Factory Reset C9500

[HuyPhamUS]

Good morning,

I have very little Cisco experience, just joined a new organization, and was told to learn about the Cisco C9500-24/48Y4C switches.  The switches were configured before but the person left and we lost everything. I know the default values for the Management Port are supposed to be 192.168.1.1, webui, and cisco.  When I connected a computer (Obtain IP address automatically) to the C9500 Management Port, the computer got served with the IP address of 169.254.176.92/16.  I tried to ping the Management Port at 169.254.1.1 and 169.254.176.1 but neither one work.  I then manually assigned 192.168.1.66/16 to the computer but it also fails to ping the 192.168.1.1 of the switch Management Port.

I then followed some procedure to recover enable password and factory reset the switch with:

Switch# factory-reset all

The switch came back in ROMmon mode and I found that I'm supposed to "perform a reset in ROMmon mode to automatically set the environment variables."  I did:

rommon1> reset

Is that how to automatically reset all environment variables?  How do I verify that all environment variables have been reset? And the switch is still in ROMmon mode.  I found that that I'm also supposed to "add the Cisco IOS image either through an USB or TFTP."

Is IOSXE-17.14.1 the Cisco IOS image I need? and please help me with step by step procedure how to do it using both USB and TFTP for I'm a very new to Cisco.  Also, what is the default secret for enable?  Thank you so much for all your help.

Huy Pham

[ammahend]

follow the steps here

[HuyPhamUS]

ammahend,

Thank you very much but my C9500 switch boots to ROMmon, so I was at Step 3 of Recover from a Corrupt or Missing Image,

rommon1>dir bootflash: (didn't give anything and the prompt became

rommon2>

The procedure indicates: If you do have any valid file, see the Recovering from a Continuous Reboot section.

At step 2, I do not have to press Ctrl-C to cancel autoboot, it would boot to rommon1> by itself.

Step 3 asks me to issue command rommon1>dir bootflash: and it would not show anything and comes back with rommon2>

It seems I'm in a circle.  Please verify.  Thank you so much with your patience with a newbie like me.

Sincerely,

Huy Pham

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
Switch# factory-reset all

---

This command will erase all the files found in the flash, particularly the firmware packages. 

The only way to get back in is to boot the firmware from a USB flash drive.  Once the switch boots up fine, perform an Install Mode to re-install the firmware package files back into the switch's flash.

[HuyPhamUS]

Leo Laohoo,

Thank you so much for your response.  I read somewhere that the IOS image can be reloaded via USB flash drive or TFTP.  The government does not allow us to use USB flash drive at all.  Would you please give me more detailed instruction how to do so via TFTP.  I downloaded the IOS image already (cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin)

Also, I was supposed to reset all environment variables (MAC address, Model #, S/N, ...).  Is rommon1>reset the command and how do I verify that the environment variables have been reset?

Lastly, when the C9500 switch is successfully factory-reset, what is the default secret (password) of enable please?

Thank you so much for your patience since I'm very new to Cisco.

Sincerely,

Huy Pham

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
Lastly, when the C9500 switch is successfully factory-reset, what is the default secret (password) of enable please?

---

There is none. 

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
Also, I was supposed to reset all environment variables (MAC address, Model #, S/N, ...).  Is rommon1>reset the command and how do I verify that the environment variables have been reset?

---

The command "factory-reset all" will erase the flash and all configurable items, like configuration, EEM/TCL scripts, VLAN database, etc.  The command will NOT delete hardcoded details like the model number, MAC address, serial numbers, etc.  

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
I read somewhere that the IOS image can be reloaded via USB flash drive or TFTP.  The government does not allow us to use USB flash drive at all.  Would you please give me more detailed instruction how to do so via TFTP.  I downloaded the IOS image already (cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin)

---

Option 2: Direct Boot from USB / TFTP

[HuyPhamUS]

Leo Laohoo,

Thank you so much for your response regarding MAC address, S/N, ... but

From: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9500/software/release/17-11/configuration_guide/sys_mgmt/b_1711_sys_mgmt_9500_cg/simplified_factory_reset.html

During a factory reset, the device reloads and enters ROMMON mode. After the factory reset, the device removes all its environment variables, including the MAC_ADDRESS and the SERIAL_NUMBER variables, which are required to locate and load the software. Perform a reset in ROMmon mode to automatically set the environment variables. The BAUD rate environment variable returns to its default value after a factory reset. Make sure that the BAUD rate and the console speed are the same at all times. Otherwise, the console becomes unresponsive.

After the system reset in ROMmon mode is complete, add the Cisco IOS image either through an USB or TFTP.

Question: How to reset these? Is 'rommon1>reset' the command and how do I verify that the environment variables have been reset?

On Direct Boot from USB / TFTP, I also have some questions please:

1. My ROMmon prompt is 'rommon1>', not 'switch:'  Is that OK to proceed?
2. the command to set IP address of 192.168.1.2 is to which interface of the switch?  The Management Port?
3. To run ping and TFTP commands, in addition to the console cable (DB9 to RJ45), do I need a Cat5 cable between the TFTP server (PC) and the switch? If so, which port of the switch?  The Management Port?
4. The IOS image is not in the root directory, but in ThisPC>Downloads, so my Step4 should be?

rommonX> boot tftp://192.168.1.10/ThisPC/Downloads/cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin

Thank you so much in advance for your clarification and your patience for I'm a newbie to Cisco.

Sincerely,

Huy Pham

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
My ROMmon prompt is 'rommon1>', not 'switch:'  Is that OK to proceed?

 Yes.

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
the command to set IP address of 192.168.1.2 is to which interface of the switch?  The Management Port?

---

In ROMMON, there is no such thing as a "VLAN", therefore, the IP address is the a quasi "management" IP address.  

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
To run ping and TFTP commands, in addition to the console cable (DB9 to RJ45), do I need a Cat5 cable between the TFTP server (PC) and the switch? If so, which port of the switch?  The Management Port?

---

Any port.

---

@HuyPhamUS wrote:
The IOS image is not in the root directory, but in ThisPC>Downloads, so my Step4 should be?

rommonX> boot tftp://192.168.1.10/ThisPC/Downloads/cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin

---

Sure.

[HuyPhamUS]

Good morning,

I just started a new job with very little Cisco experience but was asked to start learning some Cisco switches (C9500-24/48Y4C).  The switches were configured before, but the person left, and we have no way to get into the switches.  I factory-reset a C9500 with:

Switch# factory-reset all

The switch came back in ROMmon mode and all environment variables (MAC address, Model #, S/N, ...) were wiped out.  I was supposed "perform a reset in ROMmon mode to automatically set the environment variables", so I did:

rommon1>reset

Was that right?  And how to verify that all environment variables are indeed reset?

The next step is suppose to be "adding the the Cisco IOS image either through an USB or TFTP".  I have downloaded the IOS image (cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin).  Since the government does not allow us to use USB flash drives.  Please give me detailed instructions how to add the IOS image from ROMmon using TFTP.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,

Huy Pham

[marce1000]

  - FYI : https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-9300-series-switches/216944-troubleshoot-bootloader-rommon-and-pas.html#toc-hId--349852752
             Start from step 3b

 M.

[HuyPhamUS]

Hello marce1000,

Thank you so much for your response.  I have some follow up questions before I will try:

1. My ROMmon prompt is 'rommon1>', not 'switch:'  Is that OK to proceed?
2. the command to set IP address of 192.168.1.2 is to which interface of the switch?  The Management Port?
3. To run ping and TFTP commands, in addition to the console cable (DB9 to RJ45), do I need a Cat5 cable between the TFTP server (PC) and the switch? If so, which port of the switch?  The Management Port?
4. The IOS image is not in the root directory, but in ThisPC>Downloads, so my Step4 should be?

rommonX> boot tftp://192.168.1.10/ThisPC/Downloads/cat9k_iosxe.17.14.01.SPA.bin

Thank you so much in advance for your clarification and your patience for I'm a newbie to Cisco.

Sincerely,

Huy Pham