Add Boot Delay to Virtual Machine in vSphere for Appliance Root Password Resets

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)

Issue/Introduction

This KB will explain the steps needed to add a boot delay to VMs in vSphere. 

Environment

VMware vCenter 

Cause

This is commonly used when a Root password reset is needed for a VMware Appliance VM. 

Resolution

1. Log in to your vSphere Client and locate the Virtual Machine in the inventory.

2. Power off the VM. You cannot modify these specific boot options while the VM is running.

3. Right-click the VM and select Edit Settings.

4. Navigate to the VM Options tab at the top of the configuration window.

5. Expand the Boot Options section.

6. Locate the Boot Delay field.

   • Enter the value in milliseconds.

   • For example, if you want a 5-second delay, enter 5000.

7. (Optional) Check the box for Force BIOS setup if you want the VM to automatically enter the BIOS/EFI setup screen the next time it starts.

8. Click OK to save your changes.