Catalyst 3750-x Switch password recovery help

[Sheku]

I am new to Cisco. I have have this 48-ports Catalyst 3750-x switch that i want to be practising with but has an unknown Username and password.

I have tried the usual way of restarting the power while holding the Mode button. The Switch: prompt shows on the console and i apply the 'flash_init' command but, the 'load_helper' brings up an unknown cmd error message so also the 'dir flash' command.

I have stuck in there not knowing what exactly to do. Can someone please help? This is how far i have gone:

switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
...The flash is already initialized.

switch: dir flash
unable to stat flash/: no such device

switch: load_helper
Unknown cmd: load_helper

switch: dir flash
unable to stat flash/: no such device

switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
...The flash is already initialized.

switch: load_helper
Unknown cmd: load_helper

switch: dir flash
unable to stat flash/: no such device

switch: copy run start
run: no such device

switch: ?
? -- Present list of available commands
boot -- Load and boot an executable image
cat -- Concatenate (type) file(s)
copy -- Copy a file
delete -- Delete file(s)
dir -- List files in directories
flash_init -- Initialize flash filesystem(s)
format -- Format a filesystem
fsck -- Check filesystem consistency
help -- Present list of available commands
memory -- Present memory heap utilization information
mkdir -- Create dir(s)
more -- Concatenate (display) file(s)
rename -- Rename a file
reset -- Reset the system
rmdir -- Delete empty dir(s)
set -- Set or display environment variables
set_bs -- Set attributes on a boot sector filesystem
set_param -- Set system parameters in flash
sleep -- Pause (sleep) for a specified number of seconds
type -- Concatenate (type) file(s)
-- MORE --
unset -- Unset one or more environment variables
version -- Display boot loader version

switch: dir

List of filesystems currently registered:

bs[0]: (read-only)
flash[6]: (read-write)
xmodem[7]: (read-only)
null[8]: (read-write)

[Seb Rupik · Accepted solution]

Looks like you are missing the colon. Try:

dir flash:

[Sheku]

Thanks it helped alot

[CliveG]

And if you do "dir flash:" and still get the error, then what?

Constantly getting either:

rename flash:config.text config.old - flash: no such device

dir flash: - unable to stat flash

[Seb Rupik]

Hi there,

try:

flash_init 

...then your other commands.

cheers,

Seb.

[CliveG]

Hi Seb,

Yes, I did that orignally and it made no difference. What was really weird was that it listed the directories and allows me into them. So, the way around it for me was to go into the directory and manually delete all the files other than the IOS. That is because I wanted a default factory switch anyway. It won't be useful for someone who needs to keep the config, unless they save the config first and then delete manually.

Thanks for the help though. much appreciated.

[Seb Rupik]

What is your scenario, are you wanting to sell/ dispose of the switch or simply start with a factory config? If the latter, then I'd suggest your change the config register value to ignore the startup config. 

Out of interest, what is the model of switch you are using?

cheers,

Seb.

[CliveG]

It's already all done and configured how I want it. As I said, I just deleted manually from the directories themselves and then rebooted. All good.