Portal EE 4.2.x - unlock and reset portal user

Products

• CA API Developer Portal
• CA API Gateway

Issue/Introduction

This KB will guide you on unlocking a locked 'portal' user and reset its password if unknown.

Sometimes the default 'portal' user is locked due to wrong password typed or the password is unknown and thus no one can log on to the portal server.

Environment

API Portal EE 4.2.x using CA OVA.

Resolution

Connect to your VM Console and restart the Portal OVA.

As soon as the boot process starts, press ESC to bring up the GRUB boot prompt. You may need to turn the system off from the control panel and then back on to reach the GRUB boot prompt.

You will see a GRUB boot prompt - press "e" to edit the first boot option. (If you do not see the GRUB prompt, you may need to press any key to bring it up before the machine boots)

Find the kernel line (starts with "linux16"), change ro to rw init=/sysroot/bin/sh.

Press CTRL-X or F10 to boot single user mode.

Access the system with the command:chroot /sysroot.

Reset the portal user password and unlock portal user.  
# passwd portal
# faillock --user portal --reset

Reboot the system: reboot –f.

You should now be able to logon to your Portal Server using the 'portal' user and the password you set.
(If still fails, redo the above steps and before you reboot the system run the below command:
#touch /.autorelabel
And then reboot the system).