Reset VMware ESXi root password

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Please note that this article / this category refers either on older software / hardware components or is no longer maintained for other reasons.
This page is no longer updated and is purely for reference purposes still here in the archive available.

If you forgot your vSphere ESXi * / 6 host root password, the only supported option by VMware for recovery is a new installation of the host.

Additional Information in the VMware Knowledge Base Article

How you can still reset the root password without a new installation , we will show you in this article.

However, we would like to emphasize that this approach may be neither be supported by VMware still by Thomas-Krenn.

VMware Server Systems

Method

You must boot a linux live system, or an installed linux system on another disc, on the vSphere Host. In our example, an installed Ubuntu 14.04 was used , the vSphere installation was on an USB stick .

  • check with parted the partitions
    check with parted the partitions
  • Mount the corresponding partition (the first after the boot partition) and unzip the state.tgz directory . The shadow file can be opened with an editor
    Mount the corresponding partition (the first after the boot partition) and unzip the state.tgz directory . The shadow file can be opened with an editor
  • Between the first two colons is the encrypted root password
    Between the first two colons is the encrypted root password
  • Delete all characters between the first two colons and save the change
    Delete all characters between the first two colons and save the change
  • Create the local.tgz archive again and then the state.tgz archive and move it to the Mount Path
    Create the local.tgz archive again and then the state.tgz archive and move it to the Mount Path
  • You can log in as root on the vSphere Host now without a password
    You can log in as root on the vSphere Host now without a password
  • Configure a new root password
    Configure a new root password

Author: Sebastian Köbke