Tech Support Mode for Emergency Support

• Enabled but inactive for default VMware ESXi installations.
• Only usable with physical access to the server console and root privileges.
• Unsupported unless used in consultation with VMware Tech Support.

1. The interface is not audited, so commands issued at this interface are not logged.
2. Commands that can be issued from this interface can result in an unusable system.
3. The interface only supports logging in as root. No other user account or role can use this management interface.

To use Tech Support Mode:

1. Log in to your ESXi host at the console.
2. Press Alt+F1 to switch to the console window.
3. Enter unsupported to start the Tech Support Mode login process. Note that no text will appear on the console window.
4. Enter the password for the root user. Tech Support Mode is now active.
5. Complete tasks in Tech Support Mode.
6. Enter the command clear to clear the screen of any residual data from step 5. This may be required by your local security policies.
7. Enter the command exit to exit Tech Support Mode.
8. Press Alt+F2 to return the server to DCUI mode.

Enabling Tech Support Mode and attempting to log in to Tech Support Mode, whether successful or unsuccessful, is logged in the syslog. Activity performed within Tech Support Mode is not logged.

1. Connect VMware Infrastructure Client (VI Client) to an ESXi host or a VirtualCenter Server.
2. Browse to a host in the inventory list.
3. Click the Configuration tab.
4. Click the Advanced Settings link.
5. Click "VMkernel" in the left-hand side pane.
6. In the list of parameters, deselect VMkernel.Boot.techSupportMode.
7. Restart the ESXi host. Before restarting the host, you should shut down virtual machines on that host or migrate them to another host using VMotion or cold migration.