URGENT: password recovery

[aghamir]

Guys,
I really need your help on this issue. I would like to wipe out the config file from a password protected 3640 router. I've tried the password recovery procedure after reading the posts in this forum but I still have the following problem:
when I get to <hotname># and try the &quot;configure terminal&quot; command, it wouldn't allow me and displays a failed authorization message. Can anybody tell me why I'm getting this message and how can I wipe out the config file and start from scratch?
Thank you very much.

 

[tschouten]

Easiest way is to perform the password recovery like you have seen. Instead of changing the password, erase the startup config. Reload the machine, the machine will ask you if you want to save the config because changes were made, say no to that, then confirm the reload. Go back in to rommon> change the regester back to booting from nvram. initialize it (rommon> I ) it will reboot. Should be back to factory settings.

 

[aghamir]

tschouten,
thanks for the quick response. Can you please give in detail the steps required to wipe out the configuration and reboot the system from scratch?
thanks a lot

 

[fmonteiro]

As you already have a pound sign (<router name>#) you are in privileged mode. Enter &quot;write erase&quot; or &quot;erase startup-config&quot; and &quot;reload&quot;.
When asked if you want to save the config file to NVRAN say NO.

 

[aghamir]

fmonteiro,
That's weird but when I get to the prompt <router_name># and type &quot;write erase&quot; or enable secret <apssword> this is what I get:

&quot;Command authorization failed&quot;

why?
thanks

 

[aghamir]

I get this error message:

Greenwich_3640#
00:03:10: %AAAA-3-INVSTATE: AUTHOR/CMD: Internal state is invalid: astruct 0x61
71FC48 ustruct 0x0
-Traceback= 601BE240 601BE120 601F1438 601F1EB8 601FCAAC 6023BF64 6023BF50

what does it mean and how to fix it?
many thanks,

 

[eurobadger]

Hi

You 'authorisation failed' message is because some sort of AAA/TACACS/Radius access to an authentication server has been included in your router's config. It will not let you execute the commands that will erase that from the config in privilege mode.

The process to recover the password is at

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products...ducts_password_recovery09186a0080094774.shtml

When you get to the privilege prompt in this way you can do 'write erase' and remove the config, then you will have a clean router to work with.

EB

 

[aghamir]

But how can I bypass tha &quot;AAA/TACACS/Radius&quot; part of the config file and wipe out everything. Please help
thanks

 

[fmonteiro]

Is your router connected to the network? If it is, unplug the network cable and try again. Perhaps the router could revert to a local authentication only.

 

[aghamir]

fmonteiro,
Actually I bought it from ebay and now I'm stuck with it. How can I change the config to bypass authentication or better wipe out the whole config thing and go back to default settings. It must be a way to overcome this problem right?
thanks,

 

[aghamir]

Guys,
Please help, I need to resolve this issue ASAP. Is there a way to clear all the settings and hard reset the router. I really don't care about the config file since I'm frustrated with this router. I always tought that Cisco was the best but never tought that it's so hard to reset a cisco router.
Please Cisco routers gurus respond.
many thanks,

 

[jimmyzz]

aghamir,
Did you perform the recovery process as outlined in eurobadger's post? Its a really good post and all the steps are there to erase the router and reset it to factory default. If you have prob's accessing the link, here is an overview of what you need to do.
1. Connect to the c3640 via the console port. Fire it up and issue a BREAK command. This will put you into rommon mode.
2. at rommon1>, type: confreg 0x2142
3. at rommon2>, type: reset
4. When the router restarts it will boot without the startup config. Go into enable mode, change the config register back to boot from NVRAM, type: config-register 0x2102.
5. Type exit to go back.
6. Lastly and importantly, save the config to startup. This will overwrite you previous startup-config (which has all the AAA stuff in it), type: copy run star.
7. Restart your router and you should have a clean router to play with.

JimmyZ

 

[aghamir]

thanks jimmyzz,
I followed all the instructions for the password recovery but the problem as I outlined in my previous post is that when I do enable and get router_name# prompt, the ourter is not letting me execute any commands (none) and gives me the following error message:

Greenwich_3640#
00:03:10: %AAAA-3-INVSTATE: AUTHOR/CMD: Internal state is invalid: astruct 0x61
71FC48 ustruct 0x0
-Traceback= 601BE240 601BE120 601F1438 601F1EB8 601FCAAC 6023BF64 6023BF50

As eurobadger mentioned before, this router was authenticated through a networked server and now doesn't allow anyone to execute commands.
The question is: what should I do to clear everything and reset the router to default factory. I tried to contact Cisco and there is no one there that seems to know about Cisco Routers, strange isn't it?
Regards,

 

[jimmyzz]

aghamir,
The fact the you still have Greenwich_3640# when you boot your router means that you have not overwritten your previous startup config. AAA authentication commands are configured in your startup file, so if you clear the startup config it will not try to authenticate with the RADIUS/TACACS server. Does this logic make sense? Did you follow step 6 in my post? euroadgers post details a password recovery. By applying step 6, this effectively extends the password recovery process to &quot;resetting&quot; the router. I think you may be getting yourself in a loop because you are missing a step in the recovery process.

JimmyZ

 

[aghamir]

I did exactly what outlined in eurobadger's post.

9- Type enable at the Router> prompt.

You'll be in enable mode and see the Router# prompt.

10- Important: Type configure memory or copy startup-config running-config to copy the nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) into memory.

Do not type configure terminal.

11- Type write terminal or show running-config.

The problem is when I excute 10, it gives me the prompt:
Greenwich_3640# and after that I am unable to execute any commands not even &quot;write terminal&quot;

Regards,

 

[aghamir]

jimmyzz,

I did exactly what outlined in eurobadger's post.

9- Type enable at the Router> prompt.

You'll be in enable mode and see the Router# prompt.

10- Important: Type configure memory or copy startup-config running-config to copy the nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) into memory.

Do not type configure terminal.

11- Type write terminal or show running-config.

The problem is when I excute 10, it gives me the prompt:
Greenwich_3640# and after that I am unable to execute any commands not even &quot;write terminal&quot;

Regards,

 

[jimmyzz]

aghamir,
I see exactly where you are getting stuck. You are following the procedures without thinking about how it relates to your situation. The password recovery process is designed to recover the password without losing your startup config. Hence when you do step 10 (from cisco recovery guide), it is actually reloading the startup file back into your running config, which means the AAA commands get activated. In your situation you want to get rid of the startup config, not reload it. Follow the steps in my post instead and rememeber to do my step 6, which will overwrite the startup config.

JimmyZ