Resetting the root password in VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager)

Products

• VCF Operations/Automation (formerly VMware Aria Suite)

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to reset the root password if you have lost or forgotten the existing root password for:

• VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle 8.12 or later.
• vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.x or previous versions.

If the current root password is available you can use the UI to change the password following step 5 on Password management with VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Locker (92245)

Environment

VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 8.x
VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager 1.x

Resolution

To reset the forgotten root password in VMware vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager and VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle:

1. Take a snapshot or backup of the appliance before proceeding.
2. Reboot the VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Appliance.
3. After the OS starts, press e the GNU GRUB Edit Menu.
4. Locate the line that begins with the word Linux.
5. Append these entries to the end of the line:

   rw init=/bin/bash

6. Press F10 to continue booting.
7. In the Command prompt, enter the following command:

   passwd

8. Provide the new root password, and confirm it.
9. Reboot the VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Appliance by running this command:

   reboot -f 

10. Confirm that you can access VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Appliance using the new root password.
11. Remove the snapshot taken in Step 1 if applicable.

Additional Information

In case, "root" password does not reset and gets Error: "Authentication token lock busy" 

This is due to "root" file system in "read-only" mode. It needs to be in "Read-Write" mode. Run below command for the same: 

  "mount -o rw, remount /"

Password gets reset successfully. 

Checking and clearing out failed attempts to login which results in the root account being locked temporarily. 

• To check if the root account is locked run the following command 

  • faillock --user root

• To clear out the lock to be able to login to the appliance even after resetting the root password

  • faillock --user root --reset

Password Management articles:

Main article:

• Password management with VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Locker 

Child articles:

• Viewing passwords stored in VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) Locker KB 92247
• ​​Validating what passwords are being used per product in VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) KB 92250
• Remediating passwords updated outside of VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager) KB 92253

• Resetting VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle root password KB 52431

• Resetting admin@local password for VMware Aria Suite Lifecycle KB 52434

• Changing password KBs:

  Product	Password	KB
  VMware Aria Automation (vRealize Automation) VMware Aria Automation Config (Salt Stack Config) VMware Aria Automation Orchestrator (vRealize Orchestrator)	root	KB 92254
  VMware Aria Operations (vRealize Operations)	root admin	KB 92255
  VMware Aria Operations for Logs (vRealize Log Insight)	root admin	KB 92256
  VMware Aria Operations for Networks (vRealize Network Insight)	admin support console user	KB 92257
  Aria Suite Lifecycle appliance (vRealize Suite Lifecycle Manager)	root admin@local	Step 5 on 92245
  Workspace ONE Access (VMware Identity Manager)	root admin admin (8443)	KB 92258