ESXi Update Failure: [HardwareError] with Ethernet controller compatibility

This article will provide a quick solution for fixing the [HardwareError] issue during an upgrade.

[HardwareError]
 Hardware precheck of profile ESXi-7.0U3i-20842708-standard failed with warnings: <UNSUPPORTED_DEVICES WARNING: This host has unsupported devices [<PciInfo 'Ethernet controller [8086:10e8 8086:a02c]'>, <PciInfo 'Ethernet controller [8086:10e8 8086:a02c]'>, <PciInfo 'Ethernet controller [8086:10e8 8086:a02c]'>, <PciInfo 'Ethernet controller [8086:10e8 8086:a02c]'>]>

The error message may indicate that the issue is caused by incompatible hardware, specifically the Ethernet controller. The message will also include a code, which can be decoded by looking at the Vendor ID (VID), Device ID (DID), Sub-Vendor ID (SVID), and Sub-Device ID (SDID).

Vendor ID (VID) = 8086
Device ID (DID) = 100f
Sub-Vendor ID (SVID) = 15ad
Sub-Device ID (SDID) = 0750

Once you have these values, you can check the compatibility on the website https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=io

By entering the values. This will show the compatible ESXi version for the Ethernet controller.

If you determine that your controller is not compatible after checking, you will need to contact the hardware vendor to upgrade to a compatible version of the hardware.

If you have any questions, please feel free to comment and we will assist you.

Table of Contents

FAQ

What is the [HardwareError] issue when updating ESXi?

The [HardwareError] issue is a warning that appears when attempting to update ESXi, indicating that the some hardware is incompatible with the new version.

What causes the [HardwareError] issue?

The issue is caused by incompatible hardware.

What should I do if my Ethernet controller is not compatible with the new version of ESXi?

If the Ethernet controller is not compatible, you will have to either update the controller to a version that is compatible or use a version of ESXi that is compatible with your current controller.

What should I do if I have further question?

You can reach out to VMware support or post your question in the VMware community for further assistance. You can also comment in this article with your query.