How to Recover Password on the Cisco Catalyst Fixed Configuration Layer 2&Layer 3 Switches?

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.

Recovering Password on the Cisco Catalyst Layer 2 and Layer 3 fixed configuration switches step by step:

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:

1.  
   • 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  

2. Unplug the power 

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.

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#

11. 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]

!--- Press Return or Enter.

Switch#

Copy the configuration file into memory.

Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config

Destination filename [running-config]?

!--- Press Return or Enter.

1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs

Sw1#

The configuration file is now reloaded.

13. 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>

14. Write the running configuration to the configuration file with the write memory command.

w1#write memory

Building configuration...

[OK]

Sw1#

---Original resources from

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_password_recovery09186a0080094184.shtml

More NOTE: Password Recovery Procedure for the Cisco Catalyst Fixed Configuration Layer 2 and Layer 3 Switches

Cisco Catalyst Fixed Switches Selection Guide

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