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Catalyst 2950 and Catalyst 2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 31      Troubleshooting
    Using Recovery Procedures
Note This procedure is likely to leave your switch VLAN interface in a shutdown state. You can see 
which interface is in this state by entering the show running-config privileged EXEC command. 
To re-enable the interface, enter the interface vlan vlan-id global configuration command, and 
specify the VLAN ID of the shutdown interface. With the switch in interface configuration 
mode, enter the no shutdown command.
Step 10 You must now reconfigure the switch. If the system administrator has the backup switch and VLAN 
configuration files available, you should use those.
Recovering from Lost or Forgotten Passwords on Catalyst 2955 Switches
The Catalyst 2955 switch boot loader uses break-key detection to stop the automatic boot sequence for 
the password recovery purpose.
Note The break key character is different for each operating system.
On a SUN work station running UNIX, Ctrl-C is the break key. 
On a PC running Windows 2000, Ctrl-Break is the break key.
Cisco TAC has tabulated break keys for most common operating systems and an alternative break key 
sequence for those terminal emulators that do not support the break keys. See 
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/701/61.html#how-to for that list.
Follow these steps if you have forgotten or lost the switch password.
Step 1 Connect a terminal or PC with terminal emulation software to the console port. For more information, 
see the switch hardware installation guide.
Note You can configure your switch for Telnet by following the procedure in the “Accessing the CLI” 
section on page 2-9.
Step 2 Set the line speed on the emulation software to 9600 baud.
Step 3 Connect the power cord to the switch, and apply power to the switch.
After the switch performs POST, the switch begins the autoboot process. The boot loader prompts the 
user for a break key character during the boot-up sequence, as shown in this example:
***** The system will autoboot in 15 seconds *****
Send a break key to prevent autobooting. 
Step 4 When the boot loader prompts you, enter the break key.
This example shows the messages that appear on the console after the user enters a break key:
The system has been interrupted prior to initializing the flash file system. 
The following commands will initialize the flash file system, and finish loading the 
operating system software: