It was a Tuesday—the kind of gray, humming Tuesday that only datacenter engineers truly understand. Alex stared at the blinking amber light on HPE server #47. The host had been gracefully degraded after a failed memory module, but the bigger problem was the software mismatch. VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3c was drifting out of HPE’s support matrix, and auditors were coming next week.
“I need the exact HPE-customized ISO for 7.0 U3,” Alex muttered, pulling up three browser tabs.
Step 1 – The Search Begins First stop: My VMware Portal. The vanilla ISO was there—shiny, generic, and useless for Alex’s environment. HPE’s custom image included critical drivers: smartpqi for the RAID controller, iLO management tools, and the nmlx5-core for the Mellanox NICs. Without those, the host would boot, then PSOD (Purple Screen of Death) the moment storage was accessed.
Step 2 – HPE’s Labyrinth Alex navigated to the HPE Support Center (support.hpe.com). Typed: “VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3” into the search bar. A page loaded—too many results. Then filtered:
There it was: “VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 (HPE Customized Image)”
Release date: March 2023. Build number: 19193900. File name: VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-19193900-HPE-702.0.0.10.5.0.83-Oct2023.iso
Step 3 – The Workaround Glitch The download button was grayed out. “Entitlement required,” the page said. Alex’s heart sank—then remembered: HPE now required an active service contract and a linked VMware account. After a frantic Slack to the procurement team, a contract number was located. Linked. Refreshed. The button turned blue.
Step 4 – The Download Alex clicked. A 580 MB ISO began downloading at 50 Mbps—slow for the datacenter’s pipe, but enough. Meanwhile, a second tab was opened: HPE’s VIB acceptance level documentation. The custom image was “PartnerSupported” – good, that matched the existing cluster’s policy.
Step 5 – Validation & Deployment While the ISO downloaded, Alex ran a checksum:
CertUtil -hashfile VMware-ESXi-7.0U3-19193900-HPE-702.0.0.10.5.0.83-Oct2023.iso SHA256
Compared it to HPE’s published hash. Match. Perfect.
Using HPE iLO 5, Alex mounted the ISO virtually, booted server #47, and installed. Twenty minutes later—green lights across the board. The host rejoined the cluster, vMotion worked, and the storage adapter hummed with the smartpqi driver.
Epilogue The audit passed. Alex learned a mantra that day: “Never trust a generic ISO when hardware is on the line. Always get the HPE custom image—and keep your support contract handy.”
From then on, that exact ISO filename lived on a secure NAS, with a sticky note in the team’s runbook: “ESXi 7.0 U3 HPE custom – works like a charm.”
To download and successfully work with the HPE Customized ISO image for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3, you must navigate the Broadcom Support Portal, as VMware's legacy Customer Connect site has been retired. Using an HPE-specific image is critical for ProLiant and Synergy hardware because it integrates essential drivers for storage and network controllers that are not included in the standard VMware base image. How to Download the HPE Customized ESXi 7.0 U3 ISO It was a Tuesday—the kind of gray, humming
The download process now goes through the Broadcom Support Portal. You will need a registered account with an active entitlement to view and download these files.
Log In: Open the Broadcom Support Portal and sign in with your credentials.
Select Product Area: Use the dropdown next to your username to select VMware Cloud Foundation.
Navigate to Downloads: Click My Downloads on the left menu and search for "VMware vSphere" in the top-right search bar.
Choose Version: Select your entitled version (e.g., VMware vSphere Enterprise) and pick the 7.0 major version from the list.
Locate Custom ISO: Click the Custom ISOs tab. Search for "HPE" to find the specific "HPE Custom Image for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3".
Download: Click the download link for the install CD ISO and the accompanying readme file. Why You Must Use the HPE Customized Image
Standard VMware ISOs lack the specific VIBs (VMware Installation Bundles) required for HPE-specific hardware features.
Essential Drivers: Includes drivers for new network and storage controllers (like Smart Array) that the generic image cannot recognize during installation.
Hardware Visibility: Allows ESXi to report the status of physical disks and power supplies directly in the vSphere client.
HPE Management Tools: Bundles tools like the HPE Smart Storage Administrator (SSA) and online iLO utilities for better server management.
Intelligent Provisioning: Works seamlessly with HPE's built-in server deployment tools. Implementation and Upgrade Workflow Product: ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Operating System: VMware ESXi
If you are updating an existing ESXi 7.0 host to Update 3 using the customized ISO, follow these steps:
To download the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO , you must now Broadcom Support Portal
, as the old VMware Customer Connect site has been retired. While standard ESXi downloads typically require a support contract, manufacturer-customized images like HPE's are often accessible under specific tabs on the portal. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Step-by-Step Download Guide VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers
To download the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO , you must now Broadcom Support Portal
, as it has officially replaced the former VMware Customer Connect site. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Step-by-Step Download Guide Access the Portal : Navigate to the Broadcom Support Portal and log in with your registered credentials. Select Product Category : Use the drop-down menu next to your username to select VMware Cloud Foundation Find vSphere My Downloads on the left menu, then search for VMware vSphere in the top-right search bar. Choose License Level : Select your entitled version (e.g., VMware vSphere - Enterprise Filter Version & Image Type Select major version from the release list. Switch to the Custom ISOs Locate HPE ISO : Use the search box to find " HPE custom image
." Look for the specific ESXi 7.0 Update 3 version, such as the Feb 2025 release (File name: vmware-esxi-7.0.3-24411414-HPE-703.0.0.11.9.0.5-Feb2025.iso : Click the download icon and accept the Broadcom EULA. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Key Image Details HPE Custom Image for VMware vSphere 7.0 Update 3
To download the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO , you must now use the Broadcom Support Portal
, as VMware Customer Connect has been replaced. These images are specifically designed for HPE ProLiant, Synergy, and Superdome servers to include essential drivers and management tools not found in the base VMware image. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Steps to Download from Broadcom Support Portal Register & Login : Open the Broadcom Support Portal and sign in with your registered credentials. Navigate to Downloads : Click on My Downloads from the left-hand menu. Select VMware Cloud Foundation from the dropdown menu next to your username if required. Search for vSphere
: In the search bar on the upper right, enter "VMware vSphere" and select the product you are entitled to (e.g., VMware vSphere - Enterprise Select Version : Choose the major version from the dropdown list. Access Custom ISOs Click on the Custom ISOs OEM Addons if you only need the driver bundle). Filter or search for "HPE" to locate the HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0U3 Install CD Complete Download
: Click the download link next to the desired image. You must accept the Broadcom EULA
by clicking the "Terms and Conditions" link before the checkbox becomes active. Broadcom support portal Alternative: Using HPE Support Site
While HPE often redirects you to Broadcom for the actual file, you can find direct product details and documentation on the HPE ESXi Images page ProLiant Servers There it was: “VMware ESXi 7
: Look for the latest 7.0 U3 releases (e.g., Feb 2025 version). Synergy Servers
: These have specific ISOs (e.g., Nov 2024 version) and should be sourced from the HPE Synergy Software Release Hewlett Packard Enterprise Why use the HPE Customized Image? VMware vSphere® Hypervisor ESXi ISO image - HPE Support
To download the VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 HPE Customized ISO , you must now use the Broadcom Support Portal
following Broadcom's acquisition of VMware. Direct links to specific custom images on the HPE site are no longer available. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Download Instructions : Sign in to the Broadcom Support Portal
. If you don’t have an account, you will need to register and may require a valid support contract for certain downloads. Navigate to Downloads VMware Cloud Foundation from the dropdown menu next to your username, then click My Downloads on the left-hand menu. Search for vSphere
: In the search bar, enter "VMware vSphere" and select the appropriate version (e.g., Enterprise Plus). Find Custom ISOs Select the major version Click on the Custom ISOs Search for "HPE" to filter the list. Select & Download : Locate the specific release, such as the
HPE Custom Image for ESXi 7.0 Update 3 (e.g., Feb 2025 or Sep 2024 versions)
. Accept the EULA and complete any required screening to start the download. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Recent Image Versions (7.0 U3) Release Date ISO File Name Example Build Number VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-24411414-HPE-703.0.0.11.9.0.5-Feb2025.iso VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-23794027-HPE-703.0.0.11.8.0.4-Sep2024.iso VMware-ESXi-7.0.3-23794027-HPE-703.0.0.11.6.0.5-May2024.iso Key Considerations VMware ESXi Images for HPE Servers
VMware ESXi is a bare-metal hypervisor that installs directly onto server hardware. However, hardware vendors like HPE implement specific chipsets for storage controllers and network interfaces that generic VMware drivers may not support optimally.
Historically, attempting to install a generic VMware ISO on an HPE ProLiant server often resulted in failure—typically presenting a "No Network Adapters Found" error during installation or missing storage controller drivers. To mitigate this, HPE releases a "Custom Image" in collaboration with VMware. This image is pre-loaded with the scsi-hpvsa, net-igb, i40en, and other vendor-specific drivers.
Open a web browser and navigate to the HPE Support Center or the HPE Software Depot.
https://support.hpe.com/ or https://myenterpriselicense.hpe.com/ams and hp-ilo-exporter post-install.The HPE customized ISO image for VMware ESXi 7.0 Update 3 is designed to streamline the installation of ESXi on HPE servers. By following the steps outlined above, you can successfully download and use this customized image. Always ensure you are working with the latest and compatible versions to maximize performance and security.
You have three primary methods to use the HPE custom ISO: