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Cisco Router Password recovery steps

Today we are going to discuss about the break or recover the router password if in case you forget the password of the router. Below are the steps to recover or you can say for breaking the password and helps to come up the router with the default login. You can set up the password again.

Fig 1.1- Router Password Recovery

Lets talk about the Password recovery for the Cisco Router in Rommon mode. Below are the steps to recover the password for your router.
  • Switch on the router and boot in the rommon mode.
  • Type Confreg 0x2142 to tell the router to boot from flash without loading the configuration in NVRAM at the next reload. 
  • Type i to have the router reboot. The router ignores the configuration in NVRAM.
  • The router runs the setup dialog, Type no or press Ctrl-C to skip the initial setup Dialog. 
  • Type enable ate the Router> prompt to go to privileged exec mode.
  • Copy the startup configuration to the running configuration by using the configure memory or copy startup-config running-config  commands. Do not type configure terminal. If you use the configure terminal command, you overwrite the configuration stored in NVRAM.
  • View the configuration by typing write terminal or show running-config. View the configured line vty and enable passwords. Any encrypted passwords need to be changed. 
  • Enter the configuration mode by typing configure terminal. Change the line of enable passwords as necessary. 
  • All interfaces are in a shutdown state. Issue the no shutdown command on every interface that is to be used.
  • Type config-register 0x2102 to return the router to normal operation at the next reloads.
  • Exit configuration mode by pressing Ctrl-Z
  • Save your changes by typing write memory or copy running-config startup-config.
  • Reload the router and verify the passwords.