Can anyone assist me with recovering the root password of an ESX 3.0.2 Server. We have a machine that we installed but can't seem to log into the console as root. Is there a password recovery tool?
Thanks
Tim
Hi Tim, your post has been moved to the ESX Server 3.x Configuration forum
Dave Mishchenko
VMware Communities User Moderator
As soon as you see the GRUB boot screen, press "a" to modify the kernel arguments
Then at the prompt type 'single'
The ESX host will boot to a # prompt.
Type 'passwd' and enter a new password for root.
Type 'reboot'.
As ctfoster notes, you need to reboot the system and be standing at the local console to reset the password.
Without getting into too much detail, you cannot recover a Unix password, you can only reset it in single user mode, which ctfoster notes above.
If you are into the "why" then this will help: http://www.nmrc.org/pub/faq/hackfaq/hackfaq-28.html
Thanks, I have rebooted this thing several times and it keeps coming to a screen that gives me three options:
VMware ESX
Vmware ESX (debug)
VMware ESX (Troubleshooting)
I have tried all three options and it still appears that it is booting into run-level three. Any ideas
Tim.
Look at the base of the screen - Fig2
What about typing esx -s when you get to the boot screen?
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/113870
sorry, didn't see that last post...the instructions posted above should get you into single user mode.
Message was edited by: IB_IT
