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vCenter Server Appliance root password change not working

I am using VCSA 6.5.0.11000 Build Number 6816762 (german language).

Today I tried updating it with the 6.5.0.12000 Build-Nummer 7119157 updates (via the management interface https://vcenter.xxxx.xxxx:5480/#/appliance/update?locale=de )  . It did not work.

The error was:

"Appliance (OS) root password is expired or is going to expire soon. Please change the root password before installing an update."

So I went to the Admistration, entered the current password and a new one.

But the password was not changed and the error thrown reads (in german): "Das Kennwort konnte nicht festgelegt werden" which roughly translates to "The password could not be set"

As expiration date for the current password there is listed "Fri Jan 01 1971".

VCSA had been installed on Nov 19 2016 (V6.0.0).

Any thoughts how to solve the problem? Why can I log in in the vcenter, but not change the password?

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RajeevVCP4
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you can change root password by using this KB

2147144

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you

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RajeevVCP4
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you can change root password by using this KB

2147144

Rajeev Chauhan
VCIX-DCV6.5/VSAN/VXRAIL
Please mark help full or correct if my answer is use full for you
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GPLS1
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What I could not understand was, why I still could log into the appliance but not change the password.

As a sidenote:

I used the Console in the ESXi UI. It is really a nuisance, when the keyboard layouts for languages are different / wrong. Even the german keyboard layout is not really german. "y" and "z" are still misplaced. German layout in the console places the "/" on the key labelled "#" etc. Also the input seems hypersensitive. Hitting a key once can result in a double input. That is especially bad since you cannot see, what you entered as password. When the login did not accept the password after 3 times, i resorted to just type 6 times "a" as password and the change the password after being able to enter the configuration page.

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jamescoope
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I had this same problem and fixed it by SSHing into the vCenter appliance

I found the new password I was using was too similar.  I reset it to a completly different one then used the passwd command to reset it back to the right one.

I was then able to disable password expiry via the option in the web UI

Benji2665
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Hi, how did you fix it through SSH, if i type password.update and enter and confirm the password I get, "Error in method: Could not update the password. (code com.vmware.applmgmt.err_set_password_failed_update)

Have tried difference passwords with same results.

Can't upgrade because of expired/expiring password and can't change or set it to never expire, vmware!

Ben

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Amadeusri
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I am in the same situation.  The root password shows expired 1970.  I cannot change it from the gui and when I ssh to the appliance and attempt to change it with user.update.password I get the error

  Error in method: Could not update the password. (code

   com.vmware.applmgmt.err_set_password_failed_update)

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Amadeusri
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I figured it out.

You can enable Bash.  Then SSH to the Appliance.  Enter the command "shell"

Then normal linux command "passwd" for the new password.

Log back into the gui and you can then disable the password expiration and then proceed with the appliance update.

sarikrizvi
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Issue:- Resetting Appliance (vCenter, vRA,etc.) password


Troubleshooting Steps #


1. Apply KB # 196 (VMware Knowledge Base) for Repeated characters when typing in remote console

2. Reboot appliance and Go to grub >>>Type e

3. Scroll to the second line displaying the kernel boot parameters >>>   Type e   >>>   Type init=/bin/bash  >>>   Enter   >>>    Type b

4. System boots to a shell    # >>>     Type passwd    >>>     change new password

5. Unlock root account  - pam_tally --user root --reset  or faillog -u root -r   >>>    Reboot .

Use above troubleshooting steps and issue will get resolve Smiley Happy

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SARIK (Infrastructure Architect)
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trexima
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Had the same issue today, really mind boggling. Was lucky enough to have SSH enabled, so I logged on via SSH

Then I needed to enter "bash" via bash command and there changed the password via passwd - Needs to be sure to maintain complexity.

After a while the UI accepted the new password and password expiration was set in the future. I also could change the password via GUI and set password expiration to "NO" ... which solves all possible future problems.

Also, if You want to update vCenter via GUI and have an expired password, the update won't work ... This is really kinda "wtf" issue.

And to the "verified response" - really the KB you posted is for resetting a FORGOTTEN password, not this specific issue... You suggested a required reboot procedure, while the solution for OP's problem was not really that complex. I recommend your devs setting password expiration requirement to "OFF" by default ...

NRay
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You can reset the root password from the vCenter Server Appliance command line.

Check this KB for more info: Resolution: Appliance (OS) root password is expired or is going to expire soon

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