Reset vCenter Root Account Password from VAMI

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server 7.0

Issue/Introduction

Method to reset a locked or change root password from the VAMI without restarting the appliance or needing to boot into single-user mode via GRUB.  Changing the root password via VAMI requires knowing the current root password. 

Environment

VMware vCenter Server

Cause

Changing the password from the VAMI is typically necessary for security compliance, password recovery, administrative updates, and to avoid rebooting the system.

Resolution

Access the VAMI interface on port 5480 (https://<vcenter_fqdn>:5480) and log in using your SSO Admin credentials ([email protected]). From the top right menu, you can change the root password provided it is not locked.

Additional Information

If the root user is locked:

1. Log in to the vCenter appliance via SSH using your SSO Admin account.
2. Enable the shell by executing shell.set --enabled true.
3. Use the pam_tally2 --reset command to unlock the root account.