Password Recovery Cisco Catalyst Switches

Fig 1: Password Recovery Cisco Catalyst Switches

Step 1: Connect your PC or terminal into the switch console port with the blue console cable.

Step 2: Open up a Hyperterminal/CRT/Putty for emulation and set the speed to 9600 baud.

Step 3: Unplug the power cable to the switch.

Step 4: Press and hold the MODE button on the front of the switch and plug the power cable back into the switch at the same. After the power cable has been plugged in, wait a couple of seconds and then release the MODE button.

Step 5: Your display on your Hyperterminal/CRT/Putty should look like this… switch:

Step 6: Enter these commands into the switch

switch: flash _init

switch: load_helper

switch: dir flash:

Directory of flash:

13 drwx   192 Mar 01 1993 22:30:48 c2960-mz-124-0.0.53

11 -rwx   5825 Mar 01 1993 22:31:59 config.text

18 -rwx   720 Mar 01 1993 02:21:30 vlan.da

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

switch: boot

Step 7: Once the switch reboots, answer NO to “Would you like to enter system configuration dialog? [Yes/No]:

Step 8: Get into the privilege prompt.

Switch>enable

Switch#rename flash:config.text.old flash:config.text

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

Source filename [config.text]?

Destination filename [running-config]?

Press Enter to copy

Step 9: Get into global configuration

Switch#conf t

Switch (config)#enable secret password

Enter the password you would like

Step 10: Return to Privilege mode and save your config

Switch (config)#exit

Switch#copy run start