove all the packages in the list. The command to remove the VIB(s) is:
#esxcli software remove -n <package_name>After removing these packages, reboot the host and scan against baseline. Now the status is Non-Compatible and you can start Remediating the host.
Conclusion:
Upgrading your VMware ESXi hosts from version 7.0.3 to version 8.0 can be a challenging process, but by being prepared and aware of common issues, you can minimize the risk of problems and ensure a successful upgrade. If you encounter any issues during the upgrade process, you can also reach out to VMware support for assistance. With the right preparation and a solid understanding of the process, you can successfully upgrade your ESXi hosts and reap the benefits of the latest features and performance improvements.