HPE Custom Image for ESXi 6.5U1 has been withdrawn due to purple-screen issues
HPE has quietly withdrawn the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 6.5U1 July 2017 due to purple-screen issues being experienced on a number of current VMware-supported servers (http://vmware.com/go/hcl)!
The particular issue purple screen we saw when deploying this ISO against a HP BL460 G7 was:
#PF Exception 14 in world 6824:sfcb-smx IP 0x1 addr 0x1
This is obviously significant for the fact the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 6.5U1 was available from July 2017 to September 2017, and was withdrawn without so much as updating the HPE or VMware website or providing explanation, justification, or expected re-release.
UPDATE 10/2/2017:
Posted on VMware website, with no additional information:
Note: This image has been removed due to a critical issues which will be fixed and the new images will be re-uploaded by 06-Oct-2017.
In fact, as of 9/27/2017, HPE (https://vibsdepot.hpe.com) still listed this ISO as available:
But any attempt to follow the link will prove futile, because the ISO is clearly withdrawn!
Did an update for this get released?
Yes. Now ESXi HP Custom images are separated into G9 and later and G8 and previous for supported versions.
John did you find an image that was stable finally?
We’re fighting some stability problems with the HPE Custom ESXi 6.5.0d from July 2017: VMware-ESXi-6.5.0-5310538-HPE-650.10.1.0.47-Jul2017.iso. We don’t get PSoDs but the bl460G8’s will become disconnected from vCenter along with their VMs (grayed out) and HA does nothing until the host is shutdown.
Doesn’t look like they had pre-gen9 and post-gen9 images at the time for 6.5.0d – maybe that’s our issue?
I would look to the Management Network as the source of the issue you are experiencing. Is this a Cisco Port Channel? If so, disable Port Channel and use the connections as individual trunks to the host (yes, it’s correct) with Route based on Originating Port ID set as load balancing method for Management Network VMkernel.
As for the HP images, no comment at this time, we are testing.