Cisco 2960, switch to the rommon mode in the consol

[janacek67]

hi,

I have Cisco switch 2960 and I need to switch him to the rommon mode without holding the mode button, just from the consol. Can you help me?

Thank you wery much. Zdenek

[Shashank Singh]

Hi Zdenek,

Unfortunately there is no way of doing this via console on 2960 platform, only way is to press and hold mode button.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_password_recovery09186a0080094184.shtml

Regards,

Shashank

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[Leo Laohoo]

I have Cisco switch 2960 and I need to switch him to the rommon mode without holding the mode button, just from the consol.

Erase the IOS (all of them) and reboot.  You'll go into ROMmon 100% of the time. 

[janacek67]

It´s a good idea, but I need to come in the romon mode during the booting (immediately after the switch power on - of course without holding the mode button).

[Leo Laohoo]

Then, by all means, erase the all the IOS and reboot the switch.

[Peter Paluch]

Leo,

I suppose that what you want to say is that there is no other way of reaching the bootloader (as 2960 do not have ROMMON) without pressing the MODE button except making the switch fail its next boot. Am I correct?

Nevertheless, it is true - I also do not know of any software-based way of interrupting the boot process on 2960 Catalyst switches. The only way to enter the bootloader prompt without forcing the switch to a boot failure was through the MODE key which Zdenek obviously wants to avoid. Sadly, I don't believe there is a workaround.

Best regards,

Peter

[Leo Laohoo]

True.

Don't know what he's trying to do.  Otherwise, another method is to let the switch line on it's front panel that the mode button is completely held down.

Another option is to connect a console server (if there's another way into the switch).

[Peter Paluch]

Leo,

It seems that Zdenek is probably trying to emulate some sort of NETLAB remote access, with the option of remotely restarting the switch and bypassing the stored config.

Best regards,

Peter

[rogerfluz]

Try this,

if you are using the putty.

During the boot processes click the mouse right button , and select especial commands and Break.

Or ALT + Pause/Break

[daanuracs]

From the global config mode try

boot manual

and then reload.

[jasonhawaii1]

Switch#

conf t
boot manual
end
reload

It worked!

Don't forgot to negate the command to reset to default like this "no boot manual"after you done; else it keeps going back to switch: rommon mode. Once it is up, type "show boot" and  you will the status.