Problem with root password

[hetz]

Hi,

I have few ESXI's 4 connected to a vcenter, all is working ok.

My problem is that someone here have changed the root password to one of the ESXI's machines and forgot what is it.

That machine is still connected to the vcenter and I can access the host through vcenter as well as the vm's on it.

Is there any way through vcenter to reset the root password of that specific machine?

[weinstein5]

No there is no way to change tjhe root password through vCenter - the official way will require a rebuild of your ESxi host - http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=131789... - there are hacks that will allow you  to change the root password but they are not supported - you can google for the procedure -

[sparrowangelste]

Hetz Ben Hamo wrote:

Hi,

I have few ESXI's 4 connected to a vcenter, all is working ok.

My problem is that someone here have changed the root password to one of the ESXI's machines and forgot what is it.

That machine is still connected to the vcenter and I can access the host through vcenter as well as the vm's on it.

Is there any way through vcenter to reset the root password of that specific machine?

like weinstien said rebuild your host.

just vmotion off all the vms  and rebuild it.

its not too bad, 45 mins ?

http://sparrowangelstechnology.blogspot.com/2012/08/esxi-how-to-backup-restore-host.html

that is how you can back up the host's config using powercli.

connect to vcenter and run that against the host.

after you reinstall then connect powercli directly to the host.

[TomHowarth]

As David says there is no official way to change the root password of an ESXi server,  the quickest and easiest way is to just rebuild the host.

[hetz]

I don't know why VMWare doesn't endorse the following procedure (specially if that machine is connected to vcenter):

1. Create a host profile from that specific host
2. edit profile, under Administration, set a password
3. Shut down all the vm's on that host
4. Enter maintenance mode
5. apply the edited host profile
6. Exit maintenance mode

You're done. You can SSH and connect to the machine without reformatting.

[TomHowarth]

because the particular method is only available to those customers who have purchased the Enterprise plus version of vSphere.  host profiles are not avaliable in any other edition