Two different buils being reported after patches applied?

[Lfrisino]

We have just finished applying most (all of the security and critical) patches to our ESX 3.0.1 hosts. In Virtual Center 2.0.1 build 32042, it is reporting the ESX3.0.1 build number is 34176, but if I run vmware -v at the CLI, it reports the build as as "VMware ESX Server 3.0.1 build-35804". Anybody else run accross this?

[heathseals]

Have you tried disconnecting/reconnecting the hosts from within VC?

[wobbly1]

run esxupdate -l query against each server at the service console to compare which patches have been applied. Its possible that some may have failed. Also, have you rebooted after applying the patches?

[Lfrisino]

Yes, I have even removed the host and added it back in with no change.

[Lfrisino]

All patches (12) I have applied are listed. And yes, we have rebooted several times after installation.

Installed software bundles:

\---- Name \---- --- Install Date --- --- Summary ---

3.0.1-32039 04:54:12 03/28/07 Full 3.0.1 release of VMware ESX Server

ESX-1271657 09:46:04 03/28/07 Open IPMI improvement for slowness.

ESX-5031800 09:49:31 03/28/07 RHSA-2006:0749 tar security update

ESX-5885387 09:51:10 03/28/07 RedHat Moderate: gzip security update

ESX-6075798 09:54:21 03/28/07 Force vmxnet module to be installed 1st.

ESX-6856573 09:56:00 03/28/07 PhysMem_Get() accesses wrong pages

ESX-8173580 09:58:30 03/28/07 Fix COS Oops running Dell OM5 w/ QLogic

ESX-9986131 10:00:31 03/28/07 Updated openssh, python, and openssl

ESX-1006511 10:06:20 03/28/07 Fixing TX hang in 80003ES2LAN Controller

ESX-1410076 10:11:53 03/28/07 BSOD 0x109 during 64-bit Windows install

ESX-2066306 10:13:34 03/28/07 Patch for VM crashes and possible freeze

ESX-2158032 10:16:11 03/28/07 Add LFENCE for RWO on AMD K8 before RevF

ESX-3199476 10:18:47 03/28/07 VMXNET shutdown may lead to BSOD

[ANSA]

Could it be because of the order in which you applied the patches may be the reason why you are seeing different builds. For example, in the list of patches on the VMware site, see below, ESX 2158032 dated 11/30/06 should have been installed first. This was the second to last installed in your installed software bundle.

ESX Server 3.0.1

Patches & Updates (view classifications)

ESX-3199476 Patch | 03/05/07 | Critical Patch

ESX-5031800 Patch | 03/05/07 | Security Patch

ESX-5885387 Patch | 03/05/07 | Security Patch

ESX-6050503 Patch | 03/05/07 | General Patch

ESX-6856573 Patch | 03/05/07 | Security Patch

ESX-9865995 Patch | 03/05/07 | General Patch

ESX-1271657 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-1917602 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-2031037 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-2092658 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-3996003 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-5497987 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-6075798 Patch | 01/31/07 | General Patch

ESX-2066306 Patch | 12/28/06 | Critical Patch

ESX-6921838 Patch | 12/28/06 | General Patch

ESX-8173580 Patch | 12/28/06 | General Patch

ESX-9986131 Patch | 12/28/06 | Security Patch

ESX-1006511 Patch | 11/30/06 | Critical Patch

ESX-1410076 Patch | 11/30/06 | Critical Patch

ESX-2158032 Patch | 11/30/06 | Critical Patch

[Lfrisino]

Will this affect any of the applied patches? or does it simply not reflect the latest patch in VC?

[ANSA]

The recommended best practice is to install the patches in the order in which they were released. This leads me to believe that it could have an effect on the applied patches. On the other hand it could depend on the patches applied.

Sorry I do not have a definitive answer for you, perhaps someone else on the forum with more experience with ESX patches could verify my comments.

[Lfrisino]

If you type vmware -v on your host, what is the build number that is returned?

[SoulHunter19]

I have the exact same result on my side.

New installation.

+ Patches applied in that order:

ESX-1006511.tgz

ESX-1410076.tgz

ESX-2066306.tgz

ESX-2158032.tgz

ESX-5031800.tgz

ESX-5885387.tgz

ESX-6856573.tgz

ESX-9986131.tgz

ESX-3199476.tgz

+ Reboot

esxupdate query gives:

Installed software bundles:

\---- Name \---- --- Install Date --- --- Summary ---

3.0.1-32039 10:30:47 03/19/07 Full 3.0.1 release of VMware ESX Server

ESX-1006511 11:16:19 03/19/07 Fixing TX hang in 80003ES2LAN Controller

ESX-1410076 11:19:59 03/19/07 BSOD 0x109 during 64-bit Windows install

ESX-2066306 11:20:57 03/19/07 Patch for VM crashes and possible freeze

ESX-2158032 11:22:40 03/19/07 Add LFENCE for RWO on AMD K8 before RevF

ESX-5031800 11:23:38 03/19/07 RHSA-2006:0749 tar security update

ESX-5885387 11:24:35 03/19/07 RedHat Moderate: gzip security update

ESX-6856573 11:25:35 03/19/07 PhysMem_Get() accesses wrong pages

ESX-9986131 11:26:55 03/19/07 Updated openssh, python, and openssl

ESX-3199476 11:28:09 03/19/07 VMXNET shutdown may lead to BSOD

vmware -v gives:

VMware ESX Server 3.0.1 build-39823

VI client gives:

VMware ESX Server, 3.0.1, 34176

[MarkBK]

I just built a new host and came up with the same thing. I went with numerical order for the patching sequence.

VC reports version 34176.

Installed software bundles:

\---- Name \---- --- Install Date --- --- Summary ---

3.0.1-32039 08:28:52 03/26/07 Full 3.0.1 release of VMware ESX Server

ESX-1006511 15:11:28 03/29/07 Fixing TX hang in 80003ES2LAN Controller

ESX-1410076 15:15:43 03/29/07 BSOD 0x109 during 64-bit Windows install

ESX-2031037 15:16:34 03/29/07 To provide LUN an unique ID Name

ESX-2066306 15:17:19 03/29/07 Patch for VM crashes and possible freeze

ESX-2092658 15:18:36 03/29/07 SNMP agent returns full VM config file.

ESX-2158032 15:20:03 03/29/07 Add LFENCE for RWO on AMD K8 before RevF

ESX-3199476 15:21:17 03/29/07 VMXNET shutdown may lead to BSOD

ESX-5031800 15:22:25 03/29/07 RHSA-2006:0749 tar security update

ESX-5885387 15:23:20 03/29/07 RedHat Moderate: gzip security update

ESX-6856573 15:24:26 03/29/07 PhysMem_Get() accesses wrong pages

vmware -v

VMware ESX Server 3.0.1 build-39823

[ANSA]

I think that's the issue here. It is not in numerical order, but rather by the DATE in which the patch was deployed by VMware.

I tried installing the patches in my lab in reverse order - by date - and I ended up with two versions as well. I still stand to be corrected on my thesis.

[fdouma]

I have consistently installed patches by numerical order.

That being said, I get the same release number, 39823, out of both vmware -v and VC using this methodology.

Just another data point plus a bonus rant.

[Lfrisino]

I just applied the 5 latest patches (3/29/07) and the build from the CLI is "VMware ESX Server 3.0.1 build-42368" and the build from Virtual Center is "34176". That is with all of the Security and Critical (and just a few general) in the correct order. Here is the output from 'esxupdate -l query':

Installed software bundles:

\---- Name \---- --- Install Date --- --- Summary ---

3.0.1-32039 04:54:12 03/28/07 Full 3.0.1 release of VMware ESX Server

ESX-2158032 12:50:46 03/29/07 Add LFENCE for RWO on AMD K8 before RevF

ESX-1410076 12:55:26 03/29/07 BSOD 0x109 during 64-bit Windows install

ESX-1006511 12:56:52 03/29/07 Fixing TX hang in 80003ES2LAN Controller

ESX-9986131 12:58:23 03/29/07 Updated openssh, python, and openssl

ESX-8173580 13:01:00 03/29/07 Fix COS Oops running Dell OM5 w/ QLogic

ESX-2066306 13:02:22 03/29/07 Patch for VM crashes and possible freeze

ESX-6075798 13:04:29 03/29/07 Force vmxnet module to be installed 1st.

ESX-1271657 13:06:31 03/29/07 Open IPMI improvement for slowness.

ESX-6856573 13:07:59 03/29/07 PhysMem_Get() accesses wrong pages

ESX-5885387 13:13:00 03/29/07 RedHat Moderate: gzip security update

ESX-5031800 13:17:28 03/29/07 RHSA-2006:0749 tar security update

ESX-3199476 13:19:28 03/29/07 VMXNET shutdown may lead to BSOD

ESX-1541239 11:16:59 04/04/07 Updates Emulex Fibre Channel driver.

ESX-2257739 11:19:37 04/04/07 To deliver several fixes in vmkernel.

ESX-2559638 11:23:11 04/04/07 Update info rpm for ESX 3.0.1.

ESX-1161870 11:27:37 04/04/07 Several bug fixes in vmware-vmx.

ESX-3416571 11:28:29 04/04/07 Potential Buffer Overflow.

ESX-5011126 11:29:17 04/04/07 Potential Buffer Overflow.

ESX-7737432 11:30:09 04/04/07 Potential Buffer Overflow.

ESX-7780490 11:30:59 04/04/07 Potential Buffer Overflow.

ESX-9916286 11:34:57 04/04/07 To update zlib library for ESX 3.0.1

VMware needs to list the specific order of patches that need to be applied.