cant go through a cisco device

i inherrited two cisco devices

a catalyst 2960 series switch
and a 2800 series router


after booting the switch and the router throufh console connection, it ask me for an access password which i dont have. and the router is not loading from flash , it is just displaying some gibberrish stuffs

what must i do by pass the switch password , how ?
how do I reload my router to pass POST

thanks

I think you need to reset your cisco password to be able to access the priviliged mode

password for switch :

unplug power cable

hold the MODE button on the front

plug the power cable

wait until you see the Amber light (about 5 sec)

release the button

type :

flash_init
load_helper

rename the config.text in flash to config.old

boot


once booted :

rename the config.old to config.text
copy start run

change all passwords (or type "no password" in your "line con0")

type : write mem

reboot and test your passwords

delete please

Here is the password recovery doc for the Cisco 2600 and 2800 series
Link: www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/...186a0080094675.shtml

For the 2960 switch
Link: www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches...186a0080094184.shtml

Since you inherited the Cisco equipment, I highly recommend you reload the IOS. Also the IOS is probably out-of-date, so you can take this opportunity to upgrade the IOS. Try the password recovery so you can access the router and run some test commands. Enter test ? at the prompt, it will list of a couple dozen test commands that you can run.


Cheers,

ZiPPy

I am little interested in the console output being displayed by your 2800 router. you said it is throwing some text which is different from the normal boot behavior right?

could you please give us the boot process output. I heard you saying it is like not booting from flash. does it says like flash not found?

Please check if the CF Card,Compact Flash, is present and inserted properly into your router. I did once face this problem where my CF card was not inserted completely into its place so it did the POST properly but it stated that my CF did not found.

I simply pulled it out and reinserted it again properly. so maybe during your router transfer the CF got pulled from its place.

during its boot process did the router put you into such mode:

rommon>

if it put you in the ROMmon mode then it is either your CF card is not inserted properly or your 2800 router registry settings are put into configuration mode.

good luck, and if you are able to give us more info that would be helpful