Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled
If the password-recovery operation is enabled, this message appears:
Step 1 Initialize the flash file system.
SwitchControllerDevice: flash_init
Step 2 Ignore the startup configuration with the following command:
SwitchControllerDevice: SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG=1
Step 3 Boot the switch with the packages.conf file from flash.
SwitchControllerDevice: boot flash:packages.conf
Step 4 Terminate the initial configuration dialog by answering No.
Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog? [yes/no]: No
Step 5 At the switch prompt, enter privileged EXEC mode.
SwitchControllerDevice> enable Switch#
Step 6 Copy the startup configuration to running configuration.
SwitchControllerDevice# copy startup-config running-config Destination filename [running-config]?
Press Return in response to the confirmation prompts. The configuration file is now reloaded, and you can change the password.
Step 7 Enter global configuration mode and change the enable password.
SwitchControllerDevice# configure terminal SwitchControllerDevice(config)#
Step 8 Write the running configuration to the startup configuration file.
SwitchControllerDevice# copy running-config startup-config
Step 9 Confirm that manual boot mode is enabled.
SwitchControllerDevice# show boot BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf; Manual Boot = yes Enable Break = yes
Step 10 Reload the switch.
SwitchControllerDevice# reload
Step 11 Return the Bootloader parameters (previously changed in Steps 2 and 3) to their original values.
SwitchControllerDevice: switch: SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG=0
Step 12 Boot the switch with the packages.conf file from flash.
SwitchControllerDevice: boot flash:packages.conf
Step 13 After the switch boots up, disable manual boot on the switch.
SwitchControllerDevice(config)# no boot manual
Procedure with Password Recovery Disabled
If the password-recovery mechanism is disabled, this message appears:
The password-recovery mechanism has been triggered, but is currently disabled. Access to the boot loader prompt through the password-recovery mechanism is disallowed at this point. However, if you agree to let the system be reset back to the default system configuration, access to the boot loader prompt can still be allowed. Would you like to reset the system back to the default configuration (y/n)?
Caution —
Returning the switch to the default configuration results in the loss of all existing configurations. We recommend that you contact your system administrator to verify if there are backup switch and VLAN configuration files.
- If you enter n (no), the normal boot process continues as if the Mode button had not been pressed; you cannot access the boot loader prompt, and you cannot enter a new password. You see the message:
Press Enter to continue…
- If you enter y (yes), the configuration file in flash memory and the VLAN database file are deleted. When the default configuration loads, you can reset the password.
Step 1 Choose to continue with password recovery and delete the existing configuration:
Would you like to reset the system back to the default configuration (y/n)? Y
Step 2 Display the contents of flash memory:
SwitchControllerDevice: dir flash:
The switch file system appears.
Directory of flash:/ . . .i’ 15494 drwx 4096 Jan 1 2000 00:20:20 +00:00 kirch 15508 -rw- 258065648 Sep 4 2013 14:19:03 +00:00 cat3k_caa-universalk9.SSA.03.12.02.EZP.150-12.02.EZP.150-12.02.EZP.bin 162196684
Step 3 Boot up the system:
SwitchControllerDevice: boot
You are prompted to start the setup program. To continue with password recovery, enter N at the prompt:
Continue with the configuration dialog? [yes/no]: N
Step 4 At the switch prompt, enter privileged EXEC mode:
SwitchControllerDevice> enable
Step 5 Enter global configuration mode:
SwitchControllerDevice# configure terminal
Step 6 Change the password:
SwitchControllerDevice(config)# enable secret password
The secret password can be from 1 to 25 alphanumeric characters, can start with a number, is case sensitive, and allows spaces but ignores leading spaces.
Step 7 Return to privileged EXEC mode:
SwitchControllerDevice(config)# exit SwitchControllerDevice#
Note Before continuing to Step 9, power on any connected stack members and wait until they have completely initialized.
Step 8 Write the running configuration to the startup configuration file:
SwitchControllerDevice# copy running-config startup-config
The new password is now in the startup configuration.