how to blow a config without console access

[rjackson]

I have a 2501 in my lab that the console port has gone dead on. Apparently there is a cfg saved but the switch cannot detect the device with cdp over ethernet. I tried the aux port but it says no password is configured.

I want to blow the config so I can autoinstall a config and then access the router with telnet. Is there a way to blow the config without console or network access?

[Kevin Dorrell]

I don't know of any way to do this.

I would try and find out why the console port is apparently dead. Could it be that the baud rate has been set differently in the config register? Try different baud rates, and boot the router to see if you get anything out of it at all. Check your cables: best is to use the proper rolled RJ45-RJ45 cable from Cisco, and the DB9 adapter supplied.

Kevin Dorrell

Luxembourg

[rjackson]

I get output as the router boots but it never responds to input. I move the cable to a different router and it works fine. Move and back and it doesn't work. The output would not come out clean if the speed was wrong.

[scottmac]

If you're using the "HyperTerm" program that came with Windows 9.x, try another terminal program. HyperTerm (at least for those versions) is about as bad as you can get.

Try PuTTY (free), CRT (free demo), Secure CRT (free Demo).

It could be a bad cable. You could also try reversing the existing cable (end-to-end swap) and see if the symptom changes.

Make sure you are set for "Handshake: NONE" on the terminal program.

Worse case, try the AUX port. It'll auto-sense BAUD and DCE / DTE.

Good Luck

Scott

[tbutts]

This is also a symptom of having 'no exec' on the console port. You receive output to the console but are not allowed to enter commands.

[Kevin Dorrell]

If that is so, then you should still be able to use the break during the first few seconds, to put you into rom monitor mode. You could then follow the password recovery procedure to blow away your config.

Kevin Dorrell

Luxembourg

[rjackson]

I have tried that but I was not aware of the affect of no exec on the console port. I will verify I am doing the break properly on another router and then try it on this one.

I am thinking the console port was messed up when my 516-CS terminal server that it was plugged into burned up, literally!! A loud pop, sizzle and smoke when I turned it on one day.

I dont think the NVRAM is removeable. If it is I could swap it into another router and clear it. Does anyone know if it is removeable?