ESXi 7 U3c Standard Edition Integrates NUC nics, USB nics, and NVMe drivers (new in 2022)
On November 20, 2021, the VMware vSphere team announced that ESXi 7 Update 3 has been removed from the official website due to a product defect (see: Product Defect: Do not use ESXi 7 Update 3 in the production environment. On December 14, VMware re-released vSphere 7 U3c, but the official Release Notes was unavailable.
2022.01.27 VMware has re-released the U3c with Build number 19193900. Release Notes shows a focus on fixing known bugs in the U3 version and adding security updates. This has been released to replace U2a as the official recommended version.
VMware ESXi 7.0 U3c SLIC 2.6 & Unlocker integrates Intel NUC nic, USB NIC, and NVMe driver. Original works, reproduced please retain the source.
Author’s homepage: www.sysin.org
2022.02.24 Update: EFI64 fix
2022.01.30 Updates ESXi 7.0 U3c. Other features remain unchanged
2021.11.13 Update the following driver versions to support ESXi 7.0 U3:
Community Networking Driver for ESXi Fling V1.2.2;
USB Network Native Driver for ESXi V1.9;
Community NVMe Driver for ESXi Fling V1.2.
Update 2021.09.13: SLIC updated to 2.6 with Support for Windows Server 2022.
Update 2021.08.31: VmKUSB-NIC-Fling and NVMe-Community are integrated, now there is only one mirror.
Update 2021.06.16 Integration with Community-Networking-Driver V1.2.
For archived versions please visit:
VMware ESXi 7.0 U2 SLIC 2.6 & Unlocker integrates Intel NUC nic, USB NIC, and NVMe driver
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VMware ESXi 7.0 U2 SLIC & Unlocker Intel NUC Dedicated Image
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VMware ESXi 7.0 U2 SLIC & Unlocker USB Driver Integration image
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Statement: the underlying components from the network forum or open source community to share, all software site free to share, only for learning and testing use, strictly prohibited for any commercial use!!
Two platforms for building Nano Datacenter
The use of VMware vSphere as a virtualization platform is common in test environments or Home LABS, and I prefer to use the term Nano Datacenter to refer to such environments. Nano Datacenter is typically built on two platforms: Apple Mac Mini and Intel NUC.
NUC 8 vs. Mac Mini 2018
VMware ESXi 7.0 U3 supports both platforms.
Apple Mac Mini can be found in VMware HCL (SYSIN) :
Mac Mini (Late 2012) Mac Mini (Late 2014) Mac Mini (Late 2014) Mac Mini (Late 2014) Mac Mini (Late 2014) You can use the standard ESXi version to install ESXi. (Mac Mini (M1, 2020) is obviously not supported yet, and ESXi Arm Edition is likely to follow in the future.)
Note: Due to the Apple T2 security chip mechanism, the 2008 Mac Min cannot run ESXi using the built-in NVMe SSD and can only be booted via Thunderbolt 3 with external PCIe or USB storage devices.
- Local NVMe storage is not supported by ESXi. Limited Thunderbolt 3 (TB3) support enabled. Hot-add or removal and passthrough with TB3 connected devices are not supported. ESXi can be installed/booted on USB flash drive or on TB3 connected storage devices (e.g., PCIe NVMe Adapter, PCIe M.2 SSD, USB etc.,)
NUC 9 vs. Mac Mini 2018
Intel NUC is not on the official support list, so if you are updating an existing system, please be extra careful. This is not an officially supported platform, and the custom version of the image provided by the author is recommended for a new installation.
ESXi 7.0 U3 comes with a new NE1000 driver that, according to VMware experts, does not change NUC compatibility from the previous version. The compatibility is as follows:
- Compatible with the 10th generation NUC and all previous products, except the Intel I219-V (6) network adapter used in the 8th generation NUC [Bean Canyon], which still requires the community-network-driver.
- For the 11th-generation NUC, the community-network-driver is still required if the 2.5g network card is used.
USB Nic Fling has been built as a 7.0 U3 compatible version and is now available with an external USB card.
Intel NUC compatibility
The image integrated NIC driver applies to the following NUCS. If your NUC is a model supported by the built-in driver, use a standard ESXi image (this version can also be used).
ESXi 7.0 U3 Integrated Community Network Driver for 8th Gen Bean Canyon / 11th Gen NUC:
- NUC8i7BEH (Intel Core I7-8559U-4 Core, up to 4.5ghz)
- NUC8i5BEH/NUC8i5BEK (Intel Core I5-8259 U-4 Core, up to 3.8 GHz)
- NUC8i3BEH (Intel Core I3-8109U-2 Core, up to 3.6ghz)
- 11th Gen NUC (NUC11PAQi7, NUC11PAHi7, NUC11PAKi7, NUC11PAQi5, NUC11PAHi5, NUC11PAKi5, NUC11PAHi3, NUC11PAKi3, NUC11TNHv70L, NUC11TNHv7, NUC11TNHv50L, NUC11TNHv5, NUC11TNKv7, NUC11TNKv5, NUC11TNHi70Q, NUC11TNHi70L, NUC11TNHi7, NUC11TNHi50W, NUC11TNHi50L, NUC11TNHi5, NUC11TNHi30P, NUC11TNHi30L, NUC11TNHi3, NUC11TNKi7, NUC11TNKi5, NUC11TNKi3)
- Also suitable for NUC style equivalents (SYSIN) with 11th Generation Intel CPU and 2.5Gbps network adapter
Integrate the Community Network Driver
ESXi 7.0 U3 integrated Community Network Driver for 8th Gen Bean Canyon / 11th Gen NUC because the two isOs are now one and no longer need to distinguish.
2021.10.29, Community Networking Driver for ESXi Version 1.2.2 System requirements and supported nics are as follows:
- VMware ESXi 7.0 (x86) or newer is required
- Any PCIe network adapters with VID/PID listed below are supported
igc-community:
| Vendor | Chipset | VendorID | ProductID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-LM | 0x8086 | 0x15f2 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-V | 0x8086 | 0x15f3 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-IT(2) | 0x8086 | 0xd9f |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-I | 0x8086 | 0x15f8 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-K | 0x8086 | 0x3100 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-K(2) | 0x8086 | 0x3101 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I225-LMvP(2) | 0x8086 | 0x5502 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I226-K | 0x8086 | 0x5504 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I226-LM | 0x8086 | 0x125b |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I226-V | 0x8086 | 0x125c |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I226-IT | 0x8086 | 0x125d |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I220-V | 0x8086 | 0x15f7 |
| Intel | Ethernet Controller I221-V | 0x8086 | 0x125e |
e1000-community:
| Vendor | Chipset | VendorID | ProductID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (6) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x15bd |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (6) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x15be |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (7) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x15bb |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (7) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x15bc |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (10) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x0d4e |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (10) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x0d4f |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (11) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x0d4c |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (11) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x0d4d |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (12) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x0d53 |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (12) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x0d55 |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (13) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x155b |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (13) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x155c |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (14) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x15f9 |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (14) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x15fa |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (15) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x15f4 |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (15) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x15f5 |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (16) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x1a1e |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (17) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x1a1f |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (17) I219-LM | 0x8086 | 0x1a1c |
| Intel | Ethernet Connection (17) I219-V | 0x8086 | 0x1a1d |
USB NETWORK Adapter Compatibility
The USB Network Native Driver for ESXi Fling has been updated to V1.9 with support for ESXi 7.0 Update 3.
- VMware ESXi 6.5, 6.7 & 7.0 (x86)
- Any adapters using the following chipsets and with the following VID/PID are supported.
| Vendor | Chipset | VendorID | ProductID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Chipset | VendorID | ProductID |
| AQUANTIA | AQC111U | 0xe05a | 0x20f4 |
| AQUANTIA | Aquantia Pacific | 0x2eca | 0xc101 |
| ASIX | AX88179 | 0x0b95 | 0x1790 |
| ASIX | AX88178a | 0x0b95 | 0x178a |
| CISCO LINKSYS | RTL8153 | 0x13b1 | 0x0041 |
| DLINK | AX88179 | 0x2001 | 0x4a00 |
| INSYDE SOFTWARE CORP | Insyde Software Corp. | 0x0b1f | 0x03ee |
| LENOVO | RTL8153 | 0x17ef | 0x3062 |
| LENOVO | RTL8153 | 0x17ef | 0x3069 |
| LENOVO | RTL8153 | 0x17ef | 0x720a |
| LENOVO | AX88179 | 0x17ef | 0x304b |
| LENOVO | RTL8153 | 0x17ef | 0x7205 |
| NVIDIA | RTL8153 | 0x0955 | 0x09ff |
| Qualcomm | NA | 0x0b05 | 0x1976 |
| Qualcomm | NA | 0x1A56 | 0x3100 |
| REALTEK | RTL8152 | 0x0bda | 0x8152 |
| REALTEK | RTL8153 | 0x0bda | 0x8153 |
| REALTEK | RTL8156 | 0x0bda | 0x8156 |
| REALTEK | RTL8153 | 0x045e | 0x07c6 |
| SITECOMEU | AX88179 | 0x0df6 | 0x0072 |
| SUPERMICRO | Supermicro computer Inc | 0x15d9 | 0x1b83 |
| TP-LINK | RTL8153 | 0x2357 | 0x0601 |
| TRENDNET | AQC111U | 0xe05a | 0x20f4 |
Integrated NVMe driver
2021.11.10, Community NVMe Driver Update for ESXi, applicable to the latest ESXi 7.0 Update 3 and supports the following storage devices:
Non-Apple NVMe:
- VMware ESXi 7.0 (x86) or newer is required
- Any NVMe storage devices with VID/PID listed below are supported
| Vendor | VendorID | ProductID |
|---|---|---|
| ADATA | 0x1cc1 | 8201 |
| Micro/Crucial | 0xc0a9 | 0x2263 |
| Silicon Motion | 0x126f | 0x2262 |
Overview of common features
In addition to the above driver compatibility enhancements, this image mainly adds the following features:
- SLIC 2.6: Directly run Windows Server 2022 using OEM SLP
- MacOS Unlocker: Run macOS Big Sur 11 and macOS Monterey 12 directly
- LegacyCPU Support allows you to install ESXi 7.0 on unsupported cpus (SYSIN)
- Change the esx-osdata volume size to 4 gb to solve the problem that the disk space occupied by default ESXi 7.0 installation may exceed 142GB.
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3C SLIC 2.6&Unlocker (2022 U3 Refresh)
Download address
Name: ESXI-7.0 U3C-19193900-sysin-NUC-USB-nvMe-SLIC_2.6-fix.iso Size: 418631680 bytes (399 MiB) SHA256: 52317bf061932313b4d3ba9833c6a0027b0d64132acc402f5be22d1fa2ffb3c5
Baidu web disk link: sysin.org/blog/vmware…
VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3C SLIC 2.6 & Unlocker (2022 U3 Refresh)