Reset a Supermicro IPMICFG password

How to reset a Supermicro IPMICFG password from inside Windows

You may encounter a situation where you need to reset the admin password associated with your Supermicro IPMI interface.

In my circumstance I had just picked up a 6028TR-HTFR off of eBay for a good deal and all four nodes had unknown passwords.

This method will require physical access to the server and this How To will cover how to accomplish the reset leveraging a Windows OS.  At the bottom of this article I have linked to additional reading which contains methods for Linux as well as resetting via USB boot.

Steps to reset a Supermicro IPMICFG password – Windows method:

  1. Download the latest IPMICFG utility released by Supermicro
  2. Copy the extracted contents to your server
  3. Open a command window as administrator (this will not work from a normal command window)
  4. Change directory to the ipmicfg-win.exe appropriate for your architecture (32-bit or 64-bit)
  5. Get the user ID of the IPMI user whose password you want to set:
    ipmicfg-win.exe -user list
  6. Set a new password for that user:
    ipmicfg-win.exe -user setpwd 2 your_password_here
  7. Login to the IPMI web GUI using the password you just set.

Full example of  how to reset a Supermicro IPMICFG password:

Supermicro IPMICFG password reset example - syntax

*I only have one note on this and that is that the ADMIN username is case sensitive in my experience.  If ipmicfg-win.exe -user list returns ADMIN, you cannot login with admin.

IPMICFG-WIN.exe command parameters reference:

Usage: IPMICFG params (Example: IPMICFG -m 192.168.1.123)
  -m                    Show IP and MAC.
  -m IP                 Set IP (format: ###.###.###.###).
  -a MAC                Set MAC (format: ##:##:##:##:##:##).
  -k                    Show Subnet Mask.
  -k Mask               Set Subnet Mask (format: ###.###.###.###).
  -dhcp                 Get the DHCP status.
  -dhcp on              Enable the DHCP.
  -dhcp off             Disable the DHCP.
  -g                    Show Gateway IP.
  -g IP                 Set Gateway IP (format: ###.###.###.###).
  -r                    BMC cold reset.
                        option: -d | Detected IPMI device for BMC reset.
  -garp on              Enable the Gratuitous ARP.
  -garp off             Disable the Gratuitous ARP.
  -fd                   Reset to the factory default.
                        option: -d | Detected IPMI device for BMC reset.
  -fdl                  Reset to the factory default. (Clean LAN)
                        option: -d | Detected IPMI device for BMC reset.
  -fde                  Reset to the factory default. (Clean FRU & LAN)
                        option: -d | Detected IPMI device for BMC reset.
  -ver                  Get Firmware revision.
  -vlan                 Get VLAN status.
  -vlan on <vlan tag>   Enable the VLAN and set the VLAN tag.
                        If VLANtag is not given it uses previously saved value.
  -vlan off             Disable the VLAN.
  -selftest             Checking and reporting on the basic health of BMC.
  -raw                  Send a RAW IPMI request and print response.
                        Format: NetFn Cmd [Data1 ... DataN]
  -fru info             Show FRU inventory area Info.
  -fru list             Show all FRU values.
  -fru cthelp           Show chassis type code.
  -fru help             Show help of FRU Write.
  -fru <field>          Show FRU field value.
  -fru <field> <value>  Write FRU.
  -fru 1m               Update FRU Product Manufacturer from DMITable.
  -fru 1p               Update FRU Product Prodcut Name from DMITable.
  -fru 1s               Update FRU Product S/N from DMITable.
  -fru 2m               Update FRU Board Manufacturer from DMITable.
  -fru 2p               Update FRU Board Product Name from DMITable.
  -fru 2s               Update FRU Board S/N from DMITable.
  -fru 3s               Update FRU Chassis S/N from DMITable.
  -fru backup <file>    Backup FRU to file <Binary format>.
  -fru restore <file>   Restore FRU from file <Binary format>.
  -fru tbackup <file>   Backup FRU to file <Text format>.
  -fru trestore <file>  Restore FRU from file <Text format>.
  -fru ver <v1> <v2>    Get/Set FRU version. (v1 v2 are BCD format)
  -sel info             Show SEL info.
  -sel list             Show SEL records.
  -sel del              Delete all SEL records.
  -sel raw              Show SEL raw data.
  -sdr [full]           Show SDR records and reading.
  -sdr del <sdr id>     Delete SDR record.
  -sdr ver <v1> <v2>    Get/Set SDR version. (v1 v2 are BCD format)
  -nm nmsdr             Display NM SDR.
  -nm seltime           Get SEL time.
  -nm deviceid          Get ME Device ID.
  -nm reset             Reboots ME.
  -nm reset2default     Force ME reset to Default.
  -nm updatemode        Force ME to Update Mode.
  -nm selftest          Get Self Test Results.
  -nm listimagesinfo    List ME Images information.
  -nm oemgetpower       OEM Power command for ME.
  -nm oemgettemp        OEM Temp. command for ME.
  -nm pstate            Get Max allowed CPU P-State.
  -nm tstate            Get Max allowed CPU T-State.
  -nm cpumemtemp        Get CPU/Memory temperature.
  -nm hostcpudata       Get host CPU data.
  -fan                  Get Fan Mode.
  -fan <mode>                       Set Fan Mode.
  -pminfo                           Power supply PMBus health.
  -psfruinfo                        Power supply FRU health.
  -psbbpinfo                        Battery backup power status.
  -autodischarge <module> <day>     Set auto discharge by days.
  -discharge <module>               Manually discharge battery.
  -user list                        List user privilege information.
  -user help                        Show user privilege code.
  -user add <user id> <user name>   Add user.
            <password> <privilege>
  -user del <user id>               Delete user.
  -user level <user id> <privilege> Update user privilege.
  -user setpwd <user id> <password> Update user password.
  -conf upload <file> <option>      Upload IPMI configuration form binary file.
                                    option: -p | Bypass warning message.
  -conf download <file>             Download IPMI configuration to binary file.
  -conf tupload <file> <option>     Upload IPMI configuration from text file.
                                    option: -p | Bypass warning message.
  -conf tdownload <file>            Download IPMI configuration to text file.
  -clrint                           Clear chassis intrusion.
  -reset <index>                    Reset System and force to boot from device.
  -soft <index>                     Initiate a soft-shutdown for OS and force
                                    to boot from device.
  -recoverbiosinfo                  Get recovery BIOS information.
  -nvme list                        Display the existing NVME SSD list.
  -nvme info <aoc> <slot>           NVME SSD information.
  -nvme locate <aoc> <slot>         Locate NVME SSD.
  -nvme stoplocate <aoc> <slot>     Stop locate NVME SSD.
  -nvme eject <aoc> <slot>          Eject NVME SSD.
  -tp info                          Get MCU Info.
  -tp info <type>                   Get MCU Type Info. (type: 1 - 3)
  -tp nodeid                        Get Node ID.

Additional Reading:

Is it possible to reset the password on a SuperMicro IPMI interface?

4 Responses

  1. Joey Morrow says:

    after following your steps, and running CMD as administrator, I get an error on step 5 of your list, it says, “driveCan not find a valid IPMI device” (please note, that it literally says, “driverCan…” it’s not a typo on my part.

  2. 4c3T says:

    I have the problem that the ipmicfg-win.exe (32- and/or 64-bit) just freezes up and does squat.
    Not yet tried it in failsafe mode, but it appears that this version (IPMICFG_1.33.2_build.220126) isn’t compatible with my server (H8DGi(6)(-F)), or I’ve missed something, and judging from the crack-heads that designed the manuals, I wouldn’t put it past me if I did.
    Also, this (and others) tutorial doesn’t say anything about failsafe mode or reasons why it wouldn’t work or behave like this.

    • 4c3T says:

      I found the culprit, although I think the programmers could’ve taken that extra and very crucial step to add some error coding.
      The .dll file that came with it needs to be put in the Windows\System (and possibly in SysWow64) folder.
      After that it worked like a charm and I was able to reset the password.

    • Gabe says:

      You ever get this figured out? I’m having the exact same problem on the same board. Thanks!

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