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linuxpersonFlag for Canada

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esxi password reset

I forgot my password for ESXi 5.0 system

How can i reset my root password?
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Frosty555
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http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1317898

Per vmware... you can't. You have to re-install ESXi on the host. Attempting to do anything else is unsupported and may break things.

You can re-install ESXi and then re-import all your VMs into the inventory. Any other configuration (e.g. networking, resource allocation, user accounts and access controls) need to be re-done.
Avatar of Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
or, you can follow this article here, unsupported but works very well.

http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Reset_root_password.php

and works for ESXi 3.0 all the up to the current latest ESXi 5.5 U2.

and the only thing that this method "breaks" is the password for root!
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ASKER

i did reinstall ESXi 5.0 build 1311175.

When I typed my new password it is not working. Any suggestion?  I did reinstall twice.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)
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Koolandrew

I have a question, as i just joined EE recently.

Somehow, our ESXI root password is lost or changed. I do not have a backup of this server, so i have some rudimentary questions.

1. If we reinstall esxi, what happens to all the existing live VMS. I am assuming they will all go down during that period, but is there a way quickly bringing them back online on the same hardware.

I have seen it mentioned in some articles but i have no expertise in this area, and need to understand what my options might be.

thanks
@koolandrew Please post a new question and myself or other Experts will be glad to assist.