Recovering A Lost Enable Password - Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Configuration Manual

Chapter 3 Configuring the Switch for the First Time

Recovering a Lost Enable Password

For more information on the configuration register which is preconfigured in NVRAM, see
Note
the Software Configuration Register" section on page
To recover a lost enable password, follow these steps:
Step 1 Connect to the console interface.
Step 2 Stop the boot sequence and enter ROM monitor by pressing Ctrl-C during the first 5 seconds of bootup.
Step 3 Configure the switch to boot-up without reading the configuration memory (NVRAM).
Step 4 Reboot the system.
Step 5 Access enable mode (this can be done without a password if a password has not been configured).
View or change the password, or erase the configuration.
Step 6
Reconfigure the switch to boot-up and read the NVRAM as it normally does.
Step 7
Reboot the system.
Step 8
Modifying the Supervisor Engine Startup Configuration
These sections describe how the startup configuration on the supervisor engine works and how to modify
the BOOT variable and the configuration register:
•
•
•
•
Understanding the Supervisor Engine Boot Configuration
The supervisor engine boot process involves two software images: ROM monitor and supervisor engine
software. When the switch is booted or reset, the ROMMON code is executed. Depending on the
NVRAM configuration, the supervisor engine either stays in ROMMON mode or loads the supervisor
engine software.
Two user-configurable parameters determine how the switch boots: the configuration register and the
BOOT environment variable. The configuration register is described in the
and Using the boot Command" section on page
the
OL-25340-01
Understanding the Supervisor Engine Boot Configuration, page 3-25
Configuring the Software Configuration Register, page 3-26
Specifying the Startup System Image, page 3-30
Controlling Environment Variables, page 3-31
"Specifying the Startup System Image" section on page
3-26.
3-27. The BOOT environment variable is described in
Software Configuration Guide—Release IOS XE 3.3.0SG and IOS 15.1(1)SG
Recovering a Lost Enable Password
"Modifying the Boot Field
3-30.
"Configuring
3-25