customization of Linux root password

[mm6]

Is there anything in the API for customizing the root password in a Linux vm the same way the Windows admin password can be set?

[lamw · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately this is not possible with what is available in Linux prep, Linux/UNIX guestOSes is 2nd to Windows in VMware's world and hopefully this will change sooner than later

What you can do as a work around if you have or plan on installing VMware Tools when the guest is provisioned is to have a default password and then use something like VMware VIX API to change the password or upload a new password hash. It's not ideal but that's as automated as you can get today or by default provision your host with the proper password.

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William Lam

VMware vExpert 2009

VMware ESX/ESXi scripts and resources at:

Twitter: @lamw

VMware Code Central - Scripts/Sample code for Developers and Administrators

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[mm6]

Thanks for the reply. I will look into that.

[tasoss]

After almost 3 years is there a better solution provided by vmware?

I need to set the password after the creation of a new vm from a template.

[narcissujsk]

After another   4 years is there a better solution provided by vmware?

[jasper9890]

2019, no improvement?

[Damonysq]

2022.06.06 no improvement????????????????????????????????????

[JamesCurtis]

Any news? Can only use cloud-init ?

[jc0326]

I have used the following Postcustomization script. Which creates a random password sends it password to the guestinfo variable and makes the user reset it upon login.

#!/bin/bash

log=/var/log/cust_output.log
if [[ "x${1}" = "xprecustomization" ]]; then
password=$(openssl rand -base64 12)
echo "root:$password" | chpasswd
vmtoolsd --cmd "info-set guestinfo.custom.password $password"
passwd --expire root
elif [[ "x${1}" = "xpostcustomization" ]]; then
echo "customization complete..." >> ${log}
fi