After Password recover on an MDS 9148.

[scottcummins]

The final part of the procedure is to run "switch# copy running-config startup-config" however, my switch stays at "switch(boot)" and will not allow me to do a "copy running-config startup-config" how can I get to just the "switch"" prompt without doing "exit" because that reboots WITHOUT saving the password change. How do I get to just the switch prompt?

[Sergiu.Daniluk]

Hello,

Below is the password recovery steps:

1. Reload the MDS. When the switch begins its NX-OS software boot sequence, hold the Ctrl key and press the ] key to generate the Ctrl-] key sequence. This key sequence brings up the switch(boot)# prompt.

Ctrl-]

switch(boot)#

2. Set a new password:

switch(boot)#configure terminal
switch(boot-config)#admin-password mypassword

3. Load the system NX-OS image. Note: here you do not need to save the configuration:

switch(boot-config)#exit
switch(boot)#load bootflash:nx-os.img

4. Once the operating system is loaded and running, save the configuration:

switch#copy running-config startup-config

In your case, you need to perform step 3.

Best regards,

Sergiu

[scottcummins]

Sergui/anyone

Thank you for that and I think I had booted to the wrong .bin. There are two of them

/m9100-s3ek9-kickstart-mz-6.2.1.bin

/m9100-s3ek9-mz-6.2.1.bin

I booted to the "kickstart" one first

Can you tell me what the difference is?

[Sergiu.Daniluk]

Hi Scott,

The MDS NX-OS, Nexus 7000 NX-OS, but also the early versions of NX-OS for Nexus 9000/3000/3500, consists in two types of files necessary to boot the switch:

• The Kickstart image - usually around 20MB-70MB in size depending on the version and platform. This file contains the Linux kernel, basic drivers and initial file system.
• The System image - the larger file, around 200MB-600MB in size depending on the version and platform. This file contains the system software and features code.

The versions of both images must match for the system to boot.

The boot sequence is the following:

• BIOS begins the POST (power-on self test), memory test, and starts the loader
• in the loader, the system will load the kickstart image into RAM. Here if you press ESC you will get into loader> prompt. To continue the process and get out of loader>, you need to boot the kickstart image again.
• once the kickstart is loaded, the switch will try to bring the system image up. if you interrupt the sequence using key combination Ctrl + ] (to find the correct combination have a look here https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/routers/10000-series-routers/12818-61.html) you will arrive in switch(boot)# prompt. Here you need to load the system image to continue the boot up process.
• once the system image is running, the system software is loaded together with the last saved configuration

Cheers,

Sergiu

[scottcummins]

Sergui

I wanted to ask, I was able to use the procedure on two spare MDS 9148s I have and got the password changed, I have two that are in production and have configs on them I don't want to lose.If I perform the exact same procedure, will it save my current configs and when I boot up will have the same config.I did see on the two spares I have nothing in the config looked to have changed or been lost, is this the case?

[Sergiu.Daniluk · Accepted solution]

Hi,

The password recovery procedure should not remove your existing configuration. For the switches where you do not see any config, most likely the running configuration was not saved to startup config.

If you know that for the production switches the config is saved, then you can go ahead with the pw recovery. BUT, always remember to do changes in a maintenance window. This way you avoid impact to production.

Regards,

Sergiu

[scottcummins]

Sergui

I appreciate very much all your help and replying to my questions. Thank you so much

Scott