How to reset a password on Cisco Catalyst Switch 2900 Series

I need to setup mrtg in our 2nd hand cisco catalyst switch. I believe this switch is a little bit obsolete but this is the one my superior told me to use. I visit my favorite distributor of refurbished networking applicance store and look for Cisco Catalyst 2900 Series

So I need to recover the password to put IP address to the VPN Interface. Here is the procedure that I did:

1. Hold down the mode button located on the left side of the front panel, while reconnecting the power cable to the switch.

Release the mode button after the LED above Port 1x goes out.

Note: LED position may vary slightly depending on the model.

2. Issue the flash_init command and press Enter

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.

3. Issue the load_helper command and press Enter

switch: load_helper
switch:

4. Issue the dir flash: command and press Enter

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 c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin

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

switch: rename flash:config.text flash:config.old
switch:

6. 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: 0×3000
executing…

7. 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

Switch>

8. At the switch prompt, type en to enter enable mode.

9. 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#

10. Copy the configuration file into memory by typing copy flash:config.text system:running-config

Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config
Destination filename [running-config]?

!— Press Return or Enter.

1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs
Switch#

The configuration file is now reloaded.

11. Change the password.

Switch#configure terminal
Switch(config)#no enable secret

!— This step is necessary if the switch had an enable secret
!— password.

Switch(config)#enable password Cisco
Switch#(config)#^Z

!— Use Ctrl-Z.

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

Switch#write memory
Building configuration…
[OK]
Switch#

13. Finish

How to reset password on Cisco Router 2600 Series

Introduction

This document describes how to recover the enable password and the enable secret passwords. These passwords protect access to privileged EXEC and configuration modes. The enable password password can be recovered, but the enable secret password is encrypted and must be replaced with a new password. Use the procedure described in this document in order to replace the enable secret password.

The enable password or the enable-secret password is stored in the startup configuration file in the nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM). The password recovery procedure requires that you boot the router and ignore the startup configuration file in the NVRAM. In order to boot the router and ignore the startup configuration file, set the 6th bit in the configuration register. The router boots with the default configuration and all the interfaces in “shutdown” state.

Since the default configuration does not have a password, anyone can enter enable mode on the router. In order to return the router to the original configuration, the startup configuration file can be copied into the router memory. If you are already in the enable mode, you can either view or change the enable password, but you can only change the enable secret password because it is always encrypted in the show commands. This document describes this procedure.

Note: Password recovery procedures cannot be performed through a Telnet connection.

Cisco 2000 Series Routers
Cisco 2500 Series Routers
Cisco 3000 Series Routers
Cisco 4000 Series Routers
Cisco AccessPro
Cisco 7000 Route Processor (RP)
Cisco AGS+ Routers
Cisco IGS Router Series
Cisco STS-10x Access Servers

Step-by-Step Procedure

1. Attach a terminal or PC with terminal emulation to the console port of the router.

Use these terminal settings:

9600 baud rate
No parity
8 data bits
1 stop bit
No flow control

2. If you can access the router, type show version at the prompt, and record the configuration register setting. See Example of Password Recovery Procedure in order to view the output of a show version command.

Note: The configuration register is usually set to 0×2102 or 0×102. If you can no longer access the router (because of a lost login or TACACS password), you can safely assume that your configuration register is set to 0×2102.

3. Use the power switch in order to turn off the router, and then turn the router back on.

4. Press Break on the terminal keyboard within 60 seconds of power up in order to put the router into ROMmon.

5. At the prompt, type o, press ENTER, and record the current value of the configuration register (usually 0×2102 or 0×102).

>o

!— Shows the configuration register option settings.

Configuration register = 0×2102 at last boot
Bit# Configuration register option settings:
15 Diagnostic mode disabled

!— Output supressed.

6. Type o/r 0×2142, and press ENTER at the > prompt in order to boot from Flash and bypass the configuration file.

7. Type i at the > prompt, and press ENTER.

The router reboots, but ignores the saved configuration.

8. Type no after each setup question, or press CTRL + C in order to skip the initial setup procedure.

9. Type enable at the Router> prompt.

Once the Router# prompt appears, you are in enable mode.

10. Type configure memory or copy startup-config running-config in order to copy the NVRAM into memory.

Important : Do not type copy running-config startup-config or write memory. These commands erase your startup configuration.

11. Type write terminal or show running-config.

The show running-config and write terminal commands show the configuration of the router. In this configuration, the shutdown command appears under each interface, which means all interfaces are currently shutdown. Also, the passwords display either encrypted or unencrypted.

12. Type configure terminal, and make the changes.

The hostname(config)# prompt appears.

13. Type enable secret in order to change the enable secret password.

14. Issue the no shutdown command on every interface that is used. If you issue a show ip interface brief command after you exit configuration mode, every interface that you want to use displays up up.

15. Type config-register 0×2102 (or use the value you recorded in step 4).

This step causes the router to load the Cisco IOS software from the Flash with the configuration from NVRAM at the next reload.

16. Press CTRL + Z in order to leave the configuration mode.

The hostname# prompt appears.

17. Type write memory or copy running-config startup-config in order to commit the changes.

18. Type Reload in order to restart the router and force the Cisco IOS software to boot from the Flash.