ESXi 4.0 login via SSH

ESXi 4.0 login via SSH and normal user

1. Go to the ESXi console and press alt+F1

2. Type: unsupported

3. Enter the root password(No prompt, typing is blindly)

4. At the prompt type “vi /etc/inetd.conf”

5. Look for the line that starts with “#ssh” (you can search with pressing “/”)

6. Remove the “#” (press the “x” if the cursor is on the character)

7. Save “/etc/inetd.conf” by typing “:wq!”

8. Restart the management service “/sbin/services.sh restart”

If you want to login with normal user, you also can try this:

Log in to the console,

edit the inetd.conf:

vi /etc/inetd.conf

search for the following line (type: “/ssh”) (This is the line you uncommented to enable SSH in the first place.)

ssh stream tcp nowait root /sbin/dropbearmulti dropbear ++min=0,swap,group=shell -i

add -w to the end of this line: (type: “i” for insert mode):

ssh stream tcp nowait root /sbin/dropbearmulti dropbear ++min=0,swap,group=shell -i –w

Exit and save the file (press escape, type “: x”)

Create a /home directory

mkdir /home

Create a new unprivileged user:

useradd your_name

Change the password for this user:

passwd your_name

Reboot the server

reboot

Once rebooted,

Log in with SSH using your new unprivileged user

su -