I need help accessing my Cisco 2901/K9 - I never get to the press enter to start line

[the_walrus]

So I am trying to access a 2901/K9 ISR through the USB console port. So that I can reconfigure it because it is moving offices. So I downloaded and installed the Cisco USB Console driver (Ver. 3.1).  It shows up correctly in device manager (See attached image).  I have also configured PuTTY the way I was supposed to (I believe - Again see attached images).  I launch PuTTY and then boot the 2901 (I didn't realize that you had to launch PuTTY before turning on the 2901 - if this is incorrect, which I suspect is the case, please let me know how to fix it because if the 2901 is running and then I launch PuTTY all I see is the curser blinking at me and there is no indication that I am able to access the 2901 in any way.) 

When the 2901 is turned on, I get the following text in PuTTY and then it stops on the last line and does nothing. (and by nothing I mean NOTHING, no key stroke or combination of key strokes can get anything else to happen and I have let it sit there for a while to see if it was continuing to load or something.) It boots to a Read Only ROMMON but all the things I have read to get it to not boot to a read only ROMMON require you to enter a command (which I can't do)  

ANY HELP AT ALL WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED

System Bootstrap, Version 15.0(1r)M16, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 2012 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Total memory size = 512 MB - On-board = 512 MB, DIMM0 = 0 MB
CISCO2901/K9 platform with 524288 Kbytes of main memory
Main memory is configured to 72/-1(On-board/DIMM0) bit mode with ECC enabled

Readonly ROMMON initialized
program load complete, entry point: 0x80803000, size: 0x1b340
program load complete, entry point: 0x80803000, size: 0x1b340

IOS Image Load Test
___________________
Digitally Signed Release Software
program load complete, entry point: 0x81000000, size: 0x470d00c
Self decompressing the image : ################################################# ################################################################################ ################################################################################ ################################################################################ ################################################################################ ############################################################################## [ OK]

Smart Init is enabled
smart init is sizing iomem
TYPE MEMORY_REQ
Onboard devices &
buffer pools 0x0228F000
-----------------------------------------------
TOTAL: 0x0228F000

Rounded IOMEM up to: 36Mb.
Using 7 percent iomem. [36Mb/512Mb]

Restricted Rights Legend

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is
subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph
(c) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted
Rights clause at FAR sec. 52.227-19 and subparagraph
(c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer
Software clause at DFARS sec. 252.227-7013.

cisco Systems, Inc.
170 West Tasman Drive
San Jose, California 95134-1706

Cisco IOS Software, C2900 Software (C2900-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 15.1(4)M4, REL EASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2012 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 20-Mar-12 18:57 by prod_rel_team

This product contains cryptographic features and is subject to United
States and local country laws governing import, export, transfer and
use. Delivery of Cisco cryptographic products does not imply
third-party authority to import, export, distribute or use encryption.
Importers, exporters, distributors and users are responsible for
compliance with U.S. and local country laws. By using this product you
agree to comply with applicable laws and regulations. If you are unable
to comply with U.S. and local laws, return this product immediately.

A summary of U.S. laws governing Cisco cryptographic products may be found at:
http://www.cisco.com/wwl/export/crypto/tool/stqrg.html

If you require further assistance please contact us by sending email to
export@cisco.com.

Installed image archive
Cisco CISCO2901/K9 (revision 1.0) with 487424K/36864K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID FTX170883VR
2 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
1 terminal line
1 Virtual Private Network (VPN) Module
DRAM configuration is 64 bits wide with parity enabled.
255K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
250880K bytes of ATA System CompactFlash 0 (Read/Write)

l2tp tunnel timeout no-session 15
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

SETUP: new interface NVI0 placed in "shutdown" state
Jan 2 12:00:04.495: %IOS_LICENSE_IMAGE_APPLICATION-6-LICENSE_LEVEL: Module name = c2900 Next reboot level = ipbasek9 and License = ipbasek9
Jan 2 12:00:04.659: %IOS_LICENSE_IMAGE_APPLICATION-6-LICENSE_LEVEL: Module name = c2900 Next reboot level = securityk9 and License = securityk9
Nov 14 05:22:06.255: %VPN_HW-6-INFO_LOC: Crypto engine: onboard 0 State changed to: Initialized
Nov 14 05:22:06.259: %VPN_HW-6-INFO_LOC: Crypto engine: onboard 0 State changed to: Enabled
Nov 14 05:22:06.963: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:06.967: %LINK-3-UPDOWN: Interface GigabitEthernet0/1, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:08.087: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/0, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:08.087: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface GigabitEthernet0/1, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:09.091: %SYS-6-CLOCKUPDATE: System clock has been updated from 05:22:09 UTC Sat Nov 14 2020 to 01:22:09 EDT Sat Nov 14 2020, configured from console by console.
Nov 14 05:22:10.483: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface NVI0, changed state to up
Nov 14 05:22:11.511: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface Embedded-Service-Engine0/0, changed state to administratively down
Nov 14 05:22:12.511: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface Embedded-Service-Engine0/0, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:15.343: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from memory by console
Nov 14 05:22:17.439: %LINK-5-CHANGED: Interface NVI0, changed state to administratively down
Nov 14 05:22:18.435: %SYS-5-RESTART: System restarted --
Cisco IOS Software, C2900 Software (C2900-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 15.1(4)M4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2012 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 20-Mar-12 18:57 by prod_rel_team
Nov 14 05:22:18.435: %SNMP-5-COLDSTART: SNMP agent on host resmac is undergoing a cold start
Nov 14 05:22:18.443: %SSH-5-ENABLED: SSH 1.99 has been enabled
Nov 14 05:22:18.447: %LINEPROTO-5-UPDOWN: Line protocol on Interface NVI0, changed state to down
Nov 14 05:22:19.115: %CRYPTO-6-ISAKMP_ON_OFF: ISAKMP is OFF
Nov 14 05:22:19.115: %CRYPTO-6-GDOI_ON_OFF: GDOI is OFF
Nov 14 05:22:19.115: %CRYPTO-6-ISAKMP_ON_OFF: ISAKMP is OFF
Nov 14 05:22:19.115: %CRYPTO-6-GDOI_ON_OFF: GDOI is OFF
Nov 14 05:22:19.115: %CRYPTO-6-ISAKMP_ON_OFF: ISAKMP is ON

[Georg Pauwen · Accepted solution]

Hello,

how old is the device ? Judging from the IOS version you are running I would say 10 years ? Either way, chances are the device is bricked.

Try a password recovery as described in the document linked below:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/routers/2800-series-integrated-services-routers/112033-c2900-password-recovery-00.html

[Richard Burts]

I believe that the suggestion of password recovery by @Georg Pauwen is a good next step. Please try it and let us know the results.

From the fact that you are receiving the boot messages I believe that we can assume that your putty parameters are correct. The title of the post mentions press enter to start. That would be expected on a router which did not have a startup config. But a couple of things in the boot messages seem to indicate that this router did have a startup config and has loaded it. I am wondering if this router perhaps had been configured on line con 0 with the command no exec (I see that sometimes being done on purpose, but more often I see that when someone thought they were using an abbreviation for no exec-timeout. But configuring the console with no exec results in the console not accepting any input, no ability to enter any commands - which sounds like your problem). Can you connect to the aux port and get any response? If you connect something on the router interfaces, do any of them come to an up/up state? If so might you be able to access the router through one of them? (the original post describes this as a router being moved to a different office, which might possibly imply a user ID and password that is commonly known?)

[the_walrus]

@Georg Pauwen   and @Richard Burts the password recovery steps worked. I am now able to get into the router and configure what I need to configure. Thank you both so much for your help! 

A second question.  Do I need to always start with the router being off before I open putty to connect to the Router via USB? or should I just be able to connect the USB cable from the already running router to my computer, and open putty and be connected??

[Richard Burts]

While it should work (and did work) to connect to the console with putty before the router boots, it should also work just as well to connect to the console port of a running routing.

You are welcome. I am glad that our explanations were helpful. Thank you for marking this question as solved. This will help other participants in the community to identify discussions which have helpful information. This community is an excellent place to ask questions and to learn about networking. I hope to see you continue to be active in the community.