Back Up the ESX Host Configuration
Back up the files in the /etc/passwd, /etc/groups, /etc/shadow, and /etc/gshadow directories.
The /etc/shadow and /etc/gshadow files might not be present on all installations.
Back up .vmx files.
Back Up the ESXi Host Configuration
Install the vSphere CLI.
In the vSphere CLI, run the vicfg-cfgbackup command with the -s flag to save the host configuration to
a specified backup filename.
vicfg-cfgbackup –server <ESXi-host-ip> –portnumber <port_number> –protocol
<protocol_type> –username username –password <password> -s <backup-filename>
Add the Host to be Upgraded. Select Upgrade Host.
Browse to the ESX/ESXi Update ISO. Select Next.
Agree to User License. Click Next.
Enter the Host admin account info. Click Next.
Specify the Console VMDK size. Click Next.
Select Post-Upgrade Options. Click Next.
Click Finish.
Wait for the upgrade…
Click OK after the upgrade has finished.
Postupgrade
Use the License Portal and the vSphere Client to assign licensing.
After the ESX/ESXi upgrade, you must convert LUN masking to the claim rule format. To do this, run the
esxcli corestorage claimrule convert command in the vSphere Command-Line Interface. This
command converts the /adv/Disk/MaskLUNs advanced configuration entry in esx.conf to claim rules with
MASK_PATH as the plug-in.
See the vSphere Command-Line Interface Installation and Reference Guide.
Restore vSphere Web Access on ESX Hosts.
NOTE: vSphere Web Access is not supported on ESXi hosts.
Log in to the ESX host using root privileges.
Type the command to check whether the Web Access service is running.
service vmware-webAccess status
A message appears that says whether the service is running.
(Optional) If vSphere Web Access is not running, type the command to start Web Access.
service vmware-webAccess start
Clean Up the ESX Bootloader Menu After Upgrade
This procedure is applicable only if you left the default rollback option enabled when you performed the
upgrade. If you deselected the rollback option, this procedure is not applicable. Only a system administrator
can perform this optional procedure.
Before executing this script, make sure that you have copied all required data from the legacy ESX mount
points under /esx3-installation.
In the ESX 4.0 service console, run the cleanup-esx3 command with the optional -f (force) flag.
If you omit the -f flag, the software prompts you to confirm that you want to disable the ability to roll
back to the ESX 3.x.
(Optional) Reboot the host.
While the server is powering on, verify that the bootloader menu does not include an option for ESX
3.x.
The cleanup-esx3 script removes the following files
and references from the ESX 4.0 host:
ESX 3.x references in the /etc/fstab directory
ESX 3.x boot files in the /boot directory
The rollback-to-esx3 script in the /usr/sbin/ directory
Upgrade VMware Tools
Upgrade Virtual Hardware
When you upgrade from virtual hardware version 3 to version 7, the upgrade is irreversible, even if you
take a virtual machine backup or snapshot before performing the upgrade. When you upgrade from virtual
hardware version 4 to version 7 the upgrade is reversible if you take a virtual machine backup or snapshot
before performing the upgrade.
Upgrade Virtual Machine NIC Drivers
Note the IP configuration of the Virtual Machine before upgrading the drivers.
In the virtual machine properties, add a new network adapter of the type VMXNET3 and attach it to the same port group/dvPort group as the first network adapter.
Remove the first/original network adapter.
Power on the virtual machine. When the guest operating system is fully booted, log in and recreate the network configuration. Windows may report an error that the network configuration is already used by a different adapter, but proceed anyway.
From a Command Prompt in the Virtual Machine.
Set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc
Click view – show hidden devices
Remove the drivers for the old network adapter.