Cisco Systems CISCO7201 Manual De Usuario

This section describes how to recover a lost enable or console login password, and how to replace a lost 
enable secret password on your Cisco 7201 router.

It is possible to recover the enable or console login password. The enable secret password is encrypted, 
however, and must be replaced with a new enable secret password.

Following is an overview of the steps in the password recovery procedure:

If you can log in to the router, enter the show version command to determine the existing configuration 
register value.

Press the Break key to get to the bootstrap program prompt (ROM monitor). You might need to reload 
the system image by power cycling the router.

To recover a lost password if the Break function is disabled on the router, you must have physical access 
to the router.

Change the configuration register so the following functions are enabled: 

Break

Ignore startup configuration

Boot from flash memory

The key to recovering a lost password is to set the configuration register bit 6 (0x0040) so that 
the startup configuration (usually in NVRAM) is ignored. This allows you to log in without 
using a password and to display the startup configuration passwords.

When powering off the router, wait 30 seconds before powering it on again.

Power cycle the router by turning power off and then back on.

Log in to the router and enter the privileged EXEC mode.

Enter the show startup-config command to display the passwords.

Recover or replace the displayed passwords.

Change the configuration register back to its original setting.