Recovering From A Lost Or Forgotten Password - Cisco Catalyst 2975 Software Configuration Manual

Chapter 38 Troubleshooting
Initialize the flash file system:
Step 7
switch: flash_init
If you had set the console port speed to anything other than 9600, it has been reset to that particular
Step 8
speed. Change the emulation software line speed to match that of the switch console port.
Load any helper files:
Step 9
switch: load_helper
Start the file transfer by using the Xmodem Protocol.
Step 10
switch: copy xmodem: flash:image_filename.bin
After the Xmodem request appears, use the appropriate command on the terminal-emulation software to
Step 11
start the transfer and to copy the software image into flash memory.
Boot the newly downloaded Cisco IOS image.
Step 12
switch:boot flash:image_filename.bin
Use the archive download-sw privileged EXEC command to download the software image to the switch
Step 13
or to the switch stack.
Use the reload privileged EXEC command to restart the switch and to verify that the new software image
Step 14
is operating properly.
Step 15 Delete the flash:image_filename.bin file from the switch.

Recovering from a Lost or Forgotten Password

The default configuration for the switch allows an end user with physical access to the switch to recover
from a lost password by interrupting the boot process during power-on and by entering a new password.
These recovery procedures require that you have physical access to the switch.
On these switches, a system administrator can disable some of the functionality of this feature by
Note
allowing an end user to reset a password only by agreeing to return to the default configuration. If you
are an end user trying to reset a password when password recovery has been disabled, a status message
shows this during the recovery process.
These sections describes how to recover a forgotten or lost switch password:
•
•
You enable or disable password recovery by using the service password-recovery global configuration
command. When you enter the service password-recovery or no service password-recovery command
on the stack master, it is propagated throughout the stack and applied to all switches in the stack.
Follow the steps in this procedure if you have forgotten or lost the switch password.
Connect a terminal or PC with terminal-emulation software to the switch console port. If you are
Step 1
recovering the password to a switch stack, connect to the console port of the stack master.
Step 2 Set the line speed on the emulation software to 9600 baud.
OL-19720-02
Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled, page 38-4
Procedure with Password Recovery Disabled, page 38-6
Recovering from a Lost or Forgotten Password
Catalyst 2975 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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