Recover Cisco Catalyst 3650 Switch Password

Recover Cisco Catalyst 3650 Switch Password

1. Connect to the console port of the switch a PC with terminal emulating software like TeraTerm or PuTTY. The terminal settings are as follows:

◦Bits per second (baud): 9600 
◦Data bits: 8 
◦Parity: None 
◦Stop bits: 1 
◦Flow Control: Xon/Xoff 

2. Power down the switch by unplugging the power cord.

3. Hold down the mode button on the front left side of the switch and plug in the power cord. Do not release the mode button until you see the SYST and ACTV LEDs turn amber. BEFORE that happens the SYST LED will go from a slow blink to a fast blink. It will take more than 15 seconds for this to happen. AFTER the SYST and ACTV LEDs turn amber release the mode button and SYST LED should start to blink again. The switch should now be in switch: mode.

4. Enter the flash_init command at the switch: prompt.

switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...

6. Tell the switch to ignore the startup configuration

switch: SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG=1

switch:

7. Boot the switch from flash

switch: boot

switch:

8. When the switch is done reloading the Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog?[yes/no]:' question will appear in the output. Answer no or press ctrl-c to leave the system configuration dialog.

--- System Configuration Dialog ---
At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Use ctrl-c to abort configuration dialog at any prompt.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]: n 

Press RETURN to get started.

Switch>

9. Enter enable to go into enable mode on the switch.

Switch>enable
Switch#

10. Copy the startup configuration to running configuration by typing copy startup-config running-config and press enter when the message appears Destination filename [running-config].

Switch#copy startup-config running-config
Destination filename [running-config] 

Now the old configuration is loaded into RAM.

11. At this point you can reassign all of the passwords you don't know by entering global configuration mode and entering the following commands:

Sw1# conf t
Sw1(config)#enable secret <new_secret_password>
Sw1(config)#enable password <new_enable_password>
Sw1(config)#line vty 0 15
Sw1(config-line)#password <new_vty_password>
Sw1(config-line)#login
Sw1(config-line)#line con 0
Sw1(config-line)#password <new_console_password>

12. Disable manual boot on the device with the no boot manual command.

Sw1(config)#no boot manual

13. Disable ignoring the startup-configuration file with the no system ignore startupconfig switch all command.

Sw1(config)#no system ignore startupconfig switch all

14. Save the running configuration to the startup configuration by entering either write memory or copy running-config startup-config.

Sw1#write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Sw1#

You have reset your passwords without losing your configuration.

• Password Recovery and Device Reset Procedures