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Topic: Password RecoverySwitch
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Extension practice

Password Recovery Practice Questions

Extension practice: recovering IOS device access via ROMMON or a boot loader.

Author-reviewed by LabFabric · 7 September 2026 · Report a content issue

One solved question, so you can see how these are marked

During password recovery on a Cisco router, which configuration register value causes the router to boot while ignoring the contents of NVRAM's startup-config?

0x2142

0x2142 tells the router to skip loading the startup configuration on boot, so it comes up with a blank running configuration while leaving the startup config in NVRAM untouched.

Every question in the set below is marked like this. The answers stay hidden until you pick one.

Find related practice in the CCNA path
All 4 Password Recovery questions in this set

Answers and explanations appear when you work through the set above.

  1. After booting a router with the configuration register set to 0x2142, why does the startup configuration remain unchanged even though it was not loaded?

    • The register bypasses startup-config for this boot without modifying it
    • The startup configuration is automatically backed up to flash before being skipped
    • 0x2142 only skips loading the enable password, not the rest of the configuration
    • The startup configuration is temporarily moved into a hidden partition

  2. After completing password recovery and setting a new enable secret, which two steps must be done before reloading to ensure the router boots normally with the new password intact?

    • Save running-config to startup-config and restore register 0x2102
    • Erase NVRAM, and set the configuration register to 0x2142
    • Copy startup-config to running-config, and leave the register at 0x2142
    • Reload immediately without saving, the new password is stored automatically

  3. During password recovery on a router, after copying the startup configuration into running-config, why might an interface still show as administratively down even though it had an IP address configured?

    • Interfaces loaded this way remain shut down until reenabled with no shutdown
    • The IP address was lost during the password recovery process
    • The interface's existing IP address becomes invalid after the password reset
    • Password recovery permanently disables all physical interfaces

  4. On a Catalyst switch, what is the typical first step in the password recovery procedure, performed by holding the Mode button while power cycling the switch?

    • Boot loader mode for configuration bypass
    • Immediately erase the running configuration in DRAM
    • Trigger a full factory reset of the switch, including flash contents
    • Force the switch to download a new IOS image over TFTP automatically