How to Downgrade VMware ESXi 8 to 7 [3 Methods]

You can implement downgrade vCenter 8 to 7. VMware ESXi is a widely used hypervisor for virtualization, but after upgrading to ESXi 8, you may encounter compatibility issues, performance issues, or other challenges, or you may encounter the issues mentioned above, so you need to downgrade ESXi 8 to 7. Since VMware does not offer the option to downgrade directly, you need to manually downgrade ESXi. In this article, the steps to downgrade ESXi 8 to 7 will be explained in detail for you.

Steps to Downgrade VMware ESXi 8 to 7

This part will introduce you to three methods to downgrade ESXi 8 to 7.

Prerequisite

Before downgrading, please make sure you have met the following requirements:

• Backup Data: Because to downgrade ESXi requires a hypervisor reinstallation, which deletes existing data you need to create a backup for data security. You can use AOMEI Cyber Backup for backup data.
• Verify Compatibility: Check the hardware and virtual machines are compatible with ESXi 7.
• Physical Access or Remote Management: Ensure that the ESXi host can be accessed through a console, iDRAC, iLO, or other remote management tool.

Method 1. Revert Using the ESXi Recovery Partition

If you are upgrading from ESXi 7 to ESXi 8, there may be a rollback option, now you can achieve a downgrade vCenter 8 to 7.

Step 1. Restart the ESXi server and access the boot menu. When prompted, press Shift + R during the boot process.

Step 2. If ESXi 7 is available, select that version and confirm the rollback, then the system will reboot into ESXi 7.

Step 3. Log into the ESXi host and check the version by using the following command:

Step 4. Then ensure that all virtual machines and configurations are functioning properly.

Note: This method only works if ESXi has been upgraded and the recovery partition is intact.

Method 2. Reinstall ESXi 7

If the rollback method is unavailable, you must perform a fresh installation of ESXi 7.

Step 1. Insert a bootable USB drive or load the ESXi 7 ISO through Remote Management.

Reboot the server and boot from the installation media.

Step 2. Select Install ESXi 7.x from the boot menu, and accept the VMware End User License Agreement (EULA).

Step 3. Select an Installation Disk and select the disk on which to install ESXi 8. If prompted, select Overwrite or Erase the existing partitions to proceed.

Step 4. Set a strong root password for the ESXi host.

Step 5. Wait for the installation to complete, remove the installation media, and reboot the server.

Method 3. Downgrade using ESXi CLI

If you have SSH access, you can use the command line to downgrade.

Step 1. Log in to ESXi 8 and enable SSH from the host client (Administration > Services > Enable SSH).

Step 2. Transfer the offline package (.zip) to the ESXi host using SCP or another method.

Step 3. Run the following command to downgrade:

Remember to replace ESXi7.zip with the actual package name and path.

Step 4. Use the command to reboot the host: reboot

Step 5. Use the following command to verify the downgrade:

Backup Your VMware ESXi VMs during the Downgrade Process

AOMEI Cyber Backup can provide you with a comprehensive backup solution to help you keep your important data safe while downgrading ESXi 8 to 7. It can provide the following advantages for VMware ESXi VM backup:

User-friendly Backup: Equipped with an intuitive web console for backing up and restoring all virtual machines. Backup administrators can easily handle data protection without a long learning curve.
Agentless Backup: Create image-based backups of entire VMware virtual machines, eliminating the need to install an agent on each virtual machine and improving the efficiency of the backup deployment process.
Automated Backup: You can configure a backup schedule to automatically perform a backup task at a specified time.
Instant Disaster Recovery: In the event of a VMware crash, quickly restore VMware to a normal state, reducing business-critical downtime.

Simple steps to backup VMware ESXi VMs

Step 1. Access the AOMEI Cyber Backup web client, go to Source Device > VMware > + Add VMware Device to open the add device page. Then enter the Device Information and User Information, after finishing, click Confirm.

Step 2. Navigate to Backup Task > + Create New Task, and select VMware ESXi Backup as Backup Type. Then set the Task Name, Device, Target, Archive, and Schedule according to your needs.

• Device: Since multiple VMs on the host are covered in a single backup task, you need to select the VMs that need to be backed up.
• Target: You can select to backup to a local path, or a network path.
• Archive: You can add an Amazon S3 storage and archive VMware Backup versions to the S3 storage.
• Schedule: You can choose to perform full, differential, or incremental backups and have them automatically execute daily, weekly, or monthly basis at a frequency you specify.

Step 3. Click Start Backup and select Add the schedule and start backup now or Add the schedule only.

Conclusion

In the face of some circumstances, you will need to downgrade ESXi 8 to 7. While VMware does not support direct downgrade, it is possible to do so through the three methods provided in this article: Recovery Mode, Fresh Installation, or using the ESXi CLI. Meanwhile, for the safety of your data, make sure to back up your critical data before downgrading, and make sure your hardware and virtual machines remain compatible.