Deploy ESXi updates without update manager

[Analog_Kid]

These are probably newbie questions but I find getting documentation from

the VMware site tedious at times.

1, I need to update a an old 5.1 host to 5.5 update 3. Since this host had the vcenter VM on it, I cannot use Update Manager.

   Can't I get a bootable ISO to do this? The ones I found on the site don't work.

2, Is it actually possible to fire off the updates from vcenter update manager even though the server will get shut down in Maint. mode.

Thanks in advance

[IRIX201110141]

If you download a ESXi 5.5u3 Install CD from vmware.com or from your Server Vendor like DellEMC you can always boot from this ISO and the ESXi installer detects an existing ESXi installation and ask you if you wanna upgrade or perform new install. Just select "upgrade".

If you wanna do upgrading on the command line iam not sure if there was a *.zip available like 5.1update5.5 or so. I have something in mind but after 5 years i cant remember.

Please take notice that 5.5 runs out of support in 10/2018.

No, you cant apply updates trough VUM and than initiate the installing later directly on the hosts. There is an option for "staging" the patches but its not possible for all kind of patches and its not working in that way.

If youre on 5.5 you can upgrade trough the internet

esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e true -r httpClient
esxcli software profile update -p ESXi-5.5.0-20180904001-standard -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml
esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e false -r httpClient

Regards,

Joerg

[kenbshinn]

Yes, You can get an bootable .ISO and either put it on a USB Drive or a CD. You would need to power down the host, boot from that media, and go through the installation process. During the process you will get a message about it detecting a previous version of ESXi, and you should be able to perform the upgrade.

[Analog_Kid]

Thanks so much for the reply.

The host is actually at 5.1. Yeah I know. I am updating to 5.5 U3 for now and then 6.x in a couple of months.

I tried to use the CLI but once I am in, I cannot type anything in the window so I gave up there.

I may just have to export the VM to another system by the looks of it.

Thanks again,

Jerry

[Analog_Kid]

Thanks.

Yes that was an issue I was seeing. I have several 5.5 versions of the ISO.

Apparently only 1 variation is bootable and the others are for use with Update Manager.

And after I get to 5.5 U3, I still need to patch which will again be a problem.

I need to move this vCenter off these hosts altogether. My bad there.

Thanks,

Jerry

[IRIX201110141]

No. The ISO which you can import into VUM is the SAME as you would use for a Installation from CDROM.

About later patching.... i have shown up how to patch a ESXi from command line. There is a difference in patching and upgrading.

Just visit https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/details?downloadGroup=ESXI55U3B&productId=353&rPId=28716 

and i can see a 5.5u3b Install ISO and there is also a Update *.zip.

But iam unsure about the *.zip if you can use it for an upgrade from 5.1 to 5.5.x. I think is for updating an 5.5.x to 5.5.latest.

Here is an  VMware Knowledge Base  for upgrading ESXi from 5.0 to 5.5. A lots of different ways.

Regards,

Joerg