Updating 3.5 to 3.51

[rshah1]

hi,

I am relatively new to vmware so please bear with me:

What is the easiest way to do an update from version 3.5 to 3.5.1? I do not have an update server set up right now and while I figure that out, how can I do this manually?

thanks,

[Kahonu]

By 3.51, I assume you mean 3.5 Update 1. I would think the quickest and easiest way would be from an ISO.

[rshah1]

yes that is what I meant.

So you are saying that you are able to upgrade using a the new ISO to install over the previous version? I already have a VM running and everything.. wouldn't that be a little risky?

[Kahonu]

I went from 3.02 to 3.5U1 twice via ISO, and they were the most boring and uneventful upgrades I have ever done. If you have your VMs backed up, I wouldn't sweat it.

[rshah1]

When you have a chance can you please breakdown how you did the upgrade step by step? thanks,

[Kahonu]

Really nothing to it. This is what i did.

Back up the VMs

Take an image of your ESX server.

Down VMs and boot from the ISO.

Go thru upgrade (hit Next about 17 times).

Reboot.

[rshah1]

thanks..

i've never done this before so how did you backup the VMs and take an image of the server?

is this done through the infrastructure client?

[scerazy]

In my case VMs on SAN, so did not bother to back them up specifically for the upgrade, just vmotioned all VM to other host, shutdown host to be upgraded, disconnected FC.

Took image of the ESX 3.0x host with Ghost4Linux

Booted ISO, next, next, netx....

Rebooted

Booted ISO, next, next, netx....

Rebooted

ESX 3.5U1 works fine

Done all updates with esx-autopatch.pl

Moved back VMs, so the second host can be updated as well

[KyawH]

Updating ESX 3.5 to 3.5 U1 is as easy as installing the latest patches available from VMware. It is especially so easy if you already have Virtual Center 2.5 and have Update Manager configured. It will update the ESX server to the build number which is the same as what is available on VMware website. I have done this many times just recently. No issues. No drama. No VMotion, No backup. Just patch it as it is. It'll just be fine.

[scerazy]

No Vmotion? That is really odd, as the host needs to be rebooted after this (and many other) updates

Seb

[KyawH]

All the servers I have updated never have to be rebooted. So there you go.