Knowledge Base

To reset a forgotten password on CentOS 8 from ESXi (VMware vSphere Hypervisor), you can follow these steps:

1. First, you will need to start the CentOS server in order to reset the forgotten password. This may require physical access or remote management tools (such as iDRAC or IPMI).

2. Start or reboot the CentOS server.

3. During the CentOS boot process, wait until the GRUB bootloader menu appears. This is where you can edit kernel options for CentOS.

4. When the GRUB menu appears, select the default kernel for CentOS (usually the one at the top).

5. Press the "e" key to edit the selected kernel. This will take you into kernel editing mode.

6. In kernel editing mode, find lines with "ro" or "rhgb quiet" and modify the text at the end to "rw init=/bin/bash." This will start CentOS in read-write mode with the "/bin/bash" shell.

7. Save the changes and start CentOS in this mode by pressing "Ctrl + X."

8. CentOS will now start in read-write mode, and you will see a command prompt.

9. Now, use the following command to change the root user's password:

    

   passwd root

10. Enter a new password and confirm it when prompted. You will receive a message when the password is successfully changed.

11. After changing the password, use the following command to remount the system disk in read-only mode:

     

    mount -o remount,ro /

12. Now, reboot your CentOS server using the "reboot" command:

     

    reboot

This process should reset the forgotten root password on CentOS 8 from ESXi. Please only perform such actions for legitimate reasons and with the permission of the system owner or administrator. Additionally, ensure that any changes made on the server comply with appropriate policies and security measures.