Cannot ssh into ec2 instance created from snapshot

Question

Scenario:

• I have a running ec2 instance but don't have the key pair for the instance.
• I have a ftp-user account set up but don't have root access.
• I want to duplicate the running instance to a new instance go gain root access.

Problem:

• When I try to create a new instance, from a snapshot of the old one, putty says "Server refused our key" when trying to ssh into it...

This is what I did:

1. Created a snapshot of the old instance's ebs volume
2. From the snapshot I created an image
   • Made sure the architecture and kernel-id matched the old instance
3. I launched a new instance from the image
   • Created a new key pair
   • Created a new security group and made sure port 22 was open
4. Assigned an elastic ip to the instance
5. I downloaded and converted the key pair .pem file with puTTYgen
   • Loaded .pem file into puTTYgen
   • Used SSH-2 RSA 1024
   • Saved private key
6. Tried to ssh into the instance with putty (BUT FAILING)
   • Used elastic ip address
   • Tried with usernames: "ec2-user", "root", "ubuntu", "bitnami"

What could be wrong?

Answer 1

The image and your new instance still use the original keypair. Unless you prepare the instance to accept a new key at launch, it will not.

What you need to do is attach the volume to a new instance entirely, (created from a public ami). Mount the volume and edit the user's authorized_keys file on that volume. Put in your new key, and then move it back to the original instance.