VMware Cloud Community
yozh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

ESXi 5 esxcli installation of VIBs fails

Well to tell you the thruth it doesnt even start.....

I`m trying to install 1000v VIB via CLI directly on the host via SSH.

Here is what I get

[CODE]

esxcli software vib install /tmp/VEM500-201108271.zip

Error: Unknown command or namespace software vib install /tmp/VEM500-201108271.zip

[/CODE]

Even to list installed VIBs.

[CODE]

esxcli software vib list
Error: Unknown command or namespace software vib list

[/CODE]

What am I doing wrong ? This is a new ESXi 5 install (upgrade from 4.1)

33 Replies
yozh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I spent all day searching I dont see anything regarding my issue anywhere... How is that possible ? Originaly I went from 4.1 to 5 as an upgrade, I`m assuming something went wrong there..... I was never able to use that command esxcli

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yozh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Is this proper ?

lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 15 Aug 19  2011 esxcli -> /sbin/esxcli.py
lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root                 12 Aug 19  2011 esxcli.cgi -> /sbin/esxcli
-r-xr-xr-x    1 root     root              69766 Aug 19  2011 esxcli.py
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admin
Immortal
Immortal

I agree, I was trying to help you figure out what went wrong. At this point this seems beyond typing in some easy commands it's probably best if you file a SR.

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yozh
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

ok, thanks for the help, we will try a full reinstall tonight and then an SR it is...

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ggathagan
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

This is waaaaay after the fact on this issue, but hopefully this will help others who have run into this problem:

If you are lazy like me, you cut-and-paste the command for the update, for instance:

esxcli software vib install –d /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/patch/update-from-esxi5.0-5.0_update02.zip

For some bizarre reason, the dash in front of the "-d" command is not interpreted correctly when you cut and paste to an SSH session with an ESXi host.

So either type it all out manually, or replace the dash after you've cut and pasted the command.

It won't look any different, but it's solved the problem for me every time.

In fact, the resaon I'm submitting this is so that it's out there the next time I forget and do a search for "Unknown command or namespace".

FCHip
Contributor
Contributor

Here's the solution for me Smiley Happy

Apply this syntax:

esxcli software vib install --depot=/path/to/package.zip

For example:

esxcli software vib install --depot=/tmp/dell/OM-SrvAdmin-Dell-Web-7.1.0-5304.VIB-ESX50i_A00.zip

To install Dell Open Manage.

Regards.

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JoshZitting
Contributor
Contributor

That did it for me!!! Stupid little fix! thanks for all the help!!!

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ddawson100
Contributor
Contributor

ggathagan's fix worked for me. Pesky little dash. I had cut and paste from our internal wiki that I created when updating one standalone host. Tried another host and it failed. Was really puzzled until I used the same command but this time replacing the pasted dash with a manually entered dash.

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sebek
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

First, unpack the archive, then add -v, so it should look like esxcli software vib install -v /path_to_vib_file. For best effect, put the binaries on shared vmfs, it will be available for every esx box in the cluster.

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JPM300
Commander
Commander

Here is the KB with installing patches from CLI

VMware KB: Installing patches on an ESXi 5.x host from the command line

Try:

esxcli software vib install -d /tmp/VEM500-201108271.zip

and make sure you have full acess to the folder, seeing as your probably logged in as Root you should be good to go.

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RaymundoEC
VMware Employee
VMware Employee

In my humble contribution to this post, this is what I did to solve the installation of vxlan vib on each host,

1.-Download the vib file vxlan.zip from vcns, if blocked check ports or IE settings

2.-copy with SCP to each host in cluster in tmp the .zip file

3.-Intall the vib with this command esxcli software vib install –depot=\tmp\vxlan.zip

4.- run refresh on virtual networking vcenter vcns

5.- if APIPA ip addres on recently created vmkenel port, just go to vds and change it

6.-run resolve in case, or just will see green check mark

7.-end


regards


ray

+vRay
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Linus_Hellsing
Contributor
Contributor

That "replace dash" trick worked for me, thank you ggathagan‌ !

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dalexiev
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Replacing the dash resolved my issue. It was copy-pasted from Notepad and still didn't work

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TTyz
Contributor
Contributor

THANK YOU!

4 years later and you're still saving lives.

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