Unable to log in to ESXi host as root after fresh installation when using remote virtual console

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

After a fresh installation of VMware ESXi 9.0.1.0 build 24957456, root authentication fails after initial network configuration is completed. Although the installation finishes successfully, login attempts using the configured root password are rejected through the Direct Console User Interface (DCUI), SSH, and the VMware Host Client.

This behavior is observed when the ESXi host is installed and managed through a remote virtual console session.

Environment

• R770 vSAN Ready Node
• VMware ESXi 9.0.1.0 build 24957456
• Remote management through out-of-band management console - iDRAC

Cause

This issue occurs because of a keyboard state mismatch in the remote management virtual console.

In this case, Caps Lock is enabled in the virtual console during the initial password entry, either by default or unintentionally. As a result, the password saved during ESXi installation is not the password the administrator intended to set.

Because the ESXi password field is masked, the incorrect character casing is not visible during entry.

Resolution

To resolve the issue, reset the root password while ensuring the keyboard state in the virtual console is correct.

1. Access the ESXi host through DCUI or by using the remote virtual console.
2. Verify the keyboard state before entering credentials.
3. Test typing in a visible, non-masked field such as the username field to confirm whether Caps Lock is enabled.
4. Use the virtual console key synchronization feature, if available, to align the Caps Lock state.
5. Re-enter or reset the root password, ensuring the Caps Lock indicator in the virtual console is turned off.

Additional Information

When the root password is entered during installation through a virtual console, the keyboard state of the remote management interface can affect the actual characters transmitted to the ESXi host. If Caps Lock is active, the stored password may differ from the intended password even though the typed input appears normal to the administrator.

Verifying keyboard behavior in a visible input field before entering passwords helps avoid this issue during installation and recovery operations.