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42-4
Cisco ME 3400 Ethernet Access Switch Software Configuration Guide
OL-9639-06
Chapter 42 Troubleshooting
Recovering from a Lost or Forgotten Password
The Cisco ME switch boot loader uses break-key detection to stop the automatic boot sequence for the
password recovery purpose.
Note The break key character is different for each operating system.
On a SUN work station running UNIX, Ctrl-C is the break key.
On a PC running Windows XP or 2000, Ctrl-Break is the break key.
Cisco TAC has tabulated break keys for most common operating systems and an alternative break key
sequence for those terminal emulators that do not support the break keys. To see that list go to:
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/701/61.html#how-to
These sections describes how to recover a forgotten or lost switch password:
• Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled, page 42-5
• Procedure with Password Recovery Disabled, page 42-6
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 switch password.
Step 1 Connect a terminal or PC with terminal-emulation software to the switch console port.
Step 2 Set the line speed on the emulation software to 9600 baud.
Step 3 Power off the switch.
Reconnect the power cord to the switch.
Step 4 After the switch performs POST, the switch begins the autoboot process. The boot loader prompts the
user for a break key character during the boot-up sequence, as shown in this example:
***** The system will autoboot in 5 seconds *****
Send a break key to prevent autobooting.
You must enter the break key on the console terminal within 5 seconds of receiving the message that the
system will autoboot. The System LED flashes green until the break key is accepted. After the break key
is accepted, the System LED turns off until after the switch boots.
Several lines of information about the software appear with instructions, informing you if the password
recovery procedure has been disabled or not.
• If you see a message that begins with this:
The system has been interrupted, or encountered an error during initializion of the
flash filesystem. The following commands will initialize the flash filesystem, and
finish loading the operating system software:
flash_init
load_helper
boot
proceed to the “Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled” section on page 42-5, and follow the
steps.