Lockdown mode is greyed out

[sureshbabu84]

I am using vSphere ESXi 4.1 on one of our hosts and we had some issues that we had to remove one host from our vCenter. Now when we are trying to add the host back again to vCenter its giving an error of permission denied. This is because the lockdown mode is enabled.

When I try to disable it through console the option "Configure lockdown mode" is grey.

[MaxBeard]

Do you have your ESXi server attached to vCenter? Lockdown mode is available on any ESXi 4.1 host that you have added to a

vCenter Server only.

[peetz]

Hi,

please read KB1008077 about how to enable/disable lockdown mode in Tech Support Mode (see the last section of the article).

Andreas

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[rico4400]

Hello

I'd like to reactivate this subject, I'm facing a blocking situation

In my cluster ESXi 4.1 , we cant not connect onto 2 of my ESXi  ,it's seem that lockdown mode is active

According our administrators guys, nobody activate!!!!

Regardless, using DCUI ,the option "configure lockdown mode" is grey

unable to do anything

Very strange thing, Local and remote tech support are enable,

We get local prompt ou remotely with putty, but using root + password, password seems wrong

invalid login error message

We are sure of root + password as we use it for connecting DCUI ???

The bad thing, our virtual vCenter was running on a fail ESXi, we aren't able to start it, and are in a big trouble

Any help will be very much appreciate, as we wish to avoid rebuild those ESXi

I did a test on another ESXi, il lockdown mode is enable, Local tech support enable

you have the login prompt , but fail to login with root account

as soon as you disable lockdown mode , it's ok

Again a big thanks in advance for your help, as vCenter and all other VM on those ESXi are down and we can't check and restart them using command line

Cheers

Rico

[MaxBeard]

Hello, Rico

If you have access to DCUI then you can try to manage lockdown mode from the console. Check this link to details. I hope that it'll help you.

[rico4400]

Thanks Max

I've already try this link

If your vCenter is off, ESXi lockdown mode is unavailable,it's normal

as this option is working only when ESXi is managed by vCenter

so if lockmode was on, and then vCenter is down

even if you enable local tech support using DCUI

then you get login prompt on the console

but using root+ password, you're not allow to connect locally

invalid login error

According my test in lab, if lockdown mode if off and you activate local tech mode later , it's working well

if lockdown mode was on, and you shutdown vCenter

With DCUI, lockdown mode is grey (normal state) but even if you can activate local tech mode

you get the login prompt but are not able to log on

I've solve my problem by rebuilding my ESXi

Regards