# Replace forgotten passwords

There are several ways to replace forgotten passwords depending on the type of account.

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Problem description: You or someone else in your organization forgets one of the passwords related to the SMC.

Solution: You can regain access by changing the password. If none of the administrators can log on due to account issues, you can create an emergency administrator account. An administrator who has unrestricted permissions (superuser) can change any password in the SMC. The password recovery procedures for the different passwords are as follows:

For more details about the product and how to configure features, click Help or press F1.

## Steps

1. Change SMC Client logon passwords in the Administrator elements. Administrator elements can be found in the Administration branch of the Configuration view under Access Rights > Administrators.
2. Change Web Portal logon passwords in the Web Portal User elements. Web Portal elements can be found in the Administration branch of the Configuration view under Access Rights > Web Portal Users.
3. Change the Engine Root account password (for command-line access) by right-clicking the individual engine node and selecting Commands > Change Password.

   If the engine is not connected to the Management Server (because, for example, it is a spare appliance), you can reset all the engine’s settings. You can reset settings through a boot menu option in the local console accessible through a serial connection or through a directly connected monitor and keyboard.

   CAUTION:
   Resetting the engine through the boot menu stops the engine from processing traffic because all configurations are cleared.
4. Change user passwords used for end-user authentication in the User element. User elements are stored in the User Authentication branch of the Configuration view under Users (if the user is stored in the internal LDAP database or an external LDAP database that the SMC is configured to use).
5. To change the Management Server Database password, select Settings > Password > Change Database Password.
   The default Management Server Database user account is dba, and the password is created automatically.