In this entry, I illustrate the patching VMware 3.0.0, we will patch ESX-1006511 package into our VMware ESX 3.0.0 server using CLI. Make sure your ESX host is running in maintenance mode. Proceed as following to extract the file:
  • Log in to the ESX Server service console, then “su -” to pass to root.
  • Create a local depot directory.
# mkdir /var/updates
Note: VMware recommends that you use this updates directory location.
  • Change your working directory to /var/updates.
    • # cd /var/updates
  • Download the VMware ESX patches under format tar from VMware website into the /var/updates directory.
  • Verify the integrity of the downloaded tar file.
# md5sum ESX-1006511.tgz The md5 checksum output should match the following:efa86b4e30e7700e186c8040fde93381 ESX-1006511.tgz
  • Extract the compressed tar archive.
# tar -xvzf ESX-1006511.tgz
  • Change to the newly created directory /var/updates/ESX-1006511.
# cd ESX-1006511

Installation Instructions

Once you have downloaded and extracted the archive, and if you are in the directory you created above, install the update using the following command: # esxupdate update If you want patching VMware ESX host from patches coming from another location, for example patch depots/repositories, you need to create the patch depot before patching.
Create VMware patch depots/repositories
Patch Depot can be set up on web, ftp Linux/Windows server. Create the depot directory you want to keep patches. Download patches from VMware website and uncompress patches into different patch names. Then run this command: # esxupdate -r file://<host_depot_name>/ESX-2221 update for example our VMware patching depot ftp server name slx002 # esxupdate –r file:///slx002/var/updates/ESX-221 update During the update process, logs appear on the terminal. You can specify the verbosity of esxupdate logs by using the -v option as shown below. # esxupdate -v 10 file://slx002/ESX-221 update Captures
Below is the capture of patching the ESX-2221.tgz on our VMware ESX 3.0.0 server:
[root@vsesx008 updates]# md5sum ESX-2221.tgz
c2e37a178776f9fc1c066e70d19363e4  ESX-2221.tgz
[root@vsesx008 updates]# tar -xvzf ESX-2221.tgz
ESX-2221/
ESX-2221/descriptor.xml
ESX-2221/VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000-7.0.33-34124.i386.rpm
ESX-2221/vmware-hwdata-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
ESX-2221/vmware-hwdata-legacy-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
ESX-2221/headers/
ESX-2221/headers/header.info
ESX-2221/headers/VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000-0-7.0.33-34124.i386.hdr
ESX-2221/headers/vmware-hwdata-0-1.00-6vmw.noarch.hdr
ESX-2221/headers/vmware-hwdata-legacy-0-1.00-6vmw.noarch.hdr
ESX-2221/headers/VMware-esx-scripts-0-3.0.0-34330.i386.hdr
ESX-2221/VMware-esx-scripts-3.0.0-34330.i386.rpm
[root@vsesx008 updates]# cd ESX-2221
[root@vsesx008 ESX-2221]# ls
descriptor.xml
headers
VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000-7.0.33-34124.i386.rpm
VMware-esx-scripts-3.0.0-34330.i386.rpm
vmware-hwdata-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
vmware-hwdata-legacy-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
[root@vsesx008 ESX-2221]# ls
descriptor.xml
headers
VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000-7.0.33-34124.i386.rpm
VMware-esx-scripts-3.0.0-34330.i386.rpm
vmware-hwdata-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
vmware-hwdata-legacy-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
[root@vsesx008 ESX-2221]# esxupdate update
INFO: No repository URL specified, going with file:/var/updates/ESX-2221
INFO: Configuring...
INFO: Pre-installing ['VMware-esx-scripts', 'vmware-hwdata', 'vmware-hwdata-legacy']...
INFO: | Gathering header information file(s) from server(s)
INFO: | Server: Esxupdate-compatible repository for VMware ESX Server ESX-2221
INFO: | Finding updated packages
INFO: | Downloading needed headers
INFO: | vmware-hwdata-0-1.00-6vmw 100% |=========================| 6.4 kB    00:00
INFO: | VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1 100% |=========================|  940 B    00:00
INFO: | VMware-esx-scripts-0-3.0. 100% |=========================| 4.7 kB    00:00
INFO: | vmware-hwdata-legacy-0-1. 100% |=========================| 6.6 kB    00:00
INFO: | Resolving dependencies
INFO: | Dependencies resolved
INFO: | I will do the following:
INFO: | [install: vmware-hwdata-legacy 1.00-6vmw.noarch]
INFO: | [update: vmware-hwdata 1.00-6vmw.noarch]
INFO: | [update: VMware-esx-scripts 3.0.0-34330.i386]
INFO: | Downloading Packages
INFO: | Getting vmware-hwdata-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
INFO: | Getting vmware-hwdata-legacy-1.00-6vmw.noarch.rpm
INFO: | Getting VMware-esx-scripts-3.0.0-34330.i386.rpm
INFO: | Running test transaction:
INFO: | Test transaction complete, Success!
INFO: | vmware-hwdata 100 % done 1/5
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pci.xml...
INFO: | writing /etc/vmware/pci.xml.merged
INFO: | Creating new /etc/vmware/pci.ids file...
INFO: | Creating new /etc/vmware/pcitable file...
INFO: | Creating new /etc/vmware/pcitable.Linux file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/vmware-devices.map file...
INFO: | vmware-hwdata-legacy 100 % done 2/5
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pci.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/3c90x.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/3c990.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/BusLogic.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/DAC960.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aacraid.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aacraid_esx30.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/acenic.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/adp94xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aic79xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aic7xxx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/asa72xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/bnx2.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/cciss.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/e100.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/e1000.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/gdth.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/ide.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/ips.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/lpfcdd_732.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/lpfcdd_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/megaraid2.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/megaraid_sas.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/mptscsi.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/mptscsi_2xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/pcnet32.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2200_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2300_707.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2300_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla4010.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla4022.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/sata.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/tg3.xml...
INFO: | writing /etc/vmware/pci.xml.merged
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pci.ids file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pcitable file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pcitable.Linux file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/vmware-devices.map file...
INFO: | VMware-esx-scripts 100 % done 3/5
INFO: | Completing update for vmware-hwdata  - 4/5
INFO: | Completing update for VMware-esx-scripts  - 5/5
INFO: | Installed:  vmware-hwdata-legacy 1.00-6vmw.noarch
INFO: | Updated:  vmware-hwdata 1.00-6vmw.noarch VMware-esx-scripts 3.0.0-34330.i386
INFO: | Transaction(s) Complete        INFO: Restarting /usr/sbin/esxupdate...

INFO: Preparing to install VMware ESX Server ESX-2221...
INFO: Running yum install <1 packages>...
INFO: | Gathering header information file(s) from server(s)
INFO: | Server: Esxupdate-compatible repository for VMware ESX Server ESX-2221
INFO: | Finding updated packages
INFO: | Downloading needed headers
INFO: | Resolving dependencies
INFO: | Dependencies resolved
INFO: | I will do the following:
INFO: | [update: VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000 7.0.33-34124.i386]
INFO: | Downloading Packages
INFO: | Getting VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000-7.0.33-34124.i386.rpm
INFO: | Running test transaction:
INFO: | Test transaction complete, Success!
INFO: | VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000 100 % done 1/2
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pci.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/e1000.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/3c90x.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/3c990.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/BusLogic.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/DAC960.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aacraid.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aacraid_esx30.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/acenic.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/adp94xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aic79xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/aic7xxx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/asa72xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/bnx2.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/cciss.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/e100.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/gdth.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/ide.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/ips.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/lpfcdd_732.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/lpfcdd_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/megaraid2.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/megaraid_sas.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/mptscsi.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/mptscsi_2xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/pcnet32.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2200_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2300_707.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla2300_7xx.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla4010.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/qla4022.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/sata.xml...
INFO: | loading /etc/vmware/pciid/legacy/tg3.xml...
INFO: | writing /etc/vmware/pci.xml.merged
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pci.ids file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pcitable file...
INFO: | Replacing /etc/vmware/pcitable.Linux file...
INFO: | Creating new /etc/vmware/vmware-devices.map file...
INFO: | Completing update for VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000  - 2/2
INFO: | Updated:  VMware-esx-drivers-net-e1000 7.0.33-34124.i386
INFO: | Transaction(s) Complete
INFO: Running esxcfg-boot to regenerate initrds...
INFO: --- TOTALS: 4 packages installed, 0 pending or failed, 0 excluded ---
INFO: Install succeeded - please standby for reboot.
INFO: Rebooting in 5 seconds...
Broadcast message from root (pts/0) (Fri Feb  1 00:09:18 2008):
The system is going down for reboot NOW!
[root@vsesx008 ESX-2221]#
Notes:
1. After patching ESX-3083826, ESX-3198250, ESX-5754280, we lose the licenses (/usr/lib/vmware/hostd/vmware-hostd). Do what necessary to recover licenses.