HOW TO RECOVER CISCO ROUTER PASSWORD

This procedure is used for recovering an enable password or enable secret passwords. These passwords are used to protect access to privileged EXEC and configuration modes. The enable passwordpassword can be recovered but the enable secret password is encrypted and can only be replaced with a new password using the step by step procedure described here.


Step 1:- Attach a terminal or PC with terminal emulation to the console port of the router. Use the following terminal                   settings: 
              9600 baud rate
              No parity
              8 data bits
              1 stop bit

Step 2:- Restart /reload the Router.

Step 3:- Press Break on the terminal keyboard within 60 seconds of the power-up to abort / interrupt the boot process and  put the router into ROMMON 1 mode. Some common break keys are-

                      Break key on keyboard,    for Tera-term is Alt+B, for Hyper-Terminal Ctrl-Break or Ctrl-F6-Break

                      for Terminal Break/Ctrl-Break

     For more info http://www-tss.cisco.com/eservice/compass/common/activities/password_brk_key_seq.htm

Step 4:- Type confreg 0x2142 at the rommon 1> prompt to boot from Flash without loading the configuration.

Step 5:- Now type reset command at the rommon 2> prompt.The router reboots but ignores its saved configuration or Start-up config in NVRAM.

Step 6:- Type no after each setup question or press Ctrl-C to skip the initial setup procedure.

Step 7:- Type enable at the Router> prompt.You'll be in enable mode and see the Router# prompt.

step 8:- Now first using copy startup-config running-config command copy the start-up config from NVRAM into Running-config RAM memory.

Step 9:- Now go into global config mode and change the enable/enable secret password.

Step 10:-Then change the config register value using config-register 0x2102 command.

Step 11:-Now save the Running-config into Start-up config using copy running-config startup-config command.


note- thanks to the Paul for this video.