How to reset a password on cisco switch?

This is a general guideline for Catalyst switches and may very on particular models. Here are the basic steps:

1.       Unplug the power from the switch, press and hold the Mode button on the front panel until you see:

flash_init

load_helper

boot

switch:

2.       Issue the flash_init command, wait until it loads and then issue load_helper command.

Type

Switch: dir flash:

This command will show the switch files system, one of the files is called config.text. You need to rename this file to be able to log in to the switch, type the following:

Switch:rename flash:config.text flash:confing.old

At this point you can boot the switch with the following command:

Switch:boot

3.       Once booted enter n at the prompt and go to the global configuration mode:

Switch>enable

Switch#

4.       Now rename config.old back to config.text:

Switch#rename flash:config.old flash:config.text

And

copy config.text to running config

Switch#copy flash:config.text system:running-config

5.       At this point change secret or enable passwords

Switch(config)#enable  password ‘password’

or

Switch(config)#enable secret  ‘your password’

6.       Change vty and line passwords

Switch(config)#line vty 0 15

Switch(config-line)#password ‘your password’

7.       Finally copy your running-config to startup config

Switch# copy running-config startu-config

or

Switch#wr memory