Reset the Root Password of a VMWare ESXi Host

Disclaimer:  Cisco and VMWare do not recommend, suggest or otherwise acknowledge this procedure as a valid method for resetting the root password.  The intention of this post is not to suggest that it be used on production systems, but as a procedure for lab/test systems where documentation tends to be more lax.  Without question, documentation is a must for production systems.  The author of this blog assumes no risk or responsibility for any less than desired results this procedure may create.

I built an entire Collaboration demo server some six months ago, and needless to say, did not document the root password for the ESXi host.  I spent hours trying to remember the password.  Countless attempts later, I said to myself, "ESXi is just a Linux core, right?  Shouldn't I be able to get to the underlying Linux core and modify the user files?"  

After a few minutes of Google searching I came across a few articles that illustrated just that.  If you are comfortable with Linux file system commands, then this will take very little time at all.  If you don't know Linux, stay away... far away.

http://www.vdsyn.com/resetting-the-root-password-for-esxi-5-x/