ESXi patch/upgrade failed with error "The CPU in this host may not be supported in future ESXi releases"/ <BIOS_FIRMWARE_TYPE WARNING: Legacy boot detected. ESXi servers running legacy BIOS are encouraged to move to UEFI.

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• ESXi 7.0 and 8.0 patch/upgrade with the HardwareError messages:
  

  # esxcli software profile update -d="<patch-depot-path>" -p=<patch-depot-profile>
  
  [HardwareError]
  Hardware precheck of profile <patch-depot-profile> failed with warnings: <CPU_SUPPORT WARNING: The CPU in this host may not be supported in future ESXi releases. Please plan accordingly.>
  Apply --no-hardware-warning option to ignore the warnings and proceed with the transaction.

   

• ESXi can be patched successfully by add the parameter '--no-hardware-warning' at the end of the command line. 
• <BIOS_FIRMWARE_TYPE WARNING: Legacy boot detected. ESXi servers running legacy BIOS are encouraged to move to UEFI. 

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.X
VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.X

Cause

• The HardwareError message indicates that CPU model is in the discontinuation list planned with future VMware major vSphere release after VCF 9.0. That need an attention to plan the upgrade in the future. 

Resolution

• The message is harmless and the patch/upgrade can be installed in the ESXi host. The only thing is that ESXi host can not be upgraded to that versions which does not support this CPU model. More information can be from CPU Support Deprecation and Discontinuation In vSphere Releases

• Command to bypass the warning for example as below:

esxcli software profile update -d="<patch-depot-path>" -p=<patch-depot-profile> --no-hardware-warning

• Read more at Deprecation of legacy BIOS support in vSphere

 

Additional Information

Upgrading ESXi through "esxcli vib update" method fails