Factory resetting a Catalyst 4500 not quite working

[mgeddes]

Hi,

I reset a Catalyst 4500 to the factory defaults following the Cisco Document http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps607/products_tech_note09186a00800c4546.shtml

Under the "Reset Switch Configuration" section of the "Switches running Cisco IOS Software" they mention that boot variables such as the config-register and boot system settings do not get cleared. (if it was truly a factory reset shouldn't they get cleared or reset to whatever the factory does???). Anyway...

When I finished with the instructions and rebooted the switch it immediately grabbed a hostname and ip from my Windows DHCP server. Every time I reboot it it'll grab a different (incorrect) hostname.

If this system was truly reset to factory defaults I'd expect the system to boot up and ask me about a hostname, IP information etc, rather than just grab things randomly from a DHCP server for Windows boxes.

Does anyone have advice on how to actually reset the switch to factory defaults? I assume this would involve resetting all the boot variables to whatever they use at the factory. Unfortunately the manual on the subject leaves out this important detail.

Thanks in advance for the help!

[bjw]

Try

switch>erase startup-config

When you reload the switch it should enter setup mode and be free of ip dhcp services which sounds like your original culprit.

You might have to confirm that IP DHCP SERVICES is not enable by default.

[mgeddes]

I had to type "enable" first to run switch# erase startup-config. When it reloaded I was able to terminate the auto install. The system then tried to automatically configure things from one of our DNS servers but failed because of errors opening tftp:// sites (that don't exist).

I'm now sitting at the prompt. According to the "quick software configuration guide" all I have to do is run "set interface sc0" with the IP address I'd like. Unfortunately, it returns the error "invalid input detected at the i".

My first impression of Cisco switches is pretty bad. All I want to do is reset the switch and assign it an IP. So far the manuals I've downloaded are either incomplete or the steps they ask you to follow don't work at all. I can't imagine even trying to set up some of the more complicated features if these simple tasks are so difficult.

Help! :-)

[bjw]

Hey mqeddes,

Welcome to Cisco land. I'm sorry you've had a bad first impression but I think you'll find that Cisco gear is far from the next> next> finish> p-n-p methodology.

I recommend you do a show version and find out what version of Cisco CatOS you're running on the switch and go online at Cisco.com and find the configuration guide for that version catOS on your particular switch.

There's an oft non-intuitive syntax to Cisco's CatOS and IOS features/functions that require some level of understanding that is deeper than just using the help commands at the CLI.

Like setting the management interface. I don't have a 45xxx but on a 6509 8.4.x catOS the command for setting mgmt IP is

set interface sc0 2 172.21.x.84/255.255.255.0 172.21.x.255

Where sc0 is the mgmt interface

2 is the mgmt VLAN

172.21.x.84/255.255.255.0 is the host address of the sc0 interface and this the switch mgmt IP

172.21.x.255 is the net segment broadcast address.

Give it a try, find out what OS your on and what your particular switch needs and can do as far as configuration goes.

Remember Cisco is one of the most deployed network technologies on the planet and not really meant for blam, blam, done type implementations.

There are literally tens of thousands of configuration examples on Cisco's site.. give it a peak.

Bill

[mgeddes]

Hi,

I'm running IOS 12.2(25)EWA. The documentation I've found for "Configuring the Switch for the First Time" uses release 12.2(25)EW in the example for the 4500, so I assume the example should be valid for my system. Unfortunately the documentation indicates all I have to do is run the set command similarly to what Bill mentioned. (but it won't accept the commands)

I've downloaded more than 10 manuals in an effort to reset a 4500 switch and assign it a hostname and IP address.

- I have reset the system to the factory defaults (except for the config-register and boot system settings. They are nice enough to mention that these aren't reset to the factory defaults but they fail to indicate how to reset them to the factory defaults).

- I power up the switch with a laptop connected to the console port of the supervisor engine

- At the switch> prompt I enter "enable" to get to the switch# prompt

- I enter:

set interface sc0 with my IP info

- The systems responds with:

% invalid input detected at the i

- Apparently the set interface command isn't even available, since the "set ?" command responds with:

memory set memory parameters

I must be missing something here. It can't be that hard to set an IP and hostname on a switch. Can it? Do I need to go on a course just to do a simple task such as this? I work with Linux and Unix systems all the time and I've never encountered anything as difficult to configure as a Cisco switch. Please tell me I'm just doing something stupid and there's something obvious that I'm missing!

-

[bjw · Accepted solution]

Oh, you are on IOS not CatOS,

After typing enable and getting the switch# prompt, type config term and hit enter. In Cisco IOS you have to be in configuration mode to edit the config. You should see switch#(conf) and you'll know you're in configuration mode.

There is no sc0 interfaces available in IOS you'll need to create a VLAN interface for switch management

Example

switch#(conf)interface Vlan1

switch#(conf-if)ip address 172.21.1.250 255.255.255.0

switch#(conf-if)exit

switch#(conf)

switch#(conf)ip default-gateway 172.21.1.254

switch#(conf)exit

switch#

Switch#copy running-config startup-config

See http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat4000/12_2_25a/cmdref/index.htm

This should be a start

[firemtngems]

You are not using CatOS, you are using IOS. Yes there are different types of switch OS's you can use. To set the ip for vlan 1 try:

conf t

interface Vlan1

ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.0

no shut

end

You will at least be able to ping it. To telnet to it you'll also need to setup basic security. See this link for the IOS setup:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps4324/products_configuration_guide_book09186a008062c520.html

get some coffee and have fun!

[bjw]

See attached neutered 4006 IOS shell config. read about each entry, apply what you might need to the switch and read docs about customizing it for your particular implementation.

[mgeddes]

Thanks to all who replied!

I knew I was running IOS but the "Quick Software COnfiguration Guide - Catalyst 4500 Series" makes no mention that it matters. I've checked again from the beginning of the manual and it doesn't even mention IOS or CatOS in the instructions, it simply instructs you to use the set interface command. I've searched the pdf of the manual and the only place IOS is mentioned is in the fine print legal text at the start of the manual. CatOS isn't even mentioned there, so it's odd that the instructions provided are only for that specific operating system.

Anyway, after 2 wasted days you've saved me. I've looked through all my downloaded manuals and I can't even find the simple instructions that you have provided. It's unfortunate the manuals aren't complete enough to guide a newbe through the simple stuff. Luckily Cisco provides this forum full of experts.

Hopefully my next experience with Cisco products will be better. I can only hope that they'll realize that good software means making it user friendly and good documentation means that you don't assume the reader already knows what they are doing.

Thanks again for the help!