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Catalyst 2960 Switch SoftwareConfiguration Guide
78-16881-01
Chapter31 Troubleshooting
Recovering from a Lost or Forgotten Password
Step5 Rename the configuration file to config.text.old.
This file contains the password definition.
switch: rename flash:
config.text
flash:
config.text.old
Step6 Boot the system:
switch: boot
You are prompted to start the setup program. Enter N at the prompt:
Continue with the configuration dialog? [yes/no]: N
Step7 At the switch prompt, enter privileged EXEC mode:
Switch> enable
Step8 Rename the configuration file to its original name:
Switch# rename flash:
config.text.old
flash:
config.text
Step9 Copy the configuration file into memory:
Switch# copy flash:
config.text
system:
running-config
Source filename [config.text]?
Destination filename [running-config]?
Press Return in response to the confirmation prompts.
The configuration file is now reloaded, and you can change the password.
Step10 Enter global configuration mode:
Switch# configure terminal
Step11 Change the password:
Switch (config)# enable secret
password
The secret password can be from 1 to 25 alphanumeric characters, can start with a number, is case
sensitive, and allows spaces but ignores leading spaces.
Step12 Return to privileged EXEC mode:
Switch (config)# exit
Switch#
Step13 Write the running configuration to the startup configuration file:
Switch# copy running-config startup-config
The new password is now in the startup configuration.
Note This procedure is likely to leave your switch virtual interface in a shutdown state. You can see
which interface is in this state by entering the show running-config privileged EXEC command.
To re-enable the interface, enter the interface vlan vlan-id global configuration command, and
specify the VLAN ID of the shutdown interface. With the switch in interface configuration
mode, enter the no shutdown command.