System information

Recovering a Lost Password
Book Title
24-480
Table 24-11 Configuration Registers for Specific Cisco Platforms and Software
Password-Recovery Procedure: Platforms Running Current Cisco IOS
Releases
More recent Cisco platforms run from Flash memory or are netbooted and can ignore the contents
of nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) upon booting. (Cisco 7000 series routers that boot from Flash
memory or netboot have this capability as well; a Cisco 7000 that boots from ROM has this
capability if it is running Cisco IOS Release 10.0 or later.) Ignoring the contents of NVRAM permits
you to bypass the configuration file (which contains the passwords) and gain complete access to the
router. You can then recover the lost password or configure a new one.
Note If your password is encrypted, you cannot recover it. You must configure a new password.
Figure 24-1 shows a flowchart describing the password-recovery procedure for the following
platforms:
• Cisco 2000, Cisco 2500, Cisco 3000, and Cisco 4000 series access servers and routers
• Cisco 7000 series routers running Software Release 9.17(4) and later from Flash/netboot or
Cisco IOS Release 10.0 or later from ROM
• Cisco IGS routers running Software Release 9.1 or later
• Cisco CGS, MGS, AGS, and AGS+ routers running Software Release 9.1(7) or later
Platform
(and Software,
if Applicable)
Software
Configuration
Register
Hardware
Configuration
Register (Jumper)
Hardware
Configuration Register
(DIP Switch)
Cisco 2000 series Yes — —
Cisco 2500 series Yes — —
Cisco 3000 series Yes — —
Cisco 4000 series Yes — —
Cisco 7000 series running Software
Release 9.17(4) or later (Flash/netboot) or
Cisco IOS Release 10.0 or later (ROM)
Yes — —
Cisco 7000 running Software Release 9.21
or earlier from ROM
— Yes —
Cisco 7200 Yes — —
Cisco 7500 Yes — —
Cisco IGS running Software Release 9.1 or
later
Yes — —
Cisco IGS running software prior to
Software Release 9.1
—— Yes
Cisco CGS — Yes —
Cisco MGS — Yes —
Cisco AGS — Yes —
Cisco AGS+ — Yes —