ESXi version change is not allowed using esxcli software vib commands. Please use a supported method to upgrade ESXi

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

Unable to update the esxi 8.0 Update 2, patches via CLI

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.x

Cause

Starting with ESXi 8.0 Update 2, VMware no longer supports upgrading or updating ESXi using the esxcli software vib update or esxcli software vib install commands. When attempting to use these commands for patching, it will fail, as you have seen, with the error "ESXi version change is not allowed."

Resolution

To resolve this issue, we recommend using the supported method for updating your ESXi hosts. The esxcli software profile update command should be used instead, which follows the profile-based update process. Here's the recommended command:

esxcli software profile update --depot=<depot_location> --profile=<profile_name>

Steps:
Download the appropriate depot ZIP bundle for ESXi 8.0 Update 2b (or later) from the VMware website.
Use the above command with the downloaded depot and ensure that the correct profile is specified.

You can find further guidance on this process in the official VMware documentation:
vSphere ESXi 8.0 Update 2b Release Notes
vSphere ESXi Upgrade Guide