Tonight’s Post is going to go through the process of removing that particular VMware vib that’s prohibiting you from your ESXi installation. Earlier today I received an error stating that I had 2 vibs that were not compatible, so since its been a while since I customized an ISO image I decided to document the process. This whole process will done via PowerCLI.
- Download the ESXi.zip file from VMware. (Note you will need the .zip file, not the .iso)
- Download any additional offline bundle(s) from the 3rd party vendors
- Use the PowerCLI to remove the VIBs that are not needed.
- Save/Export the resultant Image Profile as a custom ISO file.
- Use the custom ISO to install new ESXi hosts.
So Here we go,
Verify that your working with PowerCLI 6.5 and you have the Image builder components installed
PowerCLI C:\> get-powercliversion
PowerCLI Version
VMware PowerCLI 6.5 Release 1 build 4624819
Component Versions
VMWare ImageBuilder PowerCLI Component 6.5 build 4561891
Add your Software previously downloaded
PowerCLI C:\> Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl C:\ESXi6\VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5-Bundle.zip
Depot Url
zip:C:\ESXi6\VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5-Bundle.zip?index.xml
Locate the name of your Profile just added
PowerCLI C:\> Get-EsximageProfile | Select Name,Vendor
Name Vendor
VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5 Cisco
Next we need to clone the Profile so we can have a writable copy to modify I chose ESXiMod6.0U2 as my Profile name, note the name is case sensitive
PowerCLI C:\> New-EsxImageProfile -CloneProfile VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5 -Name ESXiMod6.0U2 -vendor realindustryknowledge
Name Vendor Last Modified Acceptance Level
ESXiMod6.0U2 realindustry… 9/4/2018 5:4… PartnerSupported
Next we will create the Software Depot
PowerCLI C:\> Add-EsxSoftwareDepot -DepotUrl C:\ESXi6\VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5-Bundle.zip
Depot Url
zip:C:\ESXi6\VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5-Bundle.zip?index.xml
Now we need to see all the associated vibs included inside our bundle, so we can identify which ones to remove. Yes I know the out put has been shortened in efforts to save screen realistate.
PowerCLI C:\> Get-EsxSoftwarePackage -SoftwareDepot C:\ESXi6\VMware-ESXi-6.0.0-9313334-Custom-Cisco-6.0.3.5-Bundle.zip
Name Version Vendor Creation Date
sata-sata-sil 2.3-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585 VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
scsi-ips 7.12.05-4vmw.600.0.0.2494585 VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
ehci-ehci-hcd 1.0-4vmw.600.3.69.5572656 VMware 5/17/2017 11:…
net-bnx2 2.2.6b.v60.2-1OEM.600.0.0.2… QLogic 11/25/2016 2:…
esx-xserver 6.0.0-3.76.6856897 VMware 10/10/2017 5:…
esx-base 6.0.0-3.100.9313334 VMware 7/27/2018 1:4…
sata-sata-promise 2.12-3vmw.600.0.0.2494585 VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
misc-cnic-register 1.713.30.v60.1-1OEM.600.0.0… QLogic 10/21/2016 4:…
scsi-qla4xxx 5.01.03.2-7vmw.600.0.0.2494585 VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
rste 2.0.2.0088-4vmw.600.0.0.249… VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
block-cciss 3.6.14-10vmw.600.0.0.2494585 VMware 2/6/2015 2:37…
xhci-xhci 1.0-3vmw.600.3.69.5572656 VMware 5/17/2017 11:…
net-bnx2x 2.713.30.v60.8-1OEM.600.0.0… QLogic 5/17/2017 3:1…
cpu-microcode 6.0.0-3.100.9313334 VMware 7/27/2018 1:4…
esx-ui 1.30.1-9210157 VMware 7/18/2018 6:0…
scsi-bnx2fc 1.713.30.v60.6-1OEM.600.0.0… QLogic 5/17/2017 3:1…
net-igb 5.3.3-1OEM.600.0.0.2494585 INT 12/21/2016 9:…
In this example we’ll say the net-igb vib is the trouble maker here and remove it, note you have to specify a vendor
PowerCLI C:\> Remove-EsxSoftwarePackage -SoftwarePackage net-igb -imageProfile ESXiMod6.0U2 -vendor realindustryknowledge
Name Vendor Last Modified Acceptance Level
ESXiMod6.0U2 realindustry… 9/25/2018 11… PartnerSupported
Now we’ll create a variable to hold the results of our Profile and check to make sure that pesky vib has been removed, we will use our imagination here
PowerCLI C:\> $ESX = Get-EsxImageProfile -name ESXiMod6.0U2
PowerCLI C:\> $ESX.viblist
Once you verify the vib no longer with us, now were ready to export our Image
Note: Remember to provide the .iso at the end of your file name
PowerCLI C:\> Export-EsxImageProfile -ImageProfile ESXiMod6.0U2 -FilePath C:\ESXi6\ESXiMod6.0U2.iso -exporttoIso
Now you should be good to go