How to recover the lost or forgotten password of Cisco switches?

Today tip will help you to explain the password recovery methods for the Cisco layers 2 switches. You can use these steps also to recover the Cisco layers 3 switches (for example 3550 and 3750 series).  

Follow the step-by-step procedures to recover the lost Cisco switches password: 

First make sure, you have connected your PC to the console port of switch using any emulation software.

Now turn the power switch off and back on to recycle the power then release the mode button for few seconds after the LED above port 1 turns off.

Now your switch first prompt will look like this:

switch: 

First run the flash_init command to initialize the flash. 

switch: flash_init

After running the flash_init command, the following information will appear as under:

1.            switch: flash_init

2.            Initializing Flash...

3.            flashfs[0]: 21 files, 2 directories

4.            flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories

5.            flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 7741440

6.            flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 4499456

7.            flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 3241984

8.            flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 7 seconds.

9.            ...done initializing flash.

10.        Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3

11.        Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4

Now run the load_helper command to load any helper images. 

switch: load_helper 

Issue the dir flash: command to view configuration file name with detail. 

switch: dir flash: 

Now type the rename flash:config.text flash:config.old command to rename the previous configuration file.  

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

Here run the boot command to restart the switch. 

switch: boot

Now after booting process, type enable to enter enable mode at the switch prompt. 

Switch> enable 

Now again type the rename flash:config.old flash:config.text command to rename the previous configuration file.  

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

Here run the copy command to transfer the configuration file to running-config 

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

Now go to global configuration mode and set the new password.

Switch# configure terminal 

Switch (config)# enable secret password    (type here new password)

At the end saves the running configuration to NVRAM.

Switch# write memory

How to recover PIX Firewall image using monitor mode?

Today tip will help you to install the IOS on the Cisco PIX firewall 501, 506, 506E, 515E, 515, 525 and 535 series. First make sure, you have installed and configured any TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) server over the LAN port. If you are trying to boot up your PIX firewall without an IOS, the nonworking firewall will boot up in ROM monitor mode, or turn the power switch off and back on to recycle the power then press you can press the ctrl and break keys simultaneously. The monitor> prompt is displayed and the firewall first prompt will look like this:

monitor>

Follow the step-by-step procedure to recover the IOS of Cisco PIX Firewall: 

First make sure, you have connected your PC to the Ethernet and Console port of PIX Firewall using any emulation software.

Now use the interface command to specify the interface of PIX Firewall use for traffic.

monitor>interface 1

0: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:13 irq:11)

1: i8255X @ PCI(bus:0 dev:14 irq:8 )

Now use the address command to assign the IP address of PIX Firewall interface.

monitor>address 10.1.1.1

address 10.1.1.1

Issue the server command to assign the IP address of the remote or TFTP server.

monitor>server 131.200.1.1

server 131.200.1.1

Issue the gateway command to specify the gateway address through which the server is accessible.

monitor>gateway 10.1.1.5

gateway 10.1.1.5

Now issue the file command to identify the file name PIX firewall image.

monitor>file firewall-ios

file firewall-ios

Now use the tftp command to start the IOS recovery process of the PIX Firewall, and then following message will appear.

monitor> tftp

tftp firewall-ios@131.200.1.1 via 10.1.1.5....................................................

Received 63729 bytes

PIX admin loader (3.0) #0: Sun Oct 19 11:23:01 PDT 2008

Flash=AT29C040A @ 0x300

Flash version 7.0, Install version 7.1

Installing to flash.