MORE INFORMATION To avoid this problem in the future:
To distinguish whether you forgot the password or if the remote login has been turned off,
You can do a couple things:
1>use putty to login (if denied, it means you can not remotely login and you may have forgotten the password)
2>type the ip address of the server into the URL, click login to web access .
(if denied, it means you forgot the password. In other words you will have to reset the root password)
3>login to the physical machine with a keyboard attached and monitor attached to it.
(if denied, it means you forgot the password. In other words you will have to reset the root password)
excellent article on how to reset the root password:
We can do two things to avoid this problem(remote login) from happening in the future
================================================================
1>During installation of a new VMWARE ESX INSTALLATION, we could tick the box
which says "GRANT SHELL ACCESS", or when you create a new user; make sure
tick the box for "Grant Shell Access". VMWARE Recommends created an additional
account outside of root for logging into the box, then when needing root access level
security use the "su" command to switch the user.
2>*********************************************************************
BEFORE YOU DO THIS, MIGRATE ALL MACHINES ON THIS HOST TO ANOTHER ESX BOX
IN THE CLUSTER
***********************************************************************
After you physically install the new ESX BOX and when you forgot to tick the "Grant Shell Access" box,
You can adjust a configuration file. To note: to be able to do this, you need to be physically
Attached the box with a monitor and keyboard.
What configuration file do you need to adjust?
You need to set "PermitRootLogin yes" in /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Next: restart the sshd service or reboot the box.
>nano sshd_config (nano is a text editor for linux)
>switch the command from "no" to "yes"
><cntl><x> choose to save the file
===================================================================
IMPORTANT -
do not edit the ssh_config file this command
is located in the sshd_config file
===================================================================
OTHER REFERENCES:
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/144634
Thanks,
Doug Lubey of Louisiana
SEARCH ENGINE REFERENCES
======================
putty esx 3.5 access denied
forgot administrator password
reset administrator password in VMWARE LINUX
reset root password for UNIX
reset password for the ROOT VMWARE LOGIN ACCOUNT
