ESX / ESXi Bios Tools

Discussion in 'Virtualization' started by pix, Nov 22, 2009.

  1. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

    Aug 30, 2007
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    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  2. nfo

    nfo MDL Junior Member

    May 3, 2009
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    Thanx Pantagruel, Thank you very much, as soon as I try it, I tell you the result.
     
  3. SpeedfreakR

    SpeedfreakR MDL Novice

    Feb 22, 2009
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  4. mysy

    mysy MDL Novice

    Nov 14, 2010
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    Thanks for the help!
     
  5. 2moments

    2moments MDL Novice

    Jan 11, 2019
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    Hello,
    Where did you find SLIC 2.5 roms? I can't locate it on ISO.

    Thank you.
     
  6. Appache

    Appache MDL Novice

    Nov 23, 2019
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    @pix
    I just ran this tool but honestly I am not sure what I wanted to archive because I am running esxi 6.5 but I wanted to be able to upgrade to esxi 6.7, due to hardware compatibility on Dell Poweredge t410 I cannot. Could this help me?
     
  7. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    can you demo the steps? i tried, but failed. thank you.
     
  8. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    @pix @blaloc

    Thank for your work, it worked on my PowerEdge R720 when using ESXi 6.5 U2 last year.
    however, i try to upgrade to ESXi 6.7 U3, it has the following problems,

    1. S.V00 has no VMX file,
    2. use above script, (no esxi tool will be required, only putty and winscp, phenixtools273 will be used), it generate errors on this line "vmtar -c "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" -o "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig"

    verified the mod bios, it's SLIC (2.4) (DELL PE_SC3),

    again, the following need to be corrected
    #chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/bios.440.rom (to BIOS.440.ROM)
    #chmod u+s /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/bios.440.rom
    #chown 201:201 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/bios.440.rom

    after loading everything back to esxi and reboot the server, it can boot without any problems, just the activation still failed. (for windows 2016 server) do you have any ideas?

    Thanks.
     
  9. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    @pix @blaloc

    thanks, i got it fixed and working, the procedure i did is, and confirmed its working on esxi 6.7 update 3 on various dell servers and ibm x3550 m4 servers

    bios mod to SLIC 2.5 Dell

    it can activate Server 2016 and 2019 and all previous versions. keys and certs please refer to previous post.

    copy this and paste it in putty:

    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"
    cp "/bootbank/vmx.v00" "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz"
    pigz -d "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz"
    sigfilesize=$(wc -c < "/usr/share/weasel/s.sigblob"); \
    sysfilesize=$(wc -c < "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"); \
    head -c $((sysfilesize-sigfilesize)) "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx" > "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig.xz"
    xz -d "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig.xz"
    vmtar -x "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig" -o "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar"
    tar xf "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" -C "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"

    ## Get bios.440.rom from "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms"
    ## Mod bios.440.rom
    ## Put modded bios.440.rom to "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms"
    ## For the rom, i have difficulty on modifying from tools, i attached, decompress it and rename to "BIOS.440.ROM" overwrite the roms in /usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM, capital letters very important.

    #chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    #chmod u+s /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    #chown 201:201 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    cd "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"; \
    tar cf "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" *
    vmtar -c "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" -o "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig"
    xz --compress --stdout --lzma2=dict=2048KiB --check=crc32 --threads=8 "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig" > "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    cat "/usr/share/weasel/s.sigblob" >> "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    pigz -9 -p 60 -n -T "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    mv "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz" "/bootbank/vmx.v00"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"

    ## back up the vmx.v00 from /bootbank/ for your future use.
    ## the code are copied from blaloc, i just change the bios.440.rom from lower case to upper.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. snarkblatt

    snarkblatt MDL Novice

    Jan 13, 2020
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    FYI it appears that file is currently down on SendSpace. Not sure how long it's been like this. Version 3.0.0 can still be downloaded.

    "The file is currently unavailable. Our support staff have been notified and we hope to resolve the problem shortly. Please try again later."
     
  11. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    if you are using esxi 6.7 U3, you don't need to use this tools.
     
  12. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    after a while trying to play on the servers, it can active for no problems at all, however, you will need to change the boot from EFI to BIOS boot. (change from VM Setting -> VM Options -> Boot Options (From EFI to BIOS)

    you will not be able to active if you are using EFI boot option, attachment and below script (modify from Blaloc) will work.
    1. I have no idea how to modify the EFI ROM, if anyone know, please provide tutorial or do it yourself.
    2. all attachment bios are what i downloaded from the internet, i have no way to check them, but it's for the VM, it will not hurt your hardware anyways.

    copy this and paste it in putty: (if your datastore is not datastore1, please change the script)

    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"
    cp "/bootbank/vmx.v00" "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz"
    pigz -d "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz"
    sigfilesize=$(wc -c < "/usr/share/weasel/s.sigblob"); \
    sysfilesize=$(wc -c < "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"); \
    head -c $((sysfilesize-sigfilesize)) "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx" > "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig.xz"
    xz -d "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig.xz"
    vmtar -x "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig" -o "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar"
    tar xf "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" -C "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"

    ## Get bios.440.rom from "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms"
    ## Mod bios.440.rom
    ## Put modded bios.440.rom to "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms"
    ## For the rom, i have difficulty on modifying from tools, i attached, decompress it and rename to "BIOS.440.ROM" "EFI64.ROM" "EFI32.ROM" overwrite the roms in /usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM, capital letters very important.

    ## when done, copy and paste the following to putty again.

    chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI64.ROM
    chmod 755 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI32.ROM
    chmod u+s /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    chmod u+s /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI64.ROM
    chmod u+s /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI32.ROM
    chown 201:201 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/BIOS.440.ROM
    chown 201:201 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI64.ROM
    chown 201:201 /vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/usr/lib/vmware/roms/EFI32.ROM


    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    mkdir "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    cd "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"; \
    tar cf "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" *
    vmtar -c "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.tar" -o "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig"
    ## you may see three errors here, i just ignore, copy below to putty again

    xz --compress --stdout --lzma2=dict=2048KiB --check=crc32 --threads=8 "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx-nosig" > "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    cat "/usr/share/weasel/s.sigblob" >> "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    pigz -9 -p 60 -n -T "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx"
    mv "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/vmx.gz" "/bootbank/vmx.v00"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/vmvisor-sys/"
    rm -R "/vmfs/volumes/datastore1/tmp/vmvisor-sys/"

    ## back up the vmx.v00 from /bootbank/ for your future use.
    ## the code are copied from blaloc, i just change the bios.440.rom from lower case to upper.

    thanks @blaloc
     

    Attached Files:

  13. pantagruel

    pantagruel MDL Addicted

    Aug 30, 2007
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    #456 pantagruel, Jan 14, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2020
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  14. prodium

    prodium MDL Novice

    May 26, 2012
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    Thank you very much.
     
  15. davidk

    davidk MDL Novice

    Feb 17, 2011
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    #458 davidk, Feb 2, 2020
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2020
    Where are the keys and certs located, I don't see them in a previous posting?
     
  16. AncientOne

    AncientOne MDL Novice

    Oct 29, 2009
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    Instead of modifying ESXi directly, why not tell the VM (vmx file) to use a specific bios instead ?
     
  17. joatmon

    joatmon MDL Novice

    Mar 22, 2010
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    ESXi 7.0 released.