If you don't have a commercial VMware license, and instead are using a trial, free, or EVALExperience ESXi 6.0 or ESXi 6.0 Update 1, you won't be able to easily download the 6.0 Update 1b ISO directly. You're not entitled. Silly, I know. Worry not though, since this article has you covered. Takes about 10 minutes total. Basically you paste two commands, wait for the automated download and patch process, then finish up with a host reboot.
FYI, you are supposed to update your venter Server Appliance (vCSA) before you update your ESXi hosts, VMware explains how here, and William Lam here. I will also try to do a separate article about vCSA updating to 6.0U1b soon, meanwhile, the manual upgrade technique I showed last time around should work just fine:
The command syntax was easily figured out, thanks to prior work by Andreas Peetz and William Lam!
These steps have been tested, and work great in my home lab. Before you begin, you'll need to carefully review William Lam's warning:
Disclaimer: This method assumes you can install the default ESXi Image Profile with no additional drivers or packages, else you may have connectivity issue after the upgrade. If you still need to customize the ESXi Image Profile before installation, you will still need to use something like Image Builder and then upload that to your online depot.
...and Andreas Peetz warning:
Important note: Before doing this please check whether you rely on one of the NIC drivers (e.g. Realtek) that were blacklisted in ESXi 6.0. You then need to carry out an additional step before doing the upgrade - see my earlier post (section 2) for details.
For my SuperServer Workstation, I didn't have to worry about VIBs: the stock drivers built into 6.0 are all I need to succeed. Even if I do need AHCI or NVMe VIBs in the future, I can just re-add such VIBs after similar future upgrades, or even inject them into a custom ISO.
Download and apply the 6.0 Update 1b patch directly from the VMware Online Depot
- Open an SSH session (PuTTY) to your ESXi 6.0 (or ESXi 6.0 Update 1) server
(if you forgot to enable SSH, here's how) - Put your system into maintenance mode, or ensure you've set your ESXi host to automatically gracefully shutdown all VMs upon host reboot
- Paste the following 2 commands (cut-and-paste one line at a time):
esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e true -r httpClient esxcli software profile update -p ESXi-6.0.0-20160104001-standard -d https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/PRODUCTION/main/vmw-depot-index.xml - Optionally, if you wish to return the firewall status to how it was before you began this procedure, paste:
esxcli network firewall ruleset set -e false -r httpClient - Type "reboot" and hit return (to restart your ESXi server). After it's booted, if you turned on maintenance mode earlier, remember to turn it back off. Good idea to test login and be sure everthing seems to be working right.
Special thanks to VMware ESXi Patch Tracker by Andreas Peetz at the VMware Front Experience Blog.
That's it! When the reboot is complete, you'll see for yourself that you now have the latest ESXi, Build 3380124, as pictured above. Now you have more spare time to read more TinkerTry articles!
By the way, you could use VMware Update Manager on a Windows system or VM, but for one-off upgrades typical in a small home lab, pasting these 2 lines of code is pretty easy.
Video
Alernative method (not really simpler, just different)
Update Jan 08 2016
Just in case it's of interest, right after my successful upgrade from ESXi 6.0 Update 1a to Update 1b, it echos all the VIBs that were installed, removed, and skipped. Figured I'd do a cut-and-paste for you, right from the PuTTY session you see pictured above. Just in case you're upgrade-curious, and wondering if your driver package would be touched.
If you do a Browser Ctrl+F for NVMe, you'll notice that there does seem to be a new NVMe driver listed below installed called:
VMware_bootbank_nvme_1.0e.0.35-1vmw.600.1.17.3029758
Should be interesting to see if performance has changed, see also the recent, closely-related TinkerTry article:
and many other NVMe articles.
Update Result:
Message: The update completed successfully, but the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to be effective.
Reboot Required: true
VIBs Installed:
VMware_bootbank_ehci-ehci-hcd_1.0-3vmw.600.1.26.3380124, VMware_bootbank_esx-base_6.0.0-1.26.3380124, VMware_bootbank_lsi-mr3_6.605.08.00-7vmw.600.1.17.3029758, VMware_bootbank_lsi-msgpt3_06.255.12.00-8vmw.600.1.17.3029758, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-mpt2sas-plugin_1.0.0-4vmw.600.1.17.3029758, VMware_bootbank_misc-drivers_6.0.0-1.26.3380124, VMware_bootbank_net-e1000e_3.2.2.1-1vmw.600.1.26.3380124, VMware_bootbank_net-tg3_3.131d.v60.4-2vmw.600.1.26.3380124, VMware_bootbank_nvme_1.0e.0.35-1vmw.600.1.17.3029758, VMware_bootbank_sata-ahci_3.0-22vmw.600.1.17.3029758, VMware_bootbank_vsanhealth_6.0.0-3000000.2.0.1.17.2972216, VMware_bootbank_xhci-xhci_1.0-3vmw.600.1.26.3380124, VMware_locker_tools-light_6.0.0-1.26.3380124
VIBs Removed:
VMware_bootbank_ehci-ehci-hcd_1.0-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_esx-base_6.0.0-0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_lsi-mr3_6.605.08.00-6vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lsi-msgpt3_06.255.12.00-7vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-mpt2sas-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_misc-drivers_6.0.0-0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_net-e1000e_2.5.4-6vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-tg3_3.131d.v60.4-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_nvme_1.0e.0.35-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-ahci_3.0-21vmw.600.0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_xhci-xhci_1.0-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_locker_tools-light_6.0.0-0.11.2809209
VIBs Skipped:
VMWARE_bootbank_mtip32xx-native_3.8.5-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-amd_0.3.10-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-atiixp_0.4.6-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-cmd64x_0.2.5-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-hpt3x2n_0.3.4-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-pdc2027x_1.0-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-serverworks_0.4.3-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-sil680_0.4.8-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ata-pata-via_0.3.3-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_block-cciss_3.6.14-10vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_cpu-microcode_6.0.0-0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_elxnet_10.2.309.6v-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_emulex-esx-elxnetcli_10.2.309.6v-0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_esx-dvfilter-generic-fastpath_6.0.0-0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_esx-tboot_6.0.0-0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_esx-xserver_6.0.0-0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ima-qla4xxx_2.02.18-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-devintf_39.1-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-msghandler_39.1-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ipmi-ipmi-si-drv_39.1-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lpfc_10.2.309.8-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lsu-hp-hpsa-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-lsi-mr3-plugin_1.0.0-2vmw.600.0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-lsi-msgpt3-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-megaraid-sas-plugin_1.0.0-2vmw.600.0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_lsu-lsi-mptsas-plugin_1.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_misc-cnic-register_1.78.75.v60.7-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-bnx2_2.2.4f.v60.10-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-bnx2x_1.78.80.v60.12-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-cnic_1.78.76.v60.13-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-e1000_8.0.3.1-5vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-enic_2.1.2.38-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-forcedeth_0.61-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-igb_5.0.5.1.1-5vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-ixgbe_3.7.13.7.14iov-20vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-mlx4-core_1.9.7.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-mlx4-en_1.9.7.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-nx-nic_5.0.621-5vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_net-vmxnet3_1.1.3.0-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_nmlx4-core_3.0.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_nmlx4-en_3.0.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_nmlx4-rdma_3.0.0.0-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_ohci-usb-ohci_1.0-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_qlnativefc_2.0.12.0-5vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_rste_2.0.2.0088-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-ata-piix_2.12-10vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-sata-nv_3.5-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-sata-promise_2.12-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-sata-sil24_1.1-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-sata-sil_2.3-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_sata-sata-svw_2.3-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-aacraid_1.1.5.1-9vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-adp94xx_1.0.8.12-6vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-aic79xx_3.1-5vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-bnx2fc_1.78.78.v60.8-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-bnx2i_2.78.76.v60.8-1vmw.600.0.11.2809209, VMware_bootbank_scsi-fnic_1.5.0.45-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-hpsa_6.0.0.44-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-ips_7.12.05-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-mbox_2.20.5.1-6vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-megaraid-sas_6.603.55.00-2vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-megaraid2_2.00.4-9vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-mpt2sas_19.00.00.00-1vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-mptsas_4.23.01.00-9vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-mptspi_4.23.01.00-9vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_scsi-qla4xxx_5.01.03.2-7vmw.600.0.0.2494585, VMware_bootbank_uhci-usb-uhci_1.0-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585
See also at TinkerTry
-
Download/Install or Upgrade VMware vCSA/ESXi 6.0 Update 1b
Jan 07 2015 -
VMware vSphere 6.0 is now generally available, here’s how to download it fast
Mar 12 2015 - Problems downloading VMware vSphere VMware vCenter Server 5.5 Update 1c Appliance
Aug 04 2014
More info for those who get the dreaded:You either are not entitled or do not have permissions to download this product.
Check with your My VMware Super User, Procurement Contact or Administrator.
See also
- [Upgrading ESXi itself is now possible with the new Embedded Host Client v4](Upgrading ESXi itself is now possible with the new Embedded Host Client v4)