Scenario:
Make: Dell Switches
Model: N4032, N2048, etc
Mode: CLI (Command Line Interface)
Description: This article is to discuss and show a stepwise method to reset the forgotten password of Dell Switch. This process is valid and applicable for N series Dell Switches.
Step1: Console Connection
Connect the laptop with a console cable and access the switch. Putty can be used to access the switch on the console
Step2: Reboot
Manually reboot the switch by pulling the power cable.
Step3: Watch
While the switch is rebooting keep an eye on the screen and wait for the option Boot Option.
Step4: Boot Option
As soon as you see Dell Networking Boot Options on the console screen press 2. Please remember this screen will be on the boot option for 5 seconds only.
Dell Networking Boot Options
============================
Select a menu option within 5 seconds or the Operational Code will start automatically...
1 - Start Operational Code
2 - Display Boot Menu
Select (1, 2)# 2
Step5: Boot Menu
Once option 2 is selected on the Boot option the console will display the Boot Main Menu. Select option 12 to reset the password as shown below.
Boot Main Menu
==============
1 - Start Operational Code
2 - Select Baud Rate
3 - Retrieve Logs
4 - Load New Operational Code
5 - Display Operational Code Details
9 - Reboot
10 - Restore Configuration to Factory Defaults
11 - Activate Backup Image
12 - Start Password Recovery
Enter Choice# 12
Step6: Process
Once the option 12 is selected you will see the following
Starting Operational Code for Password Recovery...
active = /dev/mtd6
Extracting Operational Code from .stk file...done.
Loading Operational Code...done.
Decompressing Operational Code...done.
4 START_OPR_CODE_PASSWD_RECOVERY MODE
Uncompressing apps.lzma
SyncDB Running...
DMA pool size: 16777216
PCI unit 0: Dev 0xb842, Rev 0x02, Chip BCM56842_A1, Driver BCM56840_B0
SOC unit 0 attached to PCI device BCM56842_A1
Step7: Reset Password
Once the booting process is completed follow the steps shown below to set up a new password.
edledge-switch#
edledge-switch#configure t
edledge-switch(config)#username admin password edledge privilege 15
edledge-switch(config)#enable password edledge
edledge-switch(config)#exit
edledge-switch#
Step8: Save Configuration
Save the configuration to startup configuration so that after reload the switch will boot up with the new password.
edledge-switch#copy running-config startup-config
This operation may take few minutes. Management interfaces will not be available during this time.
Are you sure you want to save? (y/n) y
Configuration Saved!
Step9: Reload
Reload the switch now and the switch will be accessible with the new password.
edledge-switch#reload
Are you sure you want to reload the stack? (y/n) y
The password of the Dell switch stack is reset now. You can now log in to the switch using the new password. Do not forget to refer to the article if you are planning to Configure Radius Authentication on Dell Switch stack. Also, we can configure two radius servers to work as Radius Failover On Dell Switch stack.
Source: Dell, Lab, Knowledge Base
EA00046