Cisco

Cisco WS-C4506-E Password Recovery

Step-by-step password recovery for the Cisco WS-C4506-E (Catalyst 4500 / 4500-X). Console access required.

Overview

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for resetting lost or forgotten administrative passwords on enterprise networking hardware. Follow the procedure below carefully to regain access while preserving your device configuration.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with password recovery, ensure you have a console cable, terminal emulation software configured to 9600 baud, and physical access to the device.

Step 1: Establish Console Connection

Connect your terminal cable to the console port of the device and open your serial terminal session.

Step 2: Interrupt the Boot Sequence

Power cycle the hardware and issue a Break key sequence during initial system startup to enter ROMMON mode.

Step 3: Reset Password & Configuration

Bypass startup configuration loading, boot into system software, set your new credentials, and save changes back to non-volatile memory.

Overview

This procedure recovers administrator access to the Cisco Catalyst 4506-E (Catalyst 4500/6500/6800, classic IOS supervisor) when the enable secret is lost. The startup configuration is bypassed via ROMMON and the configuration register, then restored — nothing is erased.

Prerequisites

Console cable connected to the supervisor console port with a terminal session at 9600 baud, 8N1. Physical or remote power access to reboot the chassis. Break-signal capability from the terminal emulator (Ctrl+Break).

Recovery Procedure — ROMMON Break Method

Connect the console cable to the supervisor's console port and open a terminal session (9600 8N1).
Power-cycle the chassis (or issue reload).
Within 60 seconds of power-on, send the break sequence (Ctrl+Break) repeatedly until the ROMMON prompt appears: rommon 1>. On the 4500 supervisor, you may need to send break as soon as the supervisor starts booting.
Set the configuration register to skip the startup config: confreg 0x2142
Boot the supervisor: reset (or boot). The switch boots with an empty configuration.
At the Press RETURN to get started prompt, press Enter, then enter enable (no password).
Restore the startup configuration: copy startup-config running-config.
Enter configuration mode: configure terminal.
Set a new enable secret: enable secret <new-password>.
Set line passwords: line vty 0 15 → password <new-password> → login; repeat for line con 0.
Restore the normal config register: config-register 0x2102.
Exit and save: end, then write memory.
Reload to verify: reload. Confirm the switch boots with the restored config and new passwords.

Important Notes

Console port location: on Catalyst 4500/4500-X, the console is on the supervisor (Sup7E/Sup8E/4500X). On 6500/6800, the console is on the supervisor module (Sup2T, Sup720, Sup32) — connect to that port, not a line card.
The config is not erased — bypassed via confreg and restored in step 7. Always restore config-register 0x2102 (step 11) or the chassis will keep skipping config.
On dual-supervisor chassis, interrupt the boot on the active supervisor's console.
If break does not reach ROMMON, verify the terminal emulator's break setting and retry; the window is short after power-on.
Baud rate is 9600 on these supervisors.

Protecting Your Configuration

Before recovery, back up the config: copy running-config tftp://<server>/<filename> or copy running-config flash:. After recovery, verify show startup-config and show version (config register 0x2102).