C8500 factory-reset

[00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7]

The guide for the 8500 states the factory-reset all command takes backup of existing configuration, and then resets the router to an earlier, fully functional state.

My first question is why do they call it a factory reset if the running configuration is backed up and not getting delete? The command name is very misleading. I guess we would need to manually back up the image and then format/erase bootflash, nvram and other devices and then copy the image back to do a real factory reset. It looks like version 17.6 will backup the image and then erase everything if I am not mistaken, however, how do you backup an image for versions below 17.6?

[M02@rt37]

Hello @00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7,

The terminology and behavior of a "factory reset" command can indeed vary among different devices and software versions. It's not uncommon for the term to be used loosely to describe a process that resets the device's configuration to default settings while preserving certain critical files or images. In many cases, the main objective of a factory reset is to restore the device's configuration to a known working state, rather than a true "factory-fresh" condition.

The naming of commands like "factory-reset all" can sometimes be misleading, as it doesn't necessarily result in a complete wipe of the device. It usually means resetting the configuration settings to defaults while preserving critical files and images.

[Leo Laohoo]

This is a bug.  

The command "factory-reset all" is meant to wipe out the entire contents flash.  

Very similar to CSCvw50512 or CSCwe82023.

[00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7]

The harddisk: bug that you referenced is an an optional m.2 for added storage that does does not get formatted on certain models. The bootflash: which would be where the running image is stored normally does gets an actual factory reset only when the secure 3-pass is added at the end of the command. Factory-reset all command is not suppose to wipe out all the contents of the flash because it takes a backup of existing configuration.

On a side note, if someone were to save the running image to the harddisk: m.2 that was running in .pkg mode instead of .bin mode, how would you save a backup image of to the bootflash e-usb? I tried just copying the .pkg files over and when it reboot it did not like that.  SD-Wan Edges had a request platform software package consolidate but the 8500 don't seem to have a way to put the genie back in the bottle.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7 wrote:
how would you save a backup image of to the bootflash e-usb?

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There is a backup but I do not know of a way to store a backup of the config in a different location automatically.  

On a switch, use the command "dir flash:nvram*" and the filenames are self-explanatory to distinguish one from the other.

[00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7]

For the c8500 The factory reset process uses the factory-reset all command to take backup of existing configuration, and then reset the router to an earlier, fully functional state and the factory-reset all secure 3-pass backs up the OS and erases the config. However with the c8200 secure 3-pass wipes out everything and reboots to rommon. What gives? Also the factory reset documentation is well documented on the 8500 but nothing on the 8200 cant find anything. 

I also just notices you can start sessions for different modules. Does the factory reset clear the configuration on those modules as well? If not which modules require a factory reset and how?

[Leo Laohoo]

The factory-reset command will wipe 95% of everything, including restricted partitions and any platform will boot into ROMMON.  This is intentional.

[00u1ab28axbOOzhqE5d7]

So none of the modules need to have a session started to clear the config on them?