ESXi USB Key Update Failed

[Kimik]

We've bought some 380G5's with 3i USB key preinstalled, however a VMware Update has killed the key and it no longer boots. The "dual bank firmware" feature doesn't work either. Anybody know if the key has a factory reset? Not the ESX rollback to defaults, but some other way to do it offline. Or what's the support status with ESXi - HP or VMWARE to support?

It is this exact issue. Others with HP 380 G5's have the same problem.

http://communities.vmware.com/message/1044455

[Jorgen Stenberg]

Hi Kimik,

We are having exactly the same problems on our BL460c. Last friday (081003) we have been informed that HP has a known problem with some of their USB-keys. The USB-keys mentioned is green coloured. HP will have a replacment program for this USB-keys. So maybe you can contact the HP Support to have your Keys replaced if you having green ones.

Regards
Jorgen

[Kimik]

Yep we have the green Keys. HP sent me a recovery ISO that installed factory ESX 3.5U2 onto them. The downside I didn't have a chance to copy the license key off them beforehand. But as we're enterprise is doesn't matter - the license server fixes it.

VMWARE told me don't use VUM for OEM Keys, and HP told me to use VUM !

[Jannie Hanekom]

Had the same problem. The green keys are definitely problematic. In our case the actual flash memory itself seems to be defective, it's as if portions had become "read-only". We were not even able to re-image it using the ESXi recovery CD.

HP have published an advisory on this on 13 November: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=c01605187

If you have a key with a green aliminium casing, you can have it replaced by logging a standard warranty call with your HP support provider.

[jerome7]

Hello

Have you got an answer for your question ?
To update Esxi on flash drives, We have to use VUM ? or something else ?

Thanks

[Jannie Hanekom]

I've been using VMware Update Manager successfully since day 1 to update my HP OEM ESXi USB keys.

[Anghel Cosmin]

hello ... i have the same problem but can't seem to contact hp to send me the recovery iso ... how did you do it ... please help ... i'm desperate

[Kimik]

you'll need to read this:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=115&prodSeriesId=1121586&prodTypeId=15351&objectID=c01605187


good luck!

[Kimik]

Oh sorry that's already posted..

Um, the URL I was given to get the ISO is no longer available.

[Anghel Cosmin]

unfortunately i read that but tehnical support from romania doesn't seem to care :( ... or we don't have support for proliants ... anyway ... i am asked if the server has software support.
this is a known issue and i don't know if i need software support for this :( ... do you have any ideea about this?

[Jannie Hanekom]

Anghel, if I may make a suggestion, try to log a software support call. Where I am (South Africa), the ProLiant hardware guys were not particularly clued-up on the VMware side.

VMware is usually dealt with by another team, so we usually get better luck if we log a software call explicitly. The trick is usually to try to get them to log a call without a serial number - as soon as you provide a serial number, things tend to go south, since the guy that categorises the call just has one thing on his brain: this is a hardware call. If you bought VMware licenses from HP, log the call under the SAID for the services on those licenses.

Even so, I still struggled for several weeks to get the image; I eventually nagged one of my contacts at HP when she returned from leave, and she sorted it out for me.