In this article, we will show you how to reset lost root password in VCSA if we have forgotten the existing root password for a VMware vCenter Server Appliance 7.0.2, the one I have installed in my VMware Workstation. To reset the root password of VCSA, there will be downtime required. Reboot the vCenter server. I am running the vCenter server V 7. It is working on PHOTON OS Version 3.0. After restarting VCSA, once the below splash screen appears, press the e button on the keyboard.
Note: This article is definite for the VMware vCenter Server Appliance 7.0 and won’t work for earlier versions. Follow these steps at your own risk, and always back up the VCSA before applying any changes. Read this article to find out how to reset root password vCenter.
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Reset Lost Root Password in VCSA
How to reset the forgotten root password in VMware vCenter Appliance 7
First, you need to take a backup or snapshot of your VMware vCenter Server Appliance. Please do not ignore this step.
Reboot your vCenter Server Appliance
Click on the action menu, select Power, and then select Reset.
After rebooting the VCSA Photon OS, hit the e key to enter the GNU GRUB Edit Menu.
Find the line that starts with the word Linux.
Enter the below command at the end of the line after a space.
rw init=/bin/bash
Press F10 to reboot.
Type passswd to reset the root password.
passwd
Enter a new root password and confirm the password. You will see the password successfully updated.
You can unmount the file system by using the umount command
Umount /
Select the Power option again and select Reset.
Click yes
Press F2.
Type a new VCSA password and press enter.
How to Reset vCenter Root Password
If you are working on VMware vCenter server 7.0 and above, this is another quickest way of changing the VCSA root password of the root user, if you already know it without downtime using the VAMI portal.
Launch the vCenter VAMI portal using the 5480 port. Use your [email protected] username and credentials to log in.
Click on the Actions tab on the menu, and from the drop-down list, click on Change Root Password.
Type the old password and then a new password. Click save
