Factory reset Catalyst 3500 XL

[SamMooreIT]

Is there a way to factory-reset a Catalyst 3500 XL, without using commands? I.E.: Dip switches or reset button inside/outside the case? If not, I do not have the enable password and need to reset it and all VLAN's back to factory.

Thanks in advance.

Sent from Cisco Technical Support iPhone App

[raga.fusionet]

Josh,

The VLAN database remains on the switch even if you delete the configuration file from privileged mode. This happens becuase it is stored on a sepate file. So to answer your question, you cant delete the vlan database without any commands.

What you can do, is do a password recovery and then delete the vlan database.

To do the password recovery follow this instructions:

http://www-tss.cisco.com/eservice/compass/common/activities/password_cat_2950.htm

Once you have reset your password and have access you can delete the vlan.dat file:

 delete flash:vlan.dat

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps607/products_tech_note09186a00800c4546.shtml#reset_vlan

I hope this helps.

Raga

[marcinwojcik]

Hi

Try this:

"Press and hold the Mode button. The switch LEDs  begin blinking after about 3 seconds. Continue holding down the Mode  button. The LEDs stop blinking after 7 more seconds, and then the switch  reboots"

Resetting the switch deletes the configuration and reboots the switch

This is valid in case of 3750... worth of trying.

Link:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750/hardware/quick/guide/3750GSG3.html#wp46478

Go to Resseting the switch section.

Good luck

[amikat]

Hi,

You can easily achieve the factory default via the following procedure:

1) Connect PC with terminal emulation software to console port via serial cable (9600 baud, 8 bits, no parity).

2) Press the "Mode" button at the front of the switch and connect the power, keep pressing for 2 more seconds after the LED above 1X port goes off, then release the "Mode" button.

3) You should see few lines of information at your PC TE saying about: System has been interrupted ...

4) At the "switch:" prompt issue the "flash_init" command, you should see the information about Initializing Flash ...

5) Wait untill "switch:" prompt, then issue the command "load_helper".

6) You should get "switch:" prompt immediately. Issue the command: "dir flash:"

7) You shoul see files "config.text" and vlan.dat" in your flash, you need to delete these.

8) Issue the command "delete flash:config.text" and after the warning Are you sure ... confirm by "y".

9) Issue the command "delete flash:vlan.dat" and after the warning Are you sure ... confirm by "y".

10) Issue the command "boot", the switch should load IOS with factory default (ie. no configuration file, no vlan database).

Good luck!

Best regards,

Antonin