Boot the ESXi Installer Using Netbootxyz and iPXE

As one of my boot drives failed, i had to reinstall esxi. I did not want to go throught the hassle of creating a bootable usb drive and decided to give PXE boot a try.

While there are a lot of articles on manually creating a tftp server for PXE boot, netboot.xyz is by far the easiest way to go about setting up PXE boot for various operating systems.

from https://netboot.xyz

“netboot.xyz lets you PXE boot various operating system installers or utilities from a single tool over the network. This lets you use one media for many types of operating systems or tools. The iPXE project is used to provide a user friendly menu from within the BIOS that lets you easily choose the operating system you want along with any specific types of versions or bootable flags.”

Prerequisuites:

Docker. I am running docker on a dedicated VM called boot.zion
Esxi installer iso from the vmware website.
Dhcp server that supports advanced dhcp options.

The netbootxyz docker image comes with:

nginx: webserver
tftp-hpa: tftp server

Step A: Use docker to run the netbootxyz container from linuxserver.io

cat compose.yaml 
services:
  netbootxyz:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/netbootxyz:latest
    container_name: netbootxyz
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=Etc/UTC
    volumes:
      - ./config:/config
      - ./assets:/assets
    ports:
      - 3000:3000
      - 69:69/udp
      - 80:80
    restart: unless-stopped

docker compose up -d

Port 3000 is used for the web interface to access netbootxyz
Port 69(udp) is used for TFTP
Port 80 is used to access files over http. Specifically the contents in the assets folder
Folder config/ contains files that can be used to tweak the iPXE menu
Folder assets/ is used to hold local images that you can boot off from

You should now be able to access the web interface on your docker host machine using http://boot.zion:3000 and view the assets folder using http://boot.zion/. Replace boot.zion with your docker hostname.

Step B: Configure DHCP Options.

As I use opnsense as my router/dhcp server i used the following instructions from here

Got to: Services -> DHCPv4 Under the Advanced “Network Booting” section. * check enable * Next server- IP of docker host * Default BIOS file name- netboot.xyz.kpxe * UEFI 32 bit file name- netboot.xyz.efi * UEFI 64 bit file name- netboot.xyz.efi

Step C: Extract the contents of the esxi installer iso and copy them into the assets folder.

Install 7z. sudo apt install p7zip-full -y
Extract iso. 7z x iso/VMware-VMvisor-Installer-7.0U3n-21930508.x86_64.iso -oassets/vmware/esxi70u3n
Change all files to lower case using the command

for i in $( find . | grep [A-Z] ); do mv -i $i `echo $i | tr 'A-Z' 'a-z'`; done

If you get an error like, mv: cannot stat './efi/BOOT/BOOT.CFG': No such file or directory run the same script again.

Step D: Modify boot.cfg

Remove ‘/’ from the boot.cfg file. sed -i 's/\///g' boot.cfg
Modify boot.cfg and change prefix= to prefix=http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n
The modified boot.cfg should look like below:

bootstate=0
title=Loading ESXi installer
timeout=5
prefix=http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n
kernel=b.b00
kernelopt=runweasel cdromBoot
modules=jumpstrt.gz --- useropts.gz --- features.gz --- k.b00 --- uc_intel.b00 --- uc_amd.b00 --- uc_hygon.b00 --- procfs.b00 --- vmx.v00 --- vim.v00 --- tpm.v00 --- sb.v00 --- s.v00 --- atlantic.v00 --- bnxtnet.v00 --- bnxtroce.v00 --- brcmfcoe.v00 --- elxiscsi.v00 --- elxnet.v00 --- i40en.v00 --- iavmd.v00 --- icen.v00 --- igbn.v00 --- ionic_en.v00 --- irdman.v00 --- iser.v00 --- ixgben.v00 --- lpfc.v00 --- lpnic.v00 --- lsi_mr3.v00 --- lsi_msgp.v00 --- lsi_msgp.v01 --- lsi_msgp.v02 --- mtip32xx.v00 --- ne1000.v00 --- nenic.v00 --- nfnic.v00 --- nhpsa.v00 --- nmlx4_co.v00 --- nmlx4_en.v00 --- nmlx4_rd.v00 --- nmlx5_co.v00 --- nmlx5_rd.v00 --- ntg3.v00 --- nvme_pci.v00 --- nvmerdma.v00 --- nvmetcp.v00 --- nvmxnet3.v00 --- nvmxnet3.v01 --- pvscsi.v00 --- qcnic.v00 --- qedentv.v00 --- qedrntv.v00 --- qfle3.v00 --- qfle3f.v00 --- qfle3i.v00 --- qflge.v00 --- rste.v00 --- sfvmk.v00 --- smartpqi.v00 --- vmkata.v00 --- vmkfcoe.v00 --- vmkusb.v00 --- vmw_ahci.v00 --- bmcal.v00 --- crx.v00 --- elx_esx_.v00 --- btldr.v00 --- esx_dvfi.v00 --- esx_ui.v00 --- esxupdt.v00 --- tpmesxup.v00 --- weaselin.v00 --- esxio_co.v00 --- loadesx.v00 --- lsuv2_hp.v00 --- lsuv2_in.v00 --- lsuv2_ls.v00 --- lsuv2_nv.v00 --- lsuv2_oe.v00 --- lsuv2_oe.v01 --- lsuv2_oe.v02 --- lsuv2_sm.v00 --- native_m.v00 --- qlnative.v00 --- trx.v00 --- vdfs.v00 --- vmware_e.v00 --- vsan.v00 --- vsanheal.v00 --- vsanmgmt.v00 --- tools.t00 --- xorg.v00 --- gc.v00 --- imgdb.tgz --- basemisc.tgz --- resvibs.tgz --- imgpayld.tgz
build=7.0.3-0.95.21930508
updated=

Step E: Optional - If you want to automate installation and use a kickstart file

Change prefix= to prefix=http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n ks=http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n/kickstart.cfg

Step F: Boot the installer on the target VM/Machine.

After network boot has come up with netbootxyz, choose Linux Network Installs (64-bit)
Select VMware ESXi
Select Base URL [ ]
Enter URL http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n
Select VMware ESXi Install
Installer boot will start

Go to http://boot.zion:3000 and select Menus -> menu.ipxe

2. Add the below to create a sub menu

item --gap VMware
item ESXi70U3N ${space} ESXi70U3N
item ESXi70 ${space} ESXi70

Add the below for the respective boot options. In the below example, i have two asset folders, esxi70u3n and esxi70. I am booting from the relevant folder using the variable “base_url”

:ESXi70U3N
set base_url http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n
echo ${base_url}
isset ${base_url} && goto boot_check

:ESXi70
set base_url http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70 && goto boot_check

:boot_check
iseq ${platform} efi && goto efi_boot || goto legacy_boot

:efi_boot
echo ${base_url}
imgfree
kernel ${base_url}/efi/boot/bootx64.efi -c ${base_url}/boot.cfg
goto boot

:legacy_boot
imgfree
kernel ${base_url}/mboot.c32 -c ${base_url}/boot.cfg
goto boot

:boot
md5sum bootx64.efi
boot
goto main_menu

Attached below is a copy of menu.ipxe from my lab.

#!ipxe

:start
isset ${arch} && goto skip_arch_detect ||
cpuid --ext 29 && set arch x86_64 || set arch i386
iseq ${buildarch} arm64 && set arch arm64 ||
:skip_arch_detect
chain --autofree boot.cfg ||
echo Attempting to retrieve latest upstream version number...
chain --timeout 5000 https://boot.netboot.xyz/version.ipxe ||
ntp 0.pool.ntp.org ||
iseq ${cls} serial && goto ignore_cls ||
set cls:hex 1b:5b:4a  # ANSI clear screen sequence - "^[[J"
set cls ${cls:string}
:ignore_cls


isset ${menu} && goto ${menu} ||
isset ${ip} || dhcp

:main_menu
clear menu
set space:hex 20:20
set space ${space:string}
isset ${next-server} && menu ${site_name} v${version} - next-server: ${next-server} || menu ${site_name}
item --gap Default:
item local ${space} Boot from local hdd
item --gap VMware
item ESXi70U3N ${space} ESXi70U3N
item ESXi70 ${space} ESXi70
item --gap Distributions:
iseq ${menu_linux} 1 && item linux ${space} Linux Network Installs (64-bit) ||
iseq ${menu_linux_i386} 1 && item linux-i386 ${space} Linux Network Installs (32-bit) ||
iseq ${menu_linux_arm} 1 && item linux-arm ${space} Linux Network Installs (arm64) ||
iseq ${menu_live} 1 && item live ${space} Live CDs ||
iseq ${menu_live_arm} 1 && item live-arm ${space} Live CDs ||
iseq ${menu_bsd} 1 && item bsd ${space} BSD Installs ||
iseq ${menu_unix} 1 && item unix ${space} Unix Network Installs ||
iseq ${menu_freedos} 1 && item freedos ${space} FreeDOS ||
iseq ${menu_windows} 1 && item windows ${space} Windows ||
item --gap Tools:
iseq ${menu_utils} 1 && iseq ${platform} efi && item utils-efi ${space} Utilities (UEFI) ||
iseq ${menu_utils} 1 && iseq ${platform} pcbios && iseq ${arch} x86_64 && item utils-pcbios-64 ${space} Utilities (64-bit) ||
iseq ${menu_utils} 1 && iseq ${platform} pcbios && iseq ${arch} i386 && item utils-pcbios-32 ${space} Utilities (32-bit) ||
iseq ${menu_utils_arm} 1 && item utils-arm ${space} Utilities (arm64) ||
item change_arch ${space} Architecture: ${arch}
item shell ${space} iPXE shell
item netinfo ${space} Network card info
iseq ${menu_pci} 1 && item lspci ${space} PCI Device List ||
item about ${space} About netboot.xyz
item --gap Signature Checks:
item sig_check ${space} netboot.xyz [ enabled: ${sigs_enabled} ]
isset ${github_user} && item --gap Custom Github Menu: ||
isset ${github_user} && item custom-github ${space} ${github_user}'s Custom Menu ||
isset ${custom_url} && item --gap Custom URL Menu: ||
isset ${custom_url} && item custom-url ${space} Custom URL Menu ||
isset ${menu} && set timeout 0 || set timeout ${boot_timeout}
choose --timeout ${timeout} --default ${menu} menu || goto local
echo ${cls}
goto ${menu} ||
iseq ${sigs_enabled} true && goto verify_sigs || goto change_menu

:verify_sigs
imgverify ${menu}.ipxe ${sigs}${menu}.ipxe.sig || goto error
goto change_menu

:ESXi70U3N
set base_url http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70u3n
echo ${base_url}
isset ${base_url} && goto boot_check

:ESXi70
set base_url http://boot.zion/vmware/esxi70 && goto boot_check

:boot_check
iseq ${platform} efi && goto efi_boot || goto legacy_boot

:efi_boot
echo ${base_url}
imgfree
kernel ${base_url}/efi/boot/bootx64.efi -c ${base_url}/boot.cfg
goto boot

:legacy_boot
imgfree
kernel ${base_url}/mboot.c32 -c ${base_url}/boot.cfg
goto boot

:boot
md5sum bootx64.efi
boot
goto main_menu

:change_menu
chain ${menu}.ipxe || goto error
goto main_menu

:error
echo Error occured, press any key to return to menu ...
prompt
goto main_menu

:local
echo Booting from local disks ...
exit 1

:shell
echo Type "exit" to return to menu.
set menu main_menu
shell
goto main_menu

:change_arch
iseq ${arch} x86_64 && set arch i386 && set menu_linux_i386 1 && set menu_linux 0 && goto main_menu ||
iseq ${arch} i386 && set arch x86_64 && set menu_linux_i386 0 && set menu_linux 1 && goto main_menu ||
goto main_menu

:sig_check
iseq ${sigs_enabled} true && set sigs_enabled false || set sigs_enabled true
goto main_menu

:about
chain https://boot.netboot.xyz/about.ipxe || chain about.ipxe
goto main_menu

:custom-github
chain https://raw.githubusercontent.com/${github_user}/netboot.xyz-custom/master/custom.ipxe || goto error
goto main_menu

:custom-url
chain ${custom_url}/custom.ipxe || goto error
goto main_menu

:custom-user
chain custom/custom.ipxe
goto main_menu

Prerequisuites:#

Step A: Use docker to run the netbootxyz container from linuxserver.io#

Step B: Configure DHCP Options.#

Step C: Extract the contents of the esxi installer iso and copy them into the assets folder.#

Step D: Modify boot.cfg#

Step E: Optional - If you want to automate installation and use a kickstart file#

Step F: Boot the installer on the target VM/Machine.#

Step G: Optional. Add a menu item to netboot.xyz#