I thought I´d try booting my old FreeNAS server. However I seem to have forgotten the password as I get the following message:
Please enter a correct Username and password. Note that both fields may be case-sensitive.
So, any tips? I have no idea if the drives are encrypted. Should I buy another USB stick and install a new FreeNAS version and see if I can access the drives? Any way to reset the password?
The server does not display anything helpful once FreeNAS has started, by the way. Just “error: no suitable video mode found. Booting in EFI blind mode.” so no reset button visible or anything. I can only access the server from my browser on another laptop at this moment.
Upfront: I am a novice on TrueNAS but had read something on the old forum which may help you.
Check the recipe below from here perhaps? I have used a similar method on Deb but not FreeBSD. Let us know.
Another option - If you have the ability to reinstall boot and the vols are not encrypted, you can perhaps try an to fresh install boot and then Import. Obviously you need to way the risk of such a procedure.
Code:
mount -urw /
mount -a
python /usr/local/www/freenasUI/manage.py dbshell
update account_bsdusers set bsdusr_unixhash='' where bsdusr_username='root';
sync
exit
Sign in as root with no password.
EDIT: This won’t change your GUI password. For that you’d have to run
I found another solution: keep trying old passwords until one works. Haha, half kidding since I did log in this way.
One of the problems I had was not knowing whether the drives are encrypted so I didn’t just want to do a fresh install.
I’m going to save the important data and then I’ll try the guide you found, @MikeO3, to be able to report back if it works or not.
I’m already re-learning things. For example I forgot that the root password of FreeNAS and the password for “root” to the GUI of the webserver don’t have to be the same. So I guess it’s nice to run into a snag once in a while and to be forced to go back to the basics.
I’m also curious to find out what modern data storage standards are. This machine had its OS on a USB drive and the data on WD Red HDDs. And of course ZFS filesystem. I assume a combination of cloud and SSDs are now standard
Change the boot drive to a cheap SSD (SATA, or NVMe to keep all SATA ports for HDDs)—on USB adapter if need be.
If your WD Reds are old enough to be the CMR model, all if fine. SSD storage is up to you and your performance requirements, but large HDDs are still the common choice for capacity.
