7.0 Update 3i: can't attach existing vmdk using the ESXi host client

[roadgeek]

My environment: ESXi 7.0 U3i, standalone hypervisor with free license.

I've found a bug that I've been able to reproduce. Starting with 7.0 Update 3i, if you select a VM, go to Edit -> Add Hard Disk -> Existing Hard Disk, select a VMDK -> then press [Select], the Datastore browser window will close, but you are unable to add the disk: clicking "Save" does nothing, and expanding the properties of the newly added disk shows fields with empty values that you cannot change.

Since I'm using a free license, I can't report this as a bug, but I hope someone else here can do it for me.

Thanks.

[lamw · Accepted solution]

Looks to be same issue as https://williamlam.com/2022/12/heads-up-esxi-8-0-host-client-unable-to-attach-existing-virtual-disk-... and I suspect as of 7.0 Update 3i, it uses the updated Host Client 2.x version which is affected. Since you're using the free version of ESXi, you won't be able to apply the workaround in blog which requires any license except for free version. Alternatively, you'll have to attach the VMDK by editing the VMX (ensure you reload) for changes to take effect

[Kinnison]

Hi @lamw,

Your suspicions are correct, ESXi 7.0U3i comes with Host Client version 2.1.1, what I don't understand is the reason to introduce a new version of the Host Client object knowing it has certain flaws (from the beginning), in the context of a minor update that is supposedly meant to fix several other issues, mostly about security.

Regards,
Ferdinando

[roadgeek]

Thank you, @lamw.

[lamw]

While this may not be "officially" supported ... for those NOT running ESXi 8.0, you could uninstall Host Client 2.x VIB and install the previous release. When the next patch/update, all system packages will be overridden with the version included in the patch/update

I just ran a simple experiment with ESXi 7.0 Update 3i, which includes Host Client 2.x.

Step 1 - Downloaded ESXi 7.0 Update 3g (there's no H) offline depot (zip) and extracted the contents and find esxi-ui folder which should contain VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.43.8-19798623.vib

Step 2 - Uninstall the Host Client 2.x VIB using ESXCLI:

[root@localhost:~] esxcli software vib remove -n esx-ui
Removal Result
Message: Operation finished successfully.
Reboot Required: false
VIBs Installed:
VIBs Removed: VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_2.1.1-20188605
VIBs Skipped:

Step 3 - SCP previous ESXi Host Client VIB to desired ESXi host

Step 4 - Install the previoius ESXi Host Client VIB using ESXCLI:

[root@localhost:~] esxcli software vib install -v /VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.43.8-19798623.vib
Installation Result
   Message: Operation finished successfully.
   Reboot Required: false
   VIBs Installed: VMware_bootbank_esx-ui_1.43.8-19798623
   VIBs Removed:
   VIBs Skipped:

Reboot the ESXi host to ensure everything persisted (which it did) and login to ESXi Host Client and verify that adding VMDK to existing VM workflow is successful (which it is as it is using the prior version). 

I personally don't see harm in this workaround since ESXi Host Client is simply a "client" to underlying ESXi API and for those that only have standalone ESXi host and don't have vCenter Server or simply using the Free ESXi license, this at least gives you viable UI until a new update is available with the fixed ESXi Host Client

[Jacob-ITL]

Hello,

your workaround works old GOOD UI started.

New UI is visual CRAP  imho 😞

why always someone must blew away good things... almost everywhere

Best Regards,

Jacob