VMware ESXi 4.1 to ESXi 5.0 Upgrade

It Is Time to Upgrade to vSphere 5!!!

This document presents the detailed steps to upgrade an ESXi 4.1 host to ESXi 5.0 host.

First of all let's download the ISO image for ESXi 5.0 from the VMware download site at

http://www.vmware.com/download/

To begin with shutdown the ESXi 4.1 host:

Press F12 in the logon screen using DCUI 

Press F2 to shutdown the host.

Shutdown in Progress...

Go to the BIOS option and mode CD-ROM drive as the Boot option 1.

 It's time to insert the ESXi 5.0 iso into the CD-Rom drive.

 ESXi 5.0 will start loading

Accept the license agreement by pressing F11 

 This would start scanning for available devices...

 Now select a disk to install or upgrade

  

 After selecting the disk, this would again start scanning the selected device.

If the installer finds an existing ESX or ESXi installation and VMFS datastore you can choose from the following options:

•          Upgrade ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore
•          Install ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore
•          Install ESXi, overwrite VMFS datastore

If an existing VMFS datastore cannot be preserved, you can choose only to install ESXi and overwrite the existing VMFS datastore, or to cancel the installation. If you choose to overwrite the existing VMFS datastore, back up the datastore first.

If the existing ESX or ESXi installation contains custom VIBs that are not included in the ESXi installer ISO, the option Upgrade ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore is replaced with Force Migrate ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore.

We always need to analyse our requirements carefully before selecting either of these options.In this case we have selected the first option to force migrate and preserve the VMFS data store, we would upgrade VMFS later on. Hit enter to proceed.

Now press F11 to Force Migrate.

 Fingers crossed! Upgrading to ESXi 5.0 In Progress...

 Bingo! Upgraded to ESXi 5.0 successfully!!!
Please hit enter to Reboot the host after upgrade.

 Now,the DCUI screen shows the expected upgraded version ESXi 5.0!

Well that's not the end of the story, we have to look into the options of upgrading to latest VMFS version. 

Lets Log on to VI Client 5.0 and select the ESXi Host, then select the Configuration tab and then select Storage from the Hardware section.

Now, to upgrade the datastore versions from VMFS 3.46 (for ESXi 4.1) to VMFS 5, simply select the datastore and click "Upgrade to VMFS 5..."

Please click OK in the warning popup for VMFS upgrade.

Now the File System format is displayed as VMFS 5.5.4!!!

NOTE: For testing purpose some folders and data were kept in this datastore, the VMFS 5.54 Up gradation process did not delete any data.

Checking the vmfs version using command:

Log on to DCUI then Press Alt F1 to enter the command mode:

To check the VMFS version and partitions

Type: CD vmfs/volumes/

Then check the volumes and the datastore’s

Command to check vmfs version:

vmkfstools -P "/vmfs/volumes/DatastoreName/"

 Before upgrading:

 After Upgrading: