Customizing an Install ISO

[efranzen]

I'm trying to add a newer enic driver to a custom offline bundle. I entered the following commands, but when I run the remove software package command is looks successful, in fact it errors if I run it a second time.

But, when I run Get-EsxSoftwarePackage, it's still listed and I get an "Cannot merge VIBS" error message when trying add the newer software package.

1. Connect-viserver myvcenter

2. Add-EsxSoftwareDepot Foo-Custom-Cisco.zip

3. New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile "Foo-Custom-Cisco" “Foo-custom-Mine” -vendor Custom

Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -Vendor "Cisco" -CreatedAfter 1/1/2010

I can see the custom Cisco enic package.

I run Remove-EsxSoftwarePackage -ImageProfile "Foo-Custom-Mine" -SoftwarePackage net-enic

Running Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -Vendor "Cisco" -CreatedAfter 1/1/2010 again still shows the Cisco enic driver

When I run Add-EsxSoftwareDepot I get the following error:

Cannot merge VIBs

<package name> with unequal payloads

Any ideas what I'm missing.

Also, the notes say to run connect-viserver. Why, does this modify something within the vCenter?

Thanks,

Ernie

[peetz]

Hi Ernie,

here are some answers and thoughts:

1. There is no need to connect to a vCenter server if you just want to use the ImageBuilder cmdlets for customizing an ESXi image.

2. Get-EsxSoftwarePackage lists all packages that are available in connected Online depots and Offline bundles (like the Foo-Custom-Cisco.zip that you added). You have removed one VIB from your custom Imageprofile, but you cannot remove it from the bundle. This is why it's still listed.

To make your task simpler I suggest that you use my ESXi-Customizer-PS script that greatly simplifies the process of creating customized ESXi images.

Regards

Andreas