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Catalyst 2960 Switch SoftwareConfiguration Guide
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Chapter31 Troubleshooting
Recovering from a Lost or Forgotten Password
Step8 If you had set the console port speed to anything other than 9600, it has been reset to that particular
speed. Change the emulation software line speed to match that of the switch console port.
Step9 Load any helper files:
switch: load_helper
Step10 Start the file transfer by using the Xmodem Protocol.
switch: copy xmodem: flash:
image_filename.bin
Step11 After the Xmodem request appears, use the appropriate command on the terminal-emulation software to
start the transfer and to copy the software image into flash memory.
Step12 Boot the newly downloaded Cisco IOS image.
switch:boot flash:
image_filename.bin
Step13 Use the archive download-sw privileged EXEC command to download the software image to the
switch.
Step14 Use the reload privileged EXEC command to restart the switch and to verify that the new software image
is operating properly.
Step15 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 t o 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.
Note On these switches, a system administrator can disable some of the functionality of this feature by
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:
•Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled, page 31-4
•Procedure with Password Recovery Disabled, page 31-6
You enable or disable password recovery by using the service password-recovery global configuration
command. Follow the steps in this procedure if you have forgotten or lost the swit ch password.
Step1 Connect a terminal or PC with terminal-emulation software to the switch console port.
Step2 Set the line speed on the emulation software to 9600 baud.
Step3 Power off the switch.
Step4 Reconnect the power cord to the switch and, within 15 seconds, press the Mode button while the System
LED is still flashing green. Continue pressing the Mode button until the System LED turns briefly amber
and then solid green; then release the Mode button.