Extreme

Extreme VSP 4450 Password Recovery

Step-by-step password recovery for the Extreme VSP 4450 (VSP 4000/7000/8000 (VOSS)). 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 Extreme VSP 4450 running ExtremeXOS (the operating system on Summit, X-series, and VSP platforms) when the admin password is lost. ExtremeXOS's boot menu provides a recovery option that boots the switch with the default configuration — passwords are cleared while the saved config can be restored.

Prerequisites

Console cable with a terminal session at 9600 baud, 8N1. Physical or remote power access to reboot the switch.

Recovery Procedure — Boot Menu

Connect the console cable and open a terminal session (9600 8N1).
Reboot the switch (power-cycle or reboot if you have access).
During boot, when the prompt "Press <Enter> to enter the boot menu" (or "Press any key") appears, press Enter immediately.
You enter the boot menu (ExtremeXOS boot menu). Select the option to boot with the default configuration — on most versions this is option 1 ("Boot with default configuration") or the menu asks "Continue with default configuration?" — answer yes.
The switch boots with the factory-default configuration. Log in as admin with no password (the default).
Set a new admin password: configure admin password <new-password> (or configure admin user <name> password on some versions).
If you have a configuration backup, restore it: restore configuration tftp://<server>/<filename>, then save configuration.
Save the configuration: save configuration.

Recovery Procedure — Debug Mode (alternative, preserves config)

Reboot and enter the boot menu as above.
Select the debug/maintenance mode option (labeled "Debug" or "Maintenance mode" on some versions).
The switch boots to a maintenance shell. From there, access the filesystem and clear the password entry for the admin user, or reset the config.
Reboot the switch: reboot.

Important Notes

Booting with the default configuration does NOT automatically erase the saved config file — on most ExtremeXOS versions the saved config remains and can be restored. However, some versions erase it; always keep a backup.
The default admin login on factory Extreme switches is admin with no password.
On Summit/VSP platforms the boot menu appears briefly — if you miss it, reboot and try again.
Baud rate is 9600 on Extreme switches (XOS).
VSP (Virtual Services Platform) 7200/7254/7400/8200/8404/8600 run ExtremeXOS in most configurations; VDX (Data Center) switches run NOS and use a different procedure (see the VDX guide).

Protecting Your Configuration

Before recovery, back up the config: save configuration <name> then upload configuration <name> tftp://<server>/<filename>. After recovery, verify show configuration and save.