You shouldn't expect that a Linux application will run from the ESXi technical support mode. HP should have been able to point this out. There's a reason SSH is disabled on ESXi. There's a reason you get a big warning alert on you server when you manually go and enable it.
It's inconvenient, but the only method of doing such an update is to make a bootable CD using HP's Firmware maintenance CD. The Gen8 servers provided a much better method of doing such updates.