Install procedure for vmware esxi 5.5u1 with mainboard Supermicro X7SBL-LN1 and 3Ware Raid Controller 9650-4LP with usb flash drive

install_esxi

in esxi 5.5 were old drivers droped, this is my procedure for creating a bootable flashdrive with the old drivers for nic and raid.

#prerequisites/downloads

1. download esxi from vmware website (registration required)
    filename should be something like "VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0.update01-1623387.x86_64.iso"
2. download "esxi customizer" from
    http://www.v-front.de/p/esxi-customizer.html
    extract into directory by starting the "ESXi-Customizer-vX.X.X.exe"
3. download rufus (tool for creating bootable flash drives)
    http://rufus.akeo.ie/
4. download nic driver from esxi 5.0
    https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/OFFLINE/release-346-20120706-638484/ESXi500-201207001.zip
5. download 3ware raid controller driver
    http://www.lsi.com/downloads/Public/SATA/SATA%20Common%20Files/esxi5u1_driver_LSI_3ware_96xx.zip
    http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/download-results.aspx?keyword=9650-4LP
    extract into directory

#changing the iso
1. start esxi customizer
2. select the esxi original .iso
    eg. VMware-VMvisor-Installer-5.5.0.update01-1623387.x86_64.iso
3. select the 3ware driver directory where you extracted the 3ware driver
    there should be a zip in there with "offline_bundle" in the filename
    eg. LSI_2.27.08.036vm50-offline_bundle-637081.zip
    select this zip
4. select temp directory, where the new iso with integrated driver will be created
5. hit "run"
    if you are asked to "integrate the driver" - hit yes
6. after finished, there should be a new iso in temp folder
    eg. ESXi-5.x-Custom.iso
    rename that file to "ESXi-5.x-Custom_raid.iso"
7. open the "ESXi500-201207001.zip" with the nic drivers (no need to extract whole archive)
    go into folder "vib20/net-e1000e"
    extract "VMware_bootbank_net-e1000e_1.1.2-3vmw.500.1.11.623860.vib" into a folder
8.  start esxi customizer again
9. select "ESXi-5.x-Custom_raid.iso" as original esxi iso
10. select "VMware_bootbank_net-e1000e_1.1.2-3vmw.500.1.11.623860.vib" as driver to integrate
11. the temp folder should be the same as last
12. hit run
    if it asks if you want to integrate the old driver and overwrite the new one - hit "yes"
13. after finishing, a new iso (ESXi-5.x-Custom.iso) should be in temp folder
    rename this to something you like "ESXi-5.x-Custom_raid_nic.iso"

#create bootable flashdrive
(http://www.tinkertry.com/rufus-takes-2-minutes-to-create-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive-for-esxi-installation/)
1. start rufus
2. select flash drive
3. select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI computers
4. select FAT32
5. select cluster size default
6. select volume name
7. create bootable disk from "ISO" and select the "ESXi-5.x-Custom_raid_nic.iso"
8. hit start.

when creating the flashdrive is finished you can boot with the flashdrive and install esxi normal.
network and raid should be working :-D

#additional resources:
x http://www.tinkertry.com/rufus-takes-2-minutes-to-create-a-bootable-usb-flash-drive-for-esxi-installation/
x http://www.tinkertry.com/download-vsphere-5-lab/
x http://www.v-front.de/p/esxi-customizer.html
x http://rufus.akeo.ie/
x https://communities.vmware.com/message/2251448#2251448