Password Recovery for Cisco Router 1841

Password Recovery for Cisco Router 1841

Recovering a Cisco 1841 Router Password Connect to the console of the router.

1. If you can access the router use the show version command. The last line of the output should tell you the version that the configuration register is set to. If you can’t access the router because of a lost login or TACACS password then your configuration register is set to 0x2102.

Router>show version
<output omitted>
Configuration register is 0x2102

2. Cycle power to the router and within 60 seconds enter the break sequence to enter ROMMON. Standard Break Key Combinations

3. Enter confreg 0x2142 at the rommon 1> prompt to boot from flash.

rommon 1 > confreg 0x2142
You must reset or power cycle for new config to take effect

4. Enter reset at the rommon 2> prompt to reboot the router but ignore the startup-config.

rommon 2 > reset

System Bootstrap, Version 11.3(2)XA4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1999 by cisco Systems, Inc.
TAC:Home:SW:IOS:Specials for info
C2600 platform with 32768 Kbytes of main memory
<output Omitted>
router>

5. Enter no after the setup questions or press Ctrl-C to skip the initial setup.

Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog? [yes/no]: n

6. Enter Enable to enter enable mode.

Router>enable
Router#

7. To recover your password, enter configure memory or copy startup-config running-config.

Router#copy startup-config running-config 

8. Enter show running-config to verify that the running configuration has been changed.

9. Enter configure terminal

Router#configure termial

10. To change your secret password enter enable secret <password> at the hostname(config)# prompt. Now is the time to reset any other passwords on the router as well.

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

11. Issue the no shutdown command on each of the interfaces you are using.

12. Enter write memory or copy running-config startup-config to save your changes to the startup configuration.

Router#copy running-config startup-config

13. Return to global configuration mode by entering configure termial.

Router#configure terminal

14. Enter config-register 0x2102 and press Ctrl-z to save and leave privilege EXEC mode.

Router(config)#config-register 0x2102
Router(config)#^Z

15. Enter reload to restart the router using the 0x2102 register.

Router#reload

Your passwords have now been reset.

• Password Recovery and Device Reset Procedures