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Is there a way to reset iLO (in order to see system health and configuration details) with just a keyboard and a display (no web interface)?

If a web interface is an absolute must, then how to reset iLO without knowing the IP address and credentials?

Reason for asking: I got my eyes on a nice HP ProLiant ML350p tower server. The problem is that the person got it from a sale (refurbished) from a cleanup at a company nearby. We don't know whether and how the server has been used so I go with the assumption that credentials are unknown and the IP has been set probably as static. The person in question has zero knowledge about all that so I am looking for an easy to follow guide, preferably without any external tools and just display, keyboard and a mouse (if required).

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2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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You can reset the ILO to factory default from the system BIOS or from Intelligent Provisioning.

https://techlibrary.hpe.com/docs/iss/proliant_uefi/UEFI_TM_030617/s_reset_ilo_defaults.html

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  • I saw that. However it doesn't say anything about the credentials. As far as I know there is a random 8 digit password that needs to be used the first time iLO is configured. Some people say it should be on a sticker somewhere but I have my doubts that it is there. Does the reset also create some standard password (e.g. "admin" or similar)?
    – rbaleksandar
    Jun 24, 2021 at 14:00
  • On modern servers that sticker is usually glued to the some plastic plate. That plate could be partially pulled off the server from the front panel revealing the sticker. Try exploring front panel, there may be some pictogram like (i) near it.
    – Nikita Kipriyanov
    Jun 24, 2021 at 17:29
  • @rbaleksandar The reset sets the factory default settings. But you can also assign the ILO password from the same BIOS and Intelligent Provisioning interfaces.
    – ewwhite
    Jun 25, 2021 at 10:35
  • The HPE server will also have an asset tag with the default password.
    – ewwhite
    Jun 25, 2021 at 10:36
  • @ewwhite No asset tag, nothing. However I was able to reset the password without any issues from iLO (not the web interface but the one that looks like coming straight from the 80s/early 90s). It's actually very easy, which was a surprise to me since we are talking about deleting or editing any user account incl. admin.
    – rbaleksandar
    Jul 14, 2021 at 5:28
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The iLO implements standard IPMI device interface protocol. For example, you can boot Linux on that server and use ipmitool or ipmiutil utility to look or change iLO network settings, create user accounts or change passwords and privileges, read event logs and sensor values and so on:

root@serv4:~# ipmitool lan print
Get Device ID command failed: 0xff Unspecified error
Set in Progress         : Set Complete
Auth Type Support       : 
Auth Type Enable        : Callback : 
                        : User     : 
                        : Operator : 
                        : Admin    : 
                        : OEM      : 
IP Address Source       : Static Address
IP Address              : x.x.x.x
Subnet Mask             : x.x.x.x
MAC Address             : xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx
SNMP Community String   : 
BMC ARP Control         : ARP Responses Enabled, Gratuitous ARP Disabled
Default Gateway IP      : x.x.x.x
802.1q VLAN ID          : Disabled
802.1q VLAN Priority    : 0
Cipher Suite Priv Max   : Not Available
Bad Password Threshold  : Not Available

root@serv4:~# ipmitool user list 2
ID  Name             Callin  Link Auth  IPMI Msg   Channel Priv Limit
1   Administrator    true    false      true       ADMINISTRATOR
2   xxxxxx           true    false      true       ADMINISTRATOR
3   (Empty User)     true    false      false      NO ACCESS
4   (Empty User)     true    false      false      NO ACCESS
...

root@serv4:~# ipmitool user set password 1 nEwPaSsWoRd
...

and so on.

For that to work you'll need ipmi_devintf kernel module loaded.

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  • As states I need to do this on the phone with someone, who has no clue about the machine, boot process, operating system installation etc. While this is a viable option, for my scenario it is not a good one.
    – rbaleksandar
    Jun 24, 2021 at 14:35

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