McAfee ePO Admin password lost

McAfee ePO Admin password lost:  

Some time ago I started attending trainings and discussions with industry experts, on McAfee ePO and started learning many things from them. During these sessions I came across some issues with McAfee 4.x and 5.x installation. I have uploaded solutions to some of these issues on my blog, please refer the following link:

https://lakkireddymadhu.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/mcafee-epo-installation-errors/

          One fine morning all of sudden I got a doubt, what if I lost McAfee ePO admin password and there were no additional accounts configured. I opened my laptop and started Googling for the solution. There were more blogs describing this issue, but none had a satisfied solution. After a rigorous search on the Internet, I found two good and easy solutions.

Solution–1: 

We believe that only one account, i.e. Admin account, is configured in McAfee ePO. But by default one more account exists in the McAfee ePO User Management, named system. This account is disabled by default. User ‘system’ account has administrative rights (see the Image-1).

Image- 1

This user (system) is by default non-editable through the web console (see the Image–2)

Image- 2

We have to enable the user ‘system’ through MS SQL.

Go to start –> All Programs –> MS SQL Server 2008R2 –> click on SQL Server Management Studio, expand Databases -> expand ePO Database –> expand Tables –>go to dbo.OrionUsers –> right click on dbo.OrionUsers –>click on Edit Top 200 Rows.One window will open on the right side (see the Image-3)

Image- 3

Under the OrionUsers Table –>following changes will need to be done for the user ‘System’

Under Disabled –> default setting will be True, change it to False  (click enter)

Under Interactive –>default setting will be False, change it to True  (click enter)

Minimize the SQL window and Open the McAfee ePO web console and type username: system, Password:system

It will allow you to login. Click on MenuàUnder User Management –>click on Users –>Admin –>Rightside down click on Actions –>click on Edit (see the Image-4& Image -5)

Image- 4

Image- 5

Click on Change Authentication or Credential

Type Password and confirm Password and save (see the Image-6)

Image- 6

Log off and Login with Admin credentials. That’s it.

Now Open SQL and make the same changes in OrionUsers Table (Exactly as shown in the Image-7)

Image- 7

Under Disabled –>change it to True  (click enter)

Under Interactive –> change it to False  (click enter)

Solution–2:

In solution 1, enabling of the user ‘system’ account through MS SQL resets Admin the Password.

In Solution -2, we will create a new account with Administrative rights using MS SQL and through new account  will reset the Admin password.

Go to start –> All Programs –> MS SQL Server 2008R2 –>click on SQL Server Management Studio, expand Databases –> Click on ePO Database –> open a New Query, run the following query and execute

INSERT INTO [dbo].[OrionUsers]

(Name, AuthURI, Admin, Disabled, Visible, Interactive, Removable, Editable)
VALUES (‘epoadmin‘,’auth:pwd?pwd=7LTSeirrzM8EjqttaozV4cSiPGQWi8w3′,1,0,1,1,1,1)

It will create a new user ‘epoadmin’, with the password: epoadmin

Open the McAfee ePO web console with username and password epoadmin

It will allow you to login.Click on Menu –>Under User Management –>click on Users –> Admin –> Rightside down click on Actions –> click on Edit and reset the Admin Password

Log off and Login with Admin credentials. That’s it.

NOTE: Use the above solutions when you don’t have any other option. Be sure you have got the required skills to modify SQL server. You can break your ePO server if you don’t know what you are doing. Don’t   hold me responsible for your actions; think before you act and always make sure you have a backup 🙂

IMPORTANT: McAfee recommends that you implement account and password management policies such as:

• Maintaining a backup administrator account
• Creating individual accounts for each administrator
• Adhering to corporate requirements for accounts and passwords

Happy computing!!

Source: thegid, cupfighter, McAfee