This is from the documentation
This proceeds the step where you hold down the mode button
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Issue the flash_init command.
switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 143 files, 4 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 3612672
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 2729472
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 883200
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 86 seconds
....done Initializing Flash.
Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3
Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4
switch:
!--- This output is from a 2900XL switch. Output from
!--- other switches will vary slightly.
Issue the load_helper command.
switch: load_helper
switch:
Issue the dir flash: command.
Note: Make sure to type a colon ":" after the dir flash.
The switch file system is displayed:
switch: dir flash:
Directory of flash:/
2 -rwx 1803357 c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin
!--- This is the current version of software.
4 -rwx 1131 config.text
!--- This is the configuration file.
5 -rwx 109 info
6 -rwx 389 env_vars
7 drwx 640 html
18 -rwx 109 info.ver
403968 bytes available (3208704 bytes used)
switch:
!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from
!--- other switches will vary slightly.
Type rename flash:config.text flash:config.old to rename the configuration file.
switch: rename flash:config.text flash:config.old
switch:
nt color="#0000ff">!--- The config.text file contains the password
!--- definition.
Issue the boot command to boot the system.
switch: boot
Loading "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin"...###############################
################################################################################
######################################################################
File "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin" uncompressed and installed, entry po
int: 0x3000
executing...
!--- Output suppressed.
!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from other switches
!--- will vary slightly.
Enter "n" at the prompt to abort the initial 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
!--- Type "n" for no.
Press RETURN to get started.
!--- Press Return or Enter.
Switch>
!--- The Switch> prompt is displayed.
At the switch prompt, type en to enter enable mode.
Switch>en
Switch#</pre>
Type rename flash:config.old flash:config.text to rename the configuration file with its original name.
Switch#rename flash:config.old flash:config.text
Destination filename [config.text]
!--- Press Return or Enter.
Switch#
Copy the configuration file into memory.
Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config
Destination filename [running-config]?
!--- Press Return or Enter.
1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs
Sw1#
The configuration file is now reloaded.
Overwrite the current passwords that you do not know. Choose astrong password with at least one capital letter, one number, and onespecial character.
Note: Overwrite the passwords which are necessary. You need not overwrite all of the mentioned passwords.
Sw1# conf t
!--- To overwrite existing secret password
Sw1(config)#enable secret
!--- To overwrite existing enable password
Sw1(config)#enable password
!--- To overwrite existing vty password
Sw1(config)#line vty 0 15
Sw1(config-line)#password
Sw1(config-line)#login
!--- To overwrite existing console password
Sw1(config-line)#line con 0
Sw1(config-line)#password
Write the running configuration to the configuration file with the write memory command.
Sw1#write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Issue the flash_init command. switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 143 files, 4 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 3612672
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 2729472
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 883200
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 86 seconds
....done Initializing Flash.
Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3
Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4
switch:
!--- This output is from a 2900XL switch. Output from
!--- other switches will vary slightly.
Issue the load_helper command. switch: load_helper
switch:
Issue the dir flash: command.
Note: Make sure to type a colon ":" after the dir flash.
The switch file system is displayed: switch: dir flash:
Directory of flash:/
2 -rwx 1803357 c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin
!--- This is the current version of software.
4 -rwx 1131 config.text
!--- This is the configuration file.
5 -rwx 109 info
6 -rwx 389 env_vars
7 drwx 640 html
18 -rwx 109 info.ver
403968 bytes available (3208704 bytes used)
switch:
!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from
!--- other switches will vary slightly.
Type rename flash:config.text flash:config.old to rename the configuration file. switch: rename flash:config.text flash:config.old
switch:
!--- The config.text file contains the password
!--- definition.
Issue the boot command to boot the system. switch: boot
Loading "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin"...###############################
################################################################################
######################################################################
File "flash:c3500xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC7.bin" uncompressed and installed, entry po
int: 0x3000
executing...
!--- Output suppressed.
!--- This output is from a 3500XL switch. Output from other switches
!--- will vary slightly.
Enter "n" at the prompt to abort the initial 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
!--- Type "n" for no.
Press RETURN to get started.
!--- Press Return or Enter.
Switch>
!--- The Switch> prompt is displayed.
At the switch prompt, type en to enter enable mode. Switch>en
Switch#
Type rename flash:config.old flash:config.text to rename the configuration file with its original name. Switch#rename flash:config.old flash:config.text
Destination filename [config.text]
!--- Press Return or Enter.
Switch#
Copy the configuration file into memory. Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config
Destination filename [running-config]?
!--- Press Return or Enter.
1131 bytes copied in 0.760 secs
Sw1#
The configuration file is now reloaded.
Overwrite the current passwords that you do not know. Choose a strong password with at least one capital letter, one number, and one special character.
Note: Overwrite the passwords which are necessary. You need not overwrite all of the mentioned passwords. Sw1# conf t
!--- To overwrite existing secret password
Sw1(config)#enable secret
!--- To overwrite existing enable password
Sw1(config)#enable password
!--- To overwrite existing vty password
Sw1(config)#line vty 0 15
Sw1(config-line)#password
Sw1(config-line)#login
!--- To overwrite existing console password
Sw1(config-line)#line con 0
Sw1(config-line)#password
Write the running configuration to the configuration file with the write memory command. Sw1#write memory
Building configuration...
[OK]
Sw1#
Sw1#
(Source: CISCO.COM -
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_password_recovery09186a0080094184.shtml)---
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So if you follow that you should be good. Just make sure you follow the instructions for your model of switch.
What appears to happen is that it will bypass loading the configuration file, however the config will still be left on the swtich as "config.txt" or something similar. You can then rename the file, and reload the switch, and it seems that you will be good to go.
Hope this helps!
-Yegs
