Upgrading VMware vSphere ESXi from 7.0U3c to 8.0u2d using custom image fails with the error: “Cannot execute upgrade script on host”

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0
• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

"Cannot execute upgrade script on host" while upgrading Host via lifecycle manager.

Symptoms :

Lifecycle Manager fails to upgrade host with custom baseline group configured.

 

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS:MSECZ esxupdate: 10031191: root: INFO: Options = {'depot': None, 'viburl': None, 'nameid': None, 'profile': None, 'baseimageversion': None, 'addon': None, 'softwarespec': None, 'level': None, 'updateonly': False, 'noliveinstall': False, 'nomaintmode': False, 'force': False, 'dryrun': False, 'oktoremove': False, 'proxy': None, 'nosigcheck': False, 'pending': None, 'rebooting': False, 'downgrade': None, 'nohwwarning': False}
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS:MSECZ  esxupdate: 10031191: HostImage: INFO: Installers initiated are {'live': <vmware.esximage.Installer.LiveImageInstaller.LiveImageInstaller object at 0x9fea39d160>, 'boot': <vmware.esximage.Installer.BootBankInstaller.BootBankInstaller object at 0x9fea50d220>, 'locker': <vmware.esximage.Installer.LockerInstaller.LockerInstaller object at 0x9fea39d3d0>}

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS:MSECZ  esxupdate: 10034336: vmware.esximage.Vib: DEBUG: Verifying VIB VMW_bootbank_mtip32xx-native_3.9.8-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900 signature #2
YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS:MSECZ  esxupdate: 10034336: vmware.esximage.Vib: ERROR: Failed to verify VIB signature #2: ('VMW_bootbank_mtip32xx-native_3.9.8-1vmw.703.0.20.19193900', 'Could not find a trusted signer: self signed certificate')

Note : In the above events, after the "Installers initialed" event , we see multiple events for failed to verify vib signature for all the vibs in the image.

 

Also, while upgrading the ESXi from cli using the custom offline bundle. It still fails with "profile validation" error.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x
VMware vCenter Server 7.x
VMware vCenter Server 8.x

Resolution

To resolve this :

• Re-install the current profile of the ESXi
  

  esxcli software profile update -d /vmfs/volumes/DATASTORE/ZIP -p Image_Profile_from_aboveoutput  

  If the above command gives an error, try the below command:
  

  esxcli software profile install -d /vmfs/volumes/DATASTORE/ZIP -p Image_Profile_from_aboveoutput  

• Following the profile re-install.
• Retry the ESXi upgrade from LCM using the baseline group.
• Host will be upgraded successfully.