Cisco CLI Password Recovery Steps How to recover the router/switch password if you forget it

How to reset password of Cisco 2600, 3600,7200 series routers

Passwords are often configured on Cisco routers for security purposes and for unauthorized access. This password can be forgotten and you may need to be reset the password to access to the router. The process for recovering a password may varies from platform to platform, but each procedure follows the following basic steps:

Configure the router to boot up without reading the configuration memory (nonvolatile RAM, or NVRAM):

If we forget to enter the privileged mode password, then we'll shut down the router and reboot! Then quickly press [Ctrl + Break] key to interrupt the boot process of the router, it will enter you into rommon mode. This can be done without a password if you are in test system mode.

In this mode set the configuration register to 0x2142, which would make the router does not read NVRAM configuration file at boot time. And then restart the router!

Command is as follows:

rommon 1> confreg 0x2142 // change the configuration register is 0x2142

rommon 3> reset // restart the route or use the command reload

Then reboot the router will go directly to the setup configuration mode, use [Ctrl + C] or answered "n",

Exit setup mode! Then we enter the global mode to reset the password privileged mode.

Command is as follows:

Router> enable // privileged mode

Router # configure terminal // enter the global mode

Router (config) #enable password 1234 // reset the password of command