Avocent Cyclades ACS console server password reset or reset unit factory defaults

The Avocent Cycaldes ACS console servers are great little units that run Linux and even give you full root console access. The root password is “tslinux” by default, but if it has been changed then you can boot the unit into single user mode by supplying the argument “single” to the Linux kernel selection during the boot process (make sure you put a space between the existing Kernel parameters and “single”) which will drop you to a root prompt.

On my unit, this line comes up as right at the start of the boot process:

Linux/PPC load: root=/dev/ram ramdisk=0x0001F000

So you would type ” single” (remember the space!) to give you:

Linux/PPC load: root=/dev/ram ramdisk=0x0001F000 single

Then just hit enter and the unit will boot up into single user mode and give you the root prompt.

At this point, if you want to restore the entire unit to the factory default settings which will erase all of the configuration, then just run “defconf” and then reboot the unit.

If you want to keep the existing configuration intact but just reset the password then you can just use the traditional Linux passwd tool to edit /etc/passwd:

[root@(none) /]# passwd
New password:
Re-enter new password:
Password changed
[root@(none) /]# saveconf
Checking the configuration file list…
Compressing configuration files into /tmp/saving_config.tar.gz … done.
Saving configuration files to flash … done.
[root@(none) /]# reboot
[root@(none) /]# Restarting system.