☁️ Custom VMware ESXi ISO build scripts

Inject common NIC, NVME & USB NIC drivers into ESXi ISO images.

Instructions

• Install PowerCLI (see below prerequisites)
• Run the Powershell script and select from the menu your desired ESXi ISO patch level

ESXi 8 ISO: esxi8.ps1

• Builds ESXi 8.x iso with VMWare NVME & USB NIC Fling drivers + latest GhettoVCB backup. (NIC Fling was productized in 8.x)
  • For earlier 800 & 80U1 builds, see script notes to select the correct USB NIC Fling

Esxi 7 ISO: esxi7.ps1

• Builds ESXi 7.x iso with VMWare NVME, NIC & USB NIC Fling drivers + latest GhettoVCB backup.

ESXi 6.7 ISO: esxi6.7.ps1 (Zimaboard compatible)

• Builds ESXi 6.7 iso with VMware Community NVME & USB NIC drivers, Zimaboard Realtek 1GbE NIC driver + latest GhettoVCB backup.
• Zimaboard users:
  • You may need to set full duplex on ESXi NIC & physical switch for better performance.
  • Zimaboard's optional RTL 8125 2.5GbE NIC driver for ESXi 6.7 can be found here
    • To manually install 2.5GbE driver:esxcli software vib install -v net-r8125-9.011.00-10.vib
    • To manually remove 2.5GbE driver: esxcli software vib remove -n net-r8125

🛠️ PowerCLI & Python are prerequisites for building ESXi ISOs:

1. Install Python 3.7.9 from here (Check "Add Python to PATH" a the start of the install and at the end select "Disable path length limit").

• Scripts are tested and working with Python 3.7.9, for other versions YMMV and you must adapt the below instructions to suit.

2. For ESXi 7.x and 8.x ISOs, install the CURRENT version of VMware PowerCLI:

   Install-Module VMware.PowerCLI
   

   For ESXi 6.7 ISOs, you must install PowerCLI 13.1.0 using the OFFLINE install method shown below download it here.

   # 1. If a PowerCLI version later than 13.1.0 is already installed, remove this first
      (Get-Module VMware.PowerCLI -ListAvailable).RequiredModules | Uninstall-Module -Force
   # 2. Extract the contents of the downloaded PowerCLI 13.1.0 zip directly into the below path (do not create another sub directory)
      %ProgramFiles%\WindowsPowerShell\Modules 
   # 3. Unblock the new PowerCLI module files  
      Get-ChildItem -Path $env:PROGRAMFILES\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\ -Recurse | Unblock-File
   

3. Upgrade Python PIP via Command prompt:

   C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
   

4. Add extra Python dependencies via Command prompt:

   C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\Scripts\pip3.7.exe install six psutil lxml pyopenssl
   

5. Set the python.exe path via PowerShell:

   Set-PowerCLIConfiguration -PythonPath C:\Users\$env:USERNAME\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\python.exe
   

6. Run your desired version build script to start creating your custom ISO 🚀

• This repo supports creation of VMware test labs using consumer (non HCL) hardware. Not suitable for production use.
• After Broadcom's acquisition of VMWare in October 2023, the VMware Flings community download site was taken offline and its future is uncertain. A copy of the archived flings.vmware.com site can be found at https://archive.org/details/flings.vmware.com.
• The ESXi 6.7 script's additional Zimaboard RTL8168 NIC drivers were sourced from here. Optional RTL 8125 2.5GBe vibs for use with ESXi 6.7 were sourced from here.