Reset Cisco Router Password Without Losing Configuration

Step 1: Reload router. If you do not know the password, just perform hard reboot.

Step 2: Wait for 10 seconds of startup and send a break signal to terminal

If you are using PUTTY, right click on the top of PUTTY Window, and select Special Command > Break

*Jan 22 06:36:23.990: %SYS-5-RELOAD: Reload requested by cisco on console. Reload Reason: Reload Command.
System Bootstrap, Version 15.4(1r)T1, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 2014 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Total memory size = 512 MB
Field Upgradeable ROMMON Integrity test

ROM: Digitally Signed Production Software
C887VA-K9 platform with 524288 Kbytes of main memory
Main memory is configured to 32 bit mode

Upgrade ROMMON initialized

monitor: command “boot” aborted due to user interrupt
rommon 1 >

Step 3: Now you are in rommon prompt

Step 4: At the prompt, type the following command confreg 0x2142 to skip the existing configuration on startup.

All in One WordPress Hosting Starts at 30$ per month
All in One WordPress Hosting
WordPress
High optimized WordPress hosting, secure firewall, HTTPS, Backup, hack-fix guarantee and many others at 30$ per month

rommon 1 > confreg 0x2142
You must reset or power cycle for new config to take effect

Step 5: Type the following command to reset the router

rommon 2 > reset

Step 6: After router has loaded, press No to initial configuration dialogue

— System Configuration Dialog —
Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog? [yes/no]: no

Step 7: At prompt, type as follows

Router>en
Router#copy start run
Router# sh run

Step 8: Change enable secret

ITRouter# config t
ITRouter (config)# enable secret !340aGA#$mba

Step 9: Change register back, Save and Reboot router

ITRouter (config)# config-register 0x2102
ITRouter # wr mem
ITRouter # reload

Cisco router will now boot with your old configuration and  you should be to access with your new password.