Cisco 7200 with NPE-G1 Unable to login to Rommon Mode [Break Key receiving but Rommon mode not coming]

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

Dear Team, Need your help regarding the NPE-G1 password recovery. Due to security issue, previously "PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED" function was enabled. Now we have lost our given password and unable to break the Password. 

1. We have tried almost all way of giving break key through multiple PC, multiple Key board option. No luck so far to get access at Rommon Mode.

2. We have removed the lithium battery and unplug the RAM also to make the NVRAM configuration erased, but still no luck.

3. We have removed the flash memory, still no luck. Every time it is not taking break key and same process follow and asking password to login.

We have read-only snmp configured, we have level-7 user password. But we have lost enable password. Please help us urgent. 

[Leo Laohoo]

Due to security issue, previously "PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED" function was enabled. Now we have lost our given password and unable to break the Password. 

Contrary to what people say, even with password recovery disabled, it is still possible.  Read THIS.

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

hi Leo, It is still not taking the break key with that time specific time. We have tried continue pressing break key also from the very beginning and now again during that sequence also. If you want, i can give team viewer access to you. please help.

[Leo Laohoo]

Are you using a laptop or a PC?

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

Tried from Both. Laptop: HP-Probook 430 G1 (with Teraterm Terminal Software) & PC HP Elite Desk with key board hp (with putty software).

[Leo Laohoo]

Read this: Standard Break Key Sequence Combinations During Password Recovery

Either that or the console terminal setting is incorrect.

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

1. We have followed almost all Standard key format.

2. Pc is connected with the direct comm port to console. All the console out put displaying fine.

Still no luck. Expecting a hardware way out to login to rommon mode login to change the boot register value.

[Leo Laohoo]

I am not familiar with the NPE-G1 but is there a PCMCIA card?  If there is, eject this card and let the router boot without the PCMCIA card.

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

There is only option is to remove ram and nvram battery remove. And we have done that and checked. But I am interested to know is there any other scope or not. Obviously there should have solution. Please see the link to know the device. I want to give u teamviewer option if u have time, U can check by urself.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/7200/install_and_upgrade/network_process_engine_install_config/npense/4448o5.html

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

hi Leo,

Now break key has been taken but it is not asking for the reset option. See the below output:

Cisco IOS Software, 7200 Software (C7200-JS-M), Version 12.2(31)SB10, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2007 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Fri 16-Nov-07 03:37 by richv
Image text-base: 0x600094B4, data-base: 0x6242F7C0

*** System received an abort due to Break Key ***
signal= 0x3, code= 0x0, context= 0x63c6c568
PC = 0x608379e8, SP = 0x63cc0ed8, RA = 0x6093e5bc
Cause Reg = 0xffffffff, Status Reg = 0x3400e103

System Bootstrap, Version 12.3(4r)T3, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 2004 by cisco Systems, Inc.
C7200 platform with 524288 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

Readonly ROMMON initialized

Self decompressing the image : ########################################################################## [OK]

% VRF c383 is associated with pool ZAJIL-OFFC.
% VRF c383 is associated with pool ZAJIL-OFFC.

[S.M. Al-Maimun]

Thanks Leo Laohoo, It is solved now.

After trying in many way, break key option is totally not working for NPE-G1 of c7200. No luck was there for rommon mode.

1. Then we have removed the Lithium battery of NVRAM and put 12 hours powered off the device.

2. We have removed all other card and module installed with the chassis except the engine module.

Now the device run from the initial configuration with basic setup. The password recovery option is now working fine.

Module details followed by:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/7200/install_and_upgrade/network_process_engine_install_config/npense/4448o5.html