ESXi Host boot failed with Error 33 (Inconsistent data) while decompressing data

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

 The error "Error 33 (Inconsistent data) while decompressing data" during the ESXi boot process suggests an issue related to the ESXi boot image or files being corrupt or incomplete. 

 

Environment

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Cause

• ESXi Boot image failure or often indicates a checksum validation failure during the decompression of system modules into memory.

Resolution

1. Recovery Rollback: Revert to a previous version of ESXi. Please follow Reverting to a previous version of ESXi 6.x, 7.x or 8.x
2. Hardware Verification: Consult with the hardware vendor to check for SD Card/USB media fatigue, especially on older hosts, or verify FC/SAN boot connectivity if applicable
3. Clean Reinstallation:  Reinstall the ESXi host. (It is recommended to select the "Install ESXi, preserve VMFS datastore" option to avoid data loss)