Upgrade ESXi 3.5 to vSphere - Updated: Standalone Upgrade Zip File Needed for vSphere Host Update Utility

[s1xth]

I have a test environment of four ESXi hosts, (used for testing etc) and they are all managed with just the vmware infrastructure client, i do not have a copy of vcenter for these servers. Can I still upgrade to vSphere? If so how is this done? I havent seen much on this process without vcenter.

Thanks!

[s1xth]

Nevermind I answered my own question! Hot Update utility which is included on the vsphere client install....

[dab]

From where did you got the needed Upgrade-Zip-File?

Have you already done the upgrade?

[s1xth]

Soooo weird you just posted that question! I am actually at this point now...i need the upgrade file!! Anyone know where you can download that from?

[Ilia_shapira]

Same question here !

I can download the full install iso file , but where can I get the upgrade zip file ???

[Dave_Mishchenko]

The download page should show an upgrade ZIP file, but the VI host update utility will download it for you just as patches with for ESXi 3.5. http://www.vm-help.com/vm-help/esx40i/ESXi40_upgrade_without_virtualcenter.php

[s1xth]

I think we r all wondering the same thing!!

Sent from my Nokia phone

[admin]

Here's the link to upgrade guide:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf

VMware-GSS,

VMware Communities User Moderator

[dab]

Dave, your link should be:

You show the needed file on your first screenshot. Where did you download it?

Can you put it anywhere where we can download it? I think this should not really be a problem with VMware, because everybody can download the ISO-File but not this damn ZIP-File ...

Thanks, from sunny Switzerland

[Dave_Mishchenko]

Sorry that should be http://www.vm-help.com/esx40i/ESXi40_upgrade_without_virtualcenter.php.

The zip is 274 MB and I was able to download it last night. When you login to download ESXi do you see an option for both the ISO and upgrade zip?

[dab]

If you do not have active SnS for ESXi you get this error: "Sorry, at the moment you are not authorized to download VMware ESXi 4 Installable."

From the normal ESXi download page that you get with your free serial if you register for ESXi4 you get only the download link for the ISOX-(

[s1xth]

Yeppers no upgrade zip file that we all need...

Sent from my Nokia phone

[Formatter]

Any luck yet s1xth? I will put it up on my web page if someone gets it to me.

[s1xth]

Nothing yet man... I just got out of the theater from seeing the new terminator movie. finally took a short day!! I just got back to my desk and I am going to take a look around more to see what I can find, but so far I don't see the upgrade link yet.

Sent from my Nokia phone

[Formatter]

I can't find it anywhere either...

[s1xth]

I just want to post what I posted over in the Esxi forum in reponse to another thread....

When I go to the vsphere download page I checked under all of the download plus's and I dont see anything for update version. I dont have a SNS agreement for my esxi install. When I try to download anything under any of the pacakages (aka essentials esxi or esx) it says I dont have a valid serial number for this product.

Will ESXi users need to re-register their software and get new serials? I have looked everywhere and cant seem to find anything. Does it ask for a new serial after updating the host? From what I am reading I dont understand how this is going to work for us ESXi users that are standalone, will the current serials we have work, or will we need to re-register, and since "I" dont have SNS contract, how will I gain access to this upgrade....

Thanks!!!!!!

Formatter- someone over in the esxi forums says they have the file and may post it, look for the post that I replied in, should be towards the top.

[dab]

You can register your old (3.5) or new (4) serial there is no change :smileyangry: You where not eligible to download this package without SnS. I think VMware like to loose customers, because if I've to reinstall my ESXi I can also install XEN, Hyper-V or KVM!

[s1xth]

abeggled- If this is true, WOW. What a bomb to drop on people that dont need SNS and want to upgrade their servers. How can they JUSTIFY that? And where the heck in all of their documentation does it say anything about this? Come on vmware, you want to push your product against everyone else, and bash the competition but you wont let your current install base of esxi users upgrade to 4.0 without formatting completed or buying a ridculous support package to get a UPGRADE file!??!?!?!

Someone PLEASE post this file!!

[admin]

For ESXi, the upgrade to ESXi 4.0 preserves almost all configuration data, including your networking, security,

and storage configuration. The only configuration not preserved is related to licensing, because a new ESXi 4.0

license is required after the upgrade. Therefore you will need to register for a free license key to license the product.

https://www.vmware.com/tryvmware/?p=esxi

Upgrade Guide:

https://www.vmware.com/pdf/vsphere4/r40/vsp_40_upgrade_guide.pdf

VMware-GSS,

VMware Communities User Moderator

[dab]

And where the heck in all of their documentation does it say anything about this?

Nowhere - in the docs there is only a reference to copy the ZIP-File Upgradepackage to the vSphere Host Update Utility folder ...

And all the folks with SnS have panic to distribute the file ...