Error: Invalid Password when logging in to ESXi via iDRAC virtual console

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• Login to an ESXi host through the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI) or the Host Client fails when using the iDRAC virtual console.
• Login fails with Error: Invalid Password.
• Password works correctly immediately after a fresh ESXi installation but fails shortly after.
• Authentication succeeds when using a physical keyboard at the server, but the same credentials fail through the iDRAC console.
• Reinstalling ESXi does not resolve the behavior.

Environment

VMware vSphere ESXi 8.x

Cause

• When the iDRAC virtual console window opens, Caps Lock automatically activates without a visual indicator. Keystrokes entered through the console are transmitted with inverted case. Because ESXi passwords are case-sensitive, the input does not match the stored password.
• This behavior originates in the remote KVM/iDRAC solution's failure to synchronize the HID keyboard state with the host.

Resolution

To restore access, reset the keyboard state within the session:

1. Open the iDRAC virtual console window.
2. Press Caps Lock twice before entering credentials. This resets the key state imposed by the iDRAC firmware.
3. Type "root" in the username field to verify input appears in lowercase.
4. Log in to the Host Client UI or ESXi Shell.

To prevent this in future sessions:

1. Verify the iDRAC firmware version (iDRAC Settings > Overview).
2. Compare the version against the latest available on the Dell support site.
3. Update the iDRAC firmware following Dell's procedures for the specific server model.

Additional Information

• For information on harmless "FW timesync start" messages that may appear, see: "FW timesync start" message occurs every 15 minutes when using bcm-mpi3 driver.
• This behavior is tied to the iDRAC virtual console session state and is not caused by ESXi or any ESXi configuration. If a physical keyboard or a KVM switch is available, it can be used as an alternative access method while a permanent fix is pursued through iDRAC firmware updates.