Step-by-Step Recovery Password For CISCO Switch

Step-by-Step Recovery Password for CISCO Switch
Introduction
This document describes the password recovery procedure for the Cisco Catalyst Layer 2 fixed
configuration switches 2900XL/3500XL, 2940, 2950/2955, 2960, and 2970 Series, as well as the
Cisco Catalyst Layer 3 fixed configuration switches 3550, 3560, and 3750 Series.
Before You Begin
Conventions
For more information on document conventions, see the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.
Prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites for this document.
Step-by-Step Procedure
Follow the password recovery procedure below.
1. Attach a terminal or PC with terminal emulation (for example, Hyper Terminal) to the
console port of the switch.
Use the following terminal settings:
 Bits per second (baud): 9600
 Data bits: 8
 Parity: None
 Stop bits: 1
 Flow Control: Xon/Xoff
Note: For additional information on cabling and connecting a terminal to the console
port, refer to Connecting a Terminal to the Console Port on Catalyst Switches.
2. Unplug the power cable.
3. Power the switch and bring it to the switch: prompt:
For 2900XL, 3500XL, 2940, 2950, 2960, 2970, 3550, 3560, and 3750 series switches,
do this:
Hold down the mode button located on the left side of the front panel, while you
reconnect the power cable to the switch.
Catalyst Switch LED Behavior and Mode
Series Button Release Action
2900XL, Release the Mode button when
3500XL, 3550 the LED above Port1x goes out.
Release the Mode button after
approximately 5 seconds when
the Status (STAT) LED goes out.
2940, 2950 When you release the Mode
button, the SYST LED blinks
amber.
Release the Mode button when
the SYST LED blinks amber and
then turns solid green. When you
release the Mode button,
2960, 2970 the SYST LED blinks green.
Release the Mode button after
approximately 15 seconds when
the SYST LED turns solid green.
When you release the Mode
button, the SYST LED blinks
3560, 3750 green.
Note: LED position may vary slightly depending on the model.
Catalyst 3524XL
Catalyst 2950-24
For 2955 series switches only:

The Catalyst 2955 series switches do not use an external mode button for password
recovery. Instead the switch boot loader uses the break-key detection to stop the
automatic boot sequence for the password recovery purposes. The break sequence is
determined by the terminal application and operating system used. Hyperterm running
on Windows 2000 uses Ctrl + Break. On a workstation running UNIX, Ctrl-C is the
break key. For more information, refer to Standard Break Key Sequence Combinations
During Password Recovery.
The example below uses Hyperterm to break into switch: mode on a 2955.
C2955 Boot Loader (C2955-HBOOT-M) Version 12.1(0.0.514),
CISCO DEVELOPMENT TEST
VERSION
Compiled Fri 13-Dec-02 17:38 by madison
WS-C2955T-12 starting...
Base ethernet MAC Address: 00:0b:be:b6:ee:00
Xmodem file system is available.
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 19 files, 2 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 7741440
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 4510720
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 3230720
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 7 seconds.
...done initializing flash.
Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3
Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4
*** The system will autoboot in 15 seconds ***

Send break character to prevent autobooting.
!--- Wait until you see this message before

!--- you issue the break sequence.
!--- Ctrl+Break is entered using Hyperterm.
The system has been interrupted prior to initializing the
flash file system to finish
loading the operating system software:
flash_init
load_helper
boot
switch:
4. Issue the flash_init command.
switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 143 files, 4 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 3612672
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 2729472
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 883200
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 86 seconds
....done Initializing Flash.
Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3
Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4
switch:
!--- This output is from a 2900XL switch. Output from

!--- other switches will vary slightly.
5. Issue the load_helper command.

switch: load_helper
switch:
6. Issue the dir flash: command.
Note: Make sure to type a colon ":" after the dir flash.
The switch file system is displayed:
switch: dir flash:
Directory of flash:/
2 -rwx 1803357 <date> c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin
!--- This is the current version of software.
4 -rwx 1131 <date> config.text
!--- This is the configuration file.
5 -rwx 109 <date> info

6 -rwx 389 <date> env_vars
7 drwx 640 <date> html
18 -rwx 109 <date> info.ver
403968 bytes available (3208704 bytes used)
switch:
!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from

!--- other switches will vary slightly.
7. Type rename flash:config.text flash:config.old to rename the configuration file.

switch: rename flash:config.text flash:config.old
switch:
!--- The config.text file contains the password

!--- definition.
8. Issue the boot command to boot the system.

switch: boot
Loading "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-
5.WC7.bin"...###############################
##########################################################
######################
##########################################################
############
File "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin" uncompressed
and installed, entry po
int: 0x3000
executing...
!--- Output suppressed.

!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from other switches
!--- will vary slightly.
9. Enter "n" at the prompt to abort the initial configuration dialog.

--- System Configuration Dialog ---
At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Use ctrl-c to abort configuration dialog at any prompt.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]: n
!--- Type "n" for no.
Press RETURN to get started.
!--- Press Return or Enter.
Switch>
!--- The Switch> prompt is displayed.
At the switch prompt, type en to enter enable mode.
Switch>en
Switch#
10. Type rename flash:config.old flash:config.text to rename the configuration file with
its original name.
Switch#rename flash:config.old flash:config.text
Destination filename [config.text]
Switch#
11. Copy the configuration file into memory.
Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config
Destination filename [running-config]?
1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs

Sw1#
The configuration file is now reloaded.
12. Overwrite the current passwords that you do not know. Choose a strong password with
at least one capital letter, one number, and one special character.
Note: Overwrite the passwords which are necessary. You need not overwrite all of the
mentioned passwords.
Sw1# conf t
!--- To overwrite existing secret password
Sw1(config)#enable secret <new_secret_password>
!--- To overwrite existing enable password
Sw1(config)#enable password <new_enable_password>

!--- To overwrite existing vty password
Sw1(config)#line vty 0 15
Sw1(config-line)#password <new_vty_password>
Sw1(config-line)#login
!--- To overwrite existing console password
Sw1(config-line)#line con 0
Sw1(config-line)#password <new_console_password>
13. Write the running configuration to the configuration file with the write
memory command.
Sw1#write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Sw1#

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For 2955 series switches only:

*** The system will autoboot in 15 seconds ***

!--- Wait until you see this message before

!--- This output is from a 2900XL switch. Output from

5. Issue the load_helper command.

!--- This is the current version of software.

4 -rwx 1131 <date> config.text

!--- This is the configuration file.

5 -rwx 109 <date> info

!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from

7. Type rename flash:config.text flash:config.old to rename the configuration file.

!--- The config.text file contains the password

8. Issue the boot command to boot the system.

!--- Output suppressed.

9. Enter "n" at the prompt to abort the initial configuration dialog.

!--- Press Return or Enter.

!--- Press Return or Enter.

1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs

!--- To overwrite existing secret password

Sw1(config)#enable secret <new_secret_password>

!--- To overwrite existing enable password

Sw1(config)#enable password <new_enable_password>

!--- To overwrite existing console password

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* The system will autoboot in 15 seconds *