Password reset 3548XL Switch

[Sethos]

I recently received a Cisco 3548 XL Switch, I'm trying to reset the password from the console.  I've followed the steps but when I type from here: switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config

Destination filename [running-config]?

3905 bytes copied in 40490 secs (976 bytes/sec)

VanDaehle-Desk-sw1#

*Mar  1  00:02:46.484 UTC: %SYS-5-CONFIG:  Configured from   by (green cursor) I entered my name and pressed enter

                                             ^

% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

VanDaehle-desk-sw1# conf t

% Authorization Failed.

Any commands after that yields %  Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

What am I doing wrong or what am I missing

[Leo Laohoo]

 switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config

That's not right.

Should be "copy flash: run".

[Sethos]

So the syntax should be 'copy flash:renamed config file run'

[Leo Laohoo]

So the syntax should be 'copy flash:renamed config file run'

Can you please post the output to the command "dir"?

[Sethos]

I tried a differrent approach:

switch: flash_init
switch: load_helper
switch: dir flash:
switch: rename flash:config.text flash:config.old
switch: boot

This is where I always got hung.  I was told to select N for No (as you see below). I selected Y for yes and I successfully configured the switch for my network.

System Configuration Dialog ---
At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Use ctrl-c to abort configuration dialog at any prompt.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes/no]: n

Thanks for your assistance leolahoo and amikat

[Leo Laohoo]

"switch:"????

Can you post the output to the ROMmon command "dir flash:" please?

[amikat]

Hi,

In my view you are doing well but there might be something within the startup configuration (ie. the config.text) file which causes the authentication failure (like configuration of external TACACS+ server which was quite popular at the 3548XL times).

So you have basically two options:

1) Provided you feel experienced enough you can try to identify the problem within the config.text file and clear it BEFORE copying it to the running configuration,

2) Or you do not need to bother about the current startup configuration and would just like to start your own configuration. If so than do not rename the config.old back to config.text (and of course do not copy config.text to running-config) but start to configure instead (ie. "conf t") and when you finish just do "wr" and your new startup configuration will be created.

Best regards,

Antonin