HMC lost password

Post by Ron
Questions -
How can I reset the hscroot password?
I assume the root user defined is for logging into linux, but I've never
seen what the default root password is, so it is the same as it was when
we got the HMC. What is the default root password?
Is it necessary to restore from backup to recover the server
definitions?
Thanks,
Ron

You can log into the HMC graphic interface as root, then change the
hscroot password. The default root password is the same as the default
hscroot password. It is in the book.

As for the "server definitions", all information for the currently
running partition profiles is stored in the servers' NVRAM. Even if
you were to connect a brand new HMC, it would go and retrieve all of
the current LPAR configurations from the attached servers. You would
have to redo any other profiles you might have had, plus the HMC's
configuration (network, scheduled tasks, etc.).

--
I put 2 and 2 together and got 22.

GertK

2004-12-08 23:38:16 UTC

Post by Bruno
You can log into the HMC graphic interface as root, then change the
hscroot password. The default root password is the same as the default
hscroot password. It is in the book.

No and no. The default password for hscroot is different from the
default for root. Furthermore, you cannot login at the console as root.
See guide 380590 (HMC for Pseries Installation and Operations guide).
Check your network settings at the HMC if you cant see the managed
servers anymore.

Regards,
Gert

Bruno

2004-12-09 00:05:20 UTC

Post by Bruno
You can log into the HMC graphic interface as root, then change the
hscroot password. The default root password is the same as the default
hscroot password. It is in the book.

Network settings? You must be referring to version 4 of the HMC, then.
I was referring to version 3.

--
I put 2 and 2 together and got 22.

Bruno

2004-12-09 21:39:39 UTC

Post by Bruno
You can log into the HMC graphic interface as root, then change the
hscroot password. The default root password is the same as the default
hscroot password. It is in the book.

Yup. Gert is right about the passwords and root console login. Sorry
about that!

--
I put 2 and 2 together and got 22.

Adrian Bridgett

2004-12-10 11:39:23 UTC

I guess you could always download a bootable Linux CD like knoppix,
burn it, boot from it, mount up the partitions, then chroot and run
"passwd" :-)

BTW to get root in knoppix just type "sudo su".

Uli Link

2004-12-10 12:22:34 UTC

Post by Adrian Bridgett
I guess you could always download a bootable Linux CD like knoppix,
burn it, boot from it, mount up the partitions, then chroot and run
"passwd" :-)
BTW to get root in knoppix just type "sudo su".

You know that AIX isn't on a primary or extended partition formated with
ext2/ext3 or fat???
Even if you'll find a Linux that will boot a RS/6000 or pSeries machine,
mounting the root fs *and* chroot into it will be impossible.

You can boot from an AIX CD instead. Knoppix is very usefull, but *not*
in this case.

--
Uli

(Reply to ulrich <dot> link <domain-delimiter> epost <dot> de)

Andreas Schulze

2004-12-10 14:15:04 UTC

You know that AIX isn't on a primary or extended partition formated with
ext2/ext3 or fat???
Even if you'll find a Linux that will boot a RS/6000 or pSeries machine,
mounting the root fs *and* chroot into it will be impossible.
You can boot from an AIX CD instead. Knoppix is very usefull, but *not*
in this case.
Uli

There might be some misunderstanding. I think the OP referred to the HMC
which AFAIK is a IBM Netfinity PC that is installed with RedHat Linux. So
while Adrian is right in asuming that one could access such an HMC with
Knoppix (or any other bootable Linux) Uli is right in saying that one cannot
access an AIX jfs/jfs2 partition on a pSeries from such a Linux CD.

Regards,
Andreas

2004-12-10 18:55:36 UTC

Post by Andreas Schulze

You know that AIX isn't on a primary or extended partition formated with
ext2/ext3 or fat???
Even if you'll find a Linux that will boot a RS/6000 or pSeries machine,
mounting the root fs *and* chroot into it will be impossible.
You can boot from an AIX CD instead. Knoppix is very usefull, but *not*
in this case.
Uli

I appreciate the responses that have been on here. I found the root
password default in the
manual - had skipped right over the sentence it was in several times. But
it didn't help me with
the hscroot password problem - which I noticed in a patch on the IBM web
site that addressed
the issue of not seeing your managed systems after changing the hscroot
password.

Since this HMC is only used as a console device for my managed servers, none
of which are
partitioned or otherwise configured with the HMC, and I have other ways of
using a concole on
the machines, I decided to learn more about this device and play with it a
little. And have other issues
with it now. I decided to rebuild it, using the recovery CD that came with
the HMC, but it fails
to boot now. I booted the CD, entered F8, then F1 to restore, and the
process runs for a while then
exits and boots automatically, failing with several errors (not at work now
to list what they are). But
as I watch the recovery display, it never reaches 100% of the data being
restored. And on IBM's
site, their procedure ro recovering from an unresponsive HMC says it will
ask for the 2nd recovery CD,
then prompt for restoring additional software (paraphrasing this). This
doesn't happen, but also there
isn't a 2nd recovery CD and no additional software CD to use as well. I
wondered if the latest recovery
CD is multi-volume, or am I missing something here?

I've got the Redhat Linux CD's, but not so certain I wanted to reinstall
starting with them. The only thing
configured on this HMC is the network settings and an 8 port async adapter
so I'm not concerned with losing configuration. I'm going to open an issue
with IBM next week, but its more interesting sometimes to play
around with things while you can so when it really matters I've got some
knowledge. Any thoughts on the
restore/recovery process? The failures that happen include indicating not
finding partition hd8 I believe
it was, to mount, and some device driver failures, and fsck failing on
/dev/console as the last thing.
When it hangs, it requests the root password, or ctrl d to continue
booting - which when booting returns
to the same place. Entering the root password gets to a command prompt, at
the Linux level. Attempting
to change the hscroot pw here is a moot point at this time, but don't
believe it would be the proper thing
to do anyway. My goal is to come up in the mode the HMC came to me in, with
default passwords, etc.

And Andreas is correct, this is only the HMC, not an AIX bootable device.

Ron

Ron

2004-12-20 15:42:20 UTC

To close this out - my recovery cd was failing when I was trying to restore, and
it wasn't stopping on the error,
but was noticed after dutifully watching the process all the way to the end. A
2nd cleaning of the cd and the
drive made it work as it was to suppose to in recovering the HMC back to its
original state where I could
apply the latest HMC maintenance which addressed my original issue.

Ron

Post by Andreas Schulze

You know that AIX isn't on a primary or extended partition formated with
ext2/ext3 or fat???
Even if you'll find a Linux that will boot a RS/6000 or pSeries machine,
mounting the root fs *and* chroot into it will be impossible.
You can boot from an AIX CD instead. Knoppix is very usefull, but *not*
in this case.
Uli

cannot

Post by Andreas Schulze
access an AIX jfs/jfs2 partition on a pSeries from such a Linux CD.
Regards,
Andreas

I appreciate the responses that have been on here. I found the root
password default in the
manual - had skipped right over the sentence it was in several times. But
it didn't help me with
the hscroot password problem - which I noticed in a patch on the IBM web
site that addressed
the issue of not seeing your managed systems after changing the hscroot
password.
Since this HMC is only used as a console device for my managed servers, none
of which are
partitioned or otherwise configured with the HMC, and I have other ways of
using a concole on
the machines, I decided to learn more about this device and play with it a
little. And have other issues
with it now. I decided to rebuild it, using the recovery CD that came with
the HMC, but it fails
to boot now. I booted the CD, entered F8, then F1 to restore, and the
process runs for a while then
exits and boots automatically, failing with several errors (not at work now
to list what they are). But
as I watch the recovery display, it never reaches 100% of the data being
restored. And on IBM's
site, their procedure ro recovering from an unresponsive HMC says it will
ask for the 2nd recovery CD,
then prompt for restoring additional software (paraphrasing this). This
doesn't happen, but also there
isn't a 2nd recovery CD and no additional software CD to use as well. I
wondered if the latest recovery
CD is multi-volume, or am I missing something here?
I've got the Redhat Linux CD's, but not so certain I wanted to reinstall
starting with them. The only thing
configured on this HMC is the network settings and an 8 port async adapter
so I'm not concerned with losing configuration. I'm going to open an issue
with IBM next week, but its more interesting sometimes to play
around with things while you can so when it really matters I've got some
knowledge. Any thoughts on the
restore/recovery process? The failures that happen include indicating not
finding partition hd8 I believe
it was, to mount, and some device driver failures, and fsck failing on
/dev/console as the last thing.
When it hangs, it requests the root password, or ctrl d to continue
booting - which when booting returns
to the same place. Entering the root password gets to a command prompt, at
the Linux level. Attempting
to change the hscroot pw here is a moot point at this time, but don't
believe it would be the proper thing
to do anyway. My goal is to come up in the mode the HMC came to me in, with
default passwords, etc.
And Andreas is correct, this is only the HMC, not an AIX bootable device.
Ron

rens

2004-12-21 23:17:42 UTC

I think you should ask IBM

This should work out of the box.

I read somewhere that you are required to fix the BIOS
if you have a certain level of the HMC software.

maybe that is why it doesnt want to re-initiate. (which it normally does
without any problems.....)

regards Rens

Post by Ron
To close this out - my recovery cd was failing when I was trying to restore, and
it wasn't stopping on the error,
but was noticed after dutifully watching the process all the way to the end. A
2nd cleaning of the cd and the
drive made it work as it was to suppose to in recovering the HMC back to its
original state where I could
apply the latest HMC maintenance which addressed my original issue.
Ron

Post by Andreas Schulze