I’ve received a few inquires about how to reset the password and configuration on a Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch 8600. In a previous article I showed everyone how to reset the configuration (and password) of a Nortel Ethernet Switch (including the ERS 5500 series) but not a Nortel Ethernet Routing Switch.
As with the previous procedure you’ll need access to the console port on the switch. Specifically you’ll need to cable up (9600,8,N,1) to the CPU (8690SF, 8691SF, 8692SF) you wish to reset.
If you’ve lost the password… cold boot the chassis while connected to the console port. When the switch starts to boot you should see something similar to the following (depending on the version of software installed);
Copyright (c) 2007 Nortel, Inc. CPU Slot 5: PPC 745 Map B Version: 4.1.5.4 Creation Time: Dec 17 2007, 15:31:21 Hardware Time: DEC 26 2007, 16:19:24 UTC Memory Size: 0x10000000 Start Type: cold SMI ZOOMCF can't open "/pcmcia/pcmboot.cfg" 0x380003 S_dosFsLib_FILE_NOT_FOUND /flash/ - Volume is OK Change volume Id from 0x0 to 0x1a5 Loaded boot configuration from file /flash/boot.cfg Attaching network interface lo0... done. Press to stop auto-boot... 1
You’ll need to interrupt the boot process by hitting the “Return” key . You should be greeted with a monitor prompt;
monitor#
From here you’ll be able to issue a command to clear the passwords stored in NV RAM;
monitor# reset-passwd monitor#
Now just go ahead and reset the CPU and you should be able to login with the default username (rwa) and password (rwa).
monitor# reset CPU Slot 5: PPC 745 Map B Version: 4.1.5.4 Creation Time: Dec 17 2007, 15:31:21 Hardware Time: DEC 26 2007, 16:25:09 UTC Memory Size: 0x10000000 Start Type: cold SMI ZOOMCF can't open "/pcmcia/pcmboot.cfg" 0x380003 S_dosFsLib_FILE_NOT_FOUND /flash/ - Volume is OK Change volume Id from 0x0 to 0x1a5 Loaded boot configuration from file /flash/boot.cfg Attaching network interface lo0... done. Press to stop auto-boot... Loading /flash/p80a4154.img ... 8761414 to 25459172 (25459172) Starting at 0x10000... SMI ZOOMCF Booting PMC280 Mezz HW please wait . The BootCode address is 0x2b00100 3303 . Mezz taking over console and modem...... Mezz CPU Booted successfully Initializing backplane net with anchor at 0x4100... done. Backplane anchor at 0x4100... .. Mounting /flash: .done. Ethernet Routing Switch 8600 System Software Release 4.1.5.4 Copyright (c) 1996-2007 Nortel, Inc. CPU5 [10/26/99 11:26:25] SW INFO System boot CPU5 [10/26/99 11:26:25] SW INFO ERS System Software Release 4.1.5.4 CPU5 [10/26/99 11:26:26] SW INFO CPU card entering warm-standby mode... CPU5 [10/26/99 11:26:27] SW INFO Loading configuration from /flash/config.cfg CPU5 [10/26/99 11:26:27] SW INFO PCMCIA card detected in Stand-by CPU "ERS-8610" slot 5, Chassis S/N SSPND***** ************************************************** * Copyright (c) 2007 Nortel, Inc. * * All Rights Reserved * * Ethernet Routing Switch 8010 * * Software Release 4.1.5.4 * ************************************************** Login:
You should now be able to login with the default RWA username of “rwa” and the default password for “rwa”.
If you wish to reset the configuration… you only need to delete the config.cfg file from the flash and reset the switch.
You should NOT delete the boot.cfg file unless you have a copy of the software on the PCMCIA card and know how to start the software using the boot command from monitor mode.
I believe the same monitor command is available for the Ethernet Routing Switch 1600 Series.
Cheers!
Same works for the nortel passport 8010 but the command is
reset password
not reset-password
I’ve tried this process on my 8600 and it does not reset the password. What’s my next step?
Hi Brian,
That command should work fine… I actually just performed this task this morning when I had to pull a spare 8691SF off the shelf and deploy it in the field. You really didn’t provide a whole lot of detail… does the command actual exist in the boot monitor? What do you get from the switch that makes you believe it didn’t work?
Good Luck!
I am running 3.5.1.0 (yes, I know that’s old). When I am in the boot monitor I see the command and can run it. It doesn’t tell me anything after I run it (that it was successful or failed). When I enter the reset command and the router reboots, it comes up without the default password. One attempt I entered the reset-passwd command twice and the console echoed “password reset was unsuccessful” I believe that it is not reseting the password because rwa rwa doesn’t work.
Hmmm… you have a single 869xSF in the chassis?
After issuing the reset-passwd command just boot the agent code, don’t reset the switch. You can boot the agent code with this command (assuming you are using 3.5.1.0 software);
boot /flash/p80a3510.img
Good Luck!
hi, used your site a few times, its saved me!! currently have a ers1612g and a 1624g that we need to factory reset, usual stuff doesn’t seem to work are we missing a trick??
You should be able to interrupt the boot process… then there should be an option in the boot loader to factory reset the configuration similar to the ERS 8600.
I don’t have any ERS 1600 series switches around anymore so I can’t really tell you exactly.
You could also delete /flash/boot.cfg and /flash/config.cfg and with the exception of the user passwords that should cover almost everything, although you would need to know the old rwa password.
Good Luck!
All the break sequences i have tried dont seem to work, happy to lose all the config, these are quite old versions of software so dont boot like the passport 8k kit or things like the baystack switches by the look, are there any other boot sequences that they used?
Michael – I have a dual chassis setup we are collapsing to 1, what is the command sequence for resetting the stand-by CPU to factory defaults so I can insert it into slot 6 and run it as the standby…thx in advance!
You can just delete the config.cfg file from the /flash directory on the *new* standby CPU/SF… copy the boot.cfg and software from the original CPU/SF to the standby CPU/SF and then boot the standby CPU/SF. Issue a “save config standby” on the primary after you have the standby CPU/SF booted and it will copy the configuration from the primary. You need to have TFTP enabled in the boot flags.
Good Luck!
sorry – the chassis is 8610 and the CPU is 8692SF
Hi can anybody tell me how to make factory default ers 1600 if you forgot your password
Hi Gaurav,
You need to cable up to the console port, cold boot the switch, interrupt the boot process and drop into the boot monitor. From there you should be able to issue a “reset-passwd” or similar command from the boot monitor.
http://blog.michaelfmcnamara.com/2007/12/factory-reset-nortel-ethernet-routing-switch/
Good Luck!
Hi,
Do you know how to reset to factory default the Nortel Metro Ethernet Services Unit 1800-24T? I tried the procedure in your instruction for Nortel Switch but it doesn’t work.
Your help is appreciated, thanks.
Hi,
Do you know how to reset to factory default the Nortel Metro Ethernet Services Unit 1800-24T? I tried the procedure in your instruction for Nortel Switch but it doesn’t work.
Your help is appreciated, thanks.
HI Michael
I faced automatic reboot problem in my two 8600 chassis after 290 days. After 290 uptime date my both the switch automaticaly rebooted. Is there any written confirmation by avaya about this bug.
Hi Michael
How can I restore the config (previously backed up thru TFTP) back to ERS8610 (Dual CPU fabric) thru TFTP Server itself?
Appreciate your prompt help. Thanx & Regards.
Hi DD,
The /flash/config.cfg file and /flash/boot.cfg file are ASCII files which are usually stored on the on-board FLASH on each individual CPU/SF.
You can simply copy and overwrite the config file, then reboot the switch to load the new file.
copy /flash/config.cfg /flash/helpme.cfg copy 10.1.1.1:/tftpboot/config.cfg /flash/config.cfg peer telnet copy 127.0.0.5:/flash/config.cfg /flash/config.cfg boot {wait to be disconnected from standby CPU/SF} {when back on the primary CPU/SF reboot it} bootThanx a lot Michael. I am running both the CPUs in HA.
Can I use WinAgents TFTP server for upload/download of the config files? Would the same command “copy 10.1.1.1:/tftpboot/config.cfg /flash/config.cfg” run in Windows based TFTP server as well?
Regards.
Thanx Michael. It worked.
Best Regards.
Hi Michael
I could get the router download the file from the tftp server (tftp server reported that the file has been successfully downloaded) but the router gives the following error in the boot process :
[Boot Prompt]: @
boot device : lnPci
unit number : 0
processor number : 0
host name : host
file name : J1100.Z
inet on ethernet (e) : 192.168.5.204:ffffff00
host inet (h) : 192.168.5.103
gateway inet (g) : 192.168.5.1
user (u) : wind
ftp password (pw) : ****
flags (f) : 0x8a
target name (tn) : SR
other (o) : lnPci
Attached TCP/IP interface to lnPci0.
TFTP Loading…
09428777
Download time = 32 seconds
Download rate = 294 KBytes per second
29944616
Image creation time: Mar 13 2008, 18:48:26
Initializing DOS filesystem support …
Attaching /cf0… done.
Offset = 6310
Length = 13
MisWrite at position 0
Expected 0x00000000
Found 0x000000ff
(after a long time)
Offset = 6323
Length = 51
MisWrite at position 0
Expected 0x0000004e
Found 0x000000ff
Then it halts …. no progress at all.
Please suggest.
Thanx & Regards.
DD
Hi DD,
I’m not familiar with the Secure Router products so I can’t really offer any advice.
Cheers!