"The pending transaction requires xxx MB free space" error when installing VIBs on ESXi host

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• Installing VIBs on the ESXi host  fails with the error

[root@ESXi### :~ ] esxcli software vib install -v /vmfs/volumes/<Datastore UUID>/NVD_bootbank_NVD-VMware_ESXi 8.0.0 Driver 580.95.02-10EM.800.1.0.20613240.vib

[InstallatiomError]The pending transaction requires ### MB free space, however the maximum supported size is ### MB.Please refer to the log file for more details.

• In the /var/log/esxupdate.log file on the affected ESXi host, you see entries similar to:
  
  vmware.esximage.Errors.InstallationError: The pending transaction requires ### MB free space, however the maximum supported size is ### MB.
  
  Note: The preceding log excerpts are only examples. Date, time, and environmental variables may vary depending on your environment.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi

Cause

This issue occurs when the bootbank runs out of space on the ESXi host.

Some third-party custom image size is relatively big in size. In addition to the base image, extra VIBs are automatically installed on the environment base on the services used. As a result, if the total size of an image exceeds the maximum size of the bootbank, then the VIB install fails.

Resolution

To work around this issue, free the additional space on the bootbank by un-installing unused VIBs on the ESXi host using the esxcli software vib remove -n vib-name command by placing Host in maintenance mode.

Note: To remove the unused VIBs from the ESXi host, contact your appropriate vendor. For more information, see the Remove VIBs from a Host section in the vSphere Upgrade Guide.


In case if we can't free up the space by removing VIBs, consider reinstalling ESXi on a larger boot media device to ensure sufficient space for the bootbank partition. Please refer to the document below for guidance.

Esxi System Storage Overview