Change the ArcGIS Server account password (Windows only)

When you launch an Amazon Web Services (AWS) instance using the ArcGIS Server Windows AMI, the ArcGIS Server account is preconfigured on the instance with the name arcgis and a randomly generated password that is unknown to anyone.

You don't have to change the account password, but if you want to change it, follow these steps:

1. Using the Administrator account, make a remote desktop connection to the ArcGIS Server site instance. In a multiple instance site, this is referred to as the SITEHOST.

   Remember that to remotely connect to an AWS instance, you must open the RDP port in your security group.

2. Set a new password for the arcgis operating system account.

   For instructions on changing Windows account passwords, see the Microsoft documentation.

3. Once you have reset the account password, you must update the properties of the ArcGIS Server service so that it runs using the new password.

   The ArcGIS Server service should be logging on with the .\arcgis account. You can reset the password for this account from the Services Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

   1. Right-click the service ArcGIS Server and click Properties.
   2. Click the Log On tab and make sure This account: .\arcgis is chosen for the log on.
   3. Type the new password twice to confirm and click OK.
4. Repeat the above steps on all GIS servers in your site, using the same password for the ArcGIS Server account.