ESXi Patch Fails with Error: "The requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile"

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

The "requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile" error when patching ESXi typically means there's a conflict or dependency issue between the VIBs (drivers or software packages) on the host and the ImageProfile defined in the patch or upgrade bundle. More concretely:

• Some VIBs require certain versions or components not present or compatible with the ImageProfile you are trying to apply.

• This often happens with OEM or vendor-specific VIBs (e.g., HPE, Dell) that have version dependencies conflicting with the base ESXi version or patch version.

• The error messages usually point out which VIB and which requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile.

For Example:

When attempting to patch an ESXi host using the following command:
esxcli software vib install -d "<patch-depot-file-full-path>"


The operation fails with an error similar to:
VIB QLC_bootbank_qedf_2.74.1.0-1OEM.700.1.0.15843807 requires qedentv_ver = X.70.50.0, but the requirement cannot be satisfied within the ImageProfile

Further investigation shows that the ESXi host is running an OEM image profile, confirmed by running:
esxcli software profile get

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 7.0.x
VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0.x

Cause

• Trying to install or upgrade using the wrong ImageProfile or patch bundle not matching the host’s current version or OEM customization.

• Presence of legacy or incompatible VIBs on the host blocking the update.

• The need to update or remove problematic VIBs before patching.

• Using the esxcli command incorrectly, for example, trying to "install" or "update" a single VIB instead of updating the entire ImageProfile consistently.

Resolution

To resolve the issue by following the KB Patching ESXi host using Command Line

1. Put the host into maintenance mode and make sure the VMs are migrated to other hosts in the Cluster.
2. SSH to the ESXi host and login as root account
3. List available ImageProfiles in the offline bundle :
   
   esxcli software sources profile list -d <patch-offline-bundle-path>
   
   
4. Perform the update using the chosen profile from the above list:
   
   esxcli software profile update -d <patch-offline-bundle-path> -p <profile-name>
   
   
5. If a particular VIB causes dependency errors, check if it can be safely removed or updated separately.
   

• • Run the following command to check if a specific module is in use:
    

    esxcfg-module -l | grep -i <module-name>

  • If no output is returned, the VIB is not in use.
    
    
  • To verify the current drivers or VIBs in use, run:
    

    esxcfg-scsidevs -a
    esxcfg-nics -l

6. If the VIB(s) are not in use, remove them with the following command, then reboot the ESXi host before starting the upgrade:
   
   esxcli software vib remove -n <vib-name>