can't disable password recovery mechanism for c3750g (ws-c3750g-24ps)

[stringchopper]

1) How do I disable the password recovery mechanism?

Booting up and 'show version' both show that the password recovery mechanism is enabled.

I followed the instructions for password recovery at http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-2950-series-switches/12040-pswdrec-2900xl.html but that didn't help. The message is still displayed.

2) Also, I don't know if this is related to the password issue, but the switch wants to make a Stack Master Election, even though it is not stacked. I tried to issue 

s3750(config)#no switch 3 provision ws-c3750g-24ps

but I get this:

%Switch can not be un-provisioned when it is physically present

Here is show version, show run, and a snip of the boot messages concerning stack election (if applicable to disabling password recovery mechanism???)

====

s3750# show version

The password-recovery mechanism is enabled.

512K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.

...

Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
* 3 28 WS-C3750G-24PS 12.2(55)SE10 C3750-IPSERVICESK9-M

Configuration register is 0xF

====

s3750# show run

version 12.2
no service pad
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
hostname s3750
!
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker
!

!
!
!
no aaa new-model
switch 3 provision ws-c3750g-24ps
system mtu routing 1500
!
!
!
!

spanning-tree mode pvst
spanning-tree extend system-id
!
vlan internal allocation policy ascending
!
!
!
!
interface GigabitEthernet3/0/1
!
... <snip interfaces> ...
!
interface GigabitEthernet3/0/28

!
interface Vlan1
no ip address
!
ip classless
ip http server
ip http secure-server

... <snip console vty lines> ...

boot startup message about stack election

extracting front_end/front_end_ucode_info (172 bytes)
Waiting for Stack Master Election...
POST: PortASIC CAM Subsystem Tests : Begin
POST: PortASIC CAM Subsystem Tests : End, Status Passed

POST: No Cable found on stack port 1
POST: No Cable found on stack port 2

POST: PortASIC Stack Port Loopback Tests : Begin
POST: PortASIC Stack Port Loopback Tests : End, Status Passed

POST: PortASIC Port Loopback Tests : Begin
POST: PortASIC Port Loopback Tests : End, Status Passed

Election Complete
Switch 3 booting as Master
Waiting for Port download...Complete

[Zaid Abuali · Accepted solution]

Hello,

regarding your first question you can disable the password-recovery mechanism using "no service password-recovery", after that the following should appear:

The password-recovery mechanism is disabled.

regarding your second question about removing the provision command, this can't be done since the provision command is for switch 3 and switch number it self is 3:

* 3 28 WS-C3750G-24PS 12.2(55)SE10 C3750-IPSERVICESK9-M

you can only remove the provision command for a non existing switch that uses this slot/number. in your case you have only 1 switch and the number of that switch is 3. you can set the switch to default number 1 by using the following command:

switch 3 renumber 1

of course this requires a reload, after that you can remove the provision command "switch 3 provision ws-c3750g-24ps" but another one will appears with number 1 :) "switch 1 provision ws-c3750g-24ps"

hope this helps.

Best Regards,

Zaid

[stringchopper]

Thanks Zaid - that did the trick with disabling password recovery.

Regarding the stack election (for future visitors to this thread) I changed the switch priority to 15 and that helps with boot-up time.

s3750(config)# switch 3 priority 15

s3750(config)# switch 3 renumber 1

[Zaid Abuali]

no problem, it is my pleasure. thanks for the added notes as well :)