Catalyst 3560G full factory reset including wiping out all config data.

[dbhosttexas]

Sorry if I sound a bit dense here, I'm not the network guy, just a server admin who's had a switch decommission dropped into my lap and I need to get the task done.

We've got a Catalyst 3560G that we are decommissioning, and I need to perform a full factory reset, and what that means to most folks, I would think would be that any data / configurations that were previously set would be wiped out. I have come across factory reset instructions here but they all seem to retain a backup of the config. I don't want that...

So how do I, with this given hardware, and no other information, such as knowledge of the switch OS, how to connect to it, usernames, passwords etc... Get into this thing, get access to the firmware, and set the config back to the way it rolled out of the factory with no traces of any configs the network team has made over the years? 

[Spooster IT Services]

Hi dbosttexas,

How did you erase the config of the switch?

I recommend to run the following commands to completely erase the config from switch:

write erase

delete flash:vlan.dat
erase nvram:

After running these commands reload the switch, switch will prompt to save the config and you have to type "no". 

[dbhosttexas]

I got timed out writing my last answer to you, sorry.... Let's try again.

I haven't managed to overcome the initial hurdles to getting into the switch. Namely, my laptop doesn't have a serial port, I don't have the serial to funny not quite crossover RJ45 cable to make the connection, and Microsoft wasn't kind enough to leave HyperTerminal on Windows 10... So no, I haven't been able to log into the switch at all yet.

It should be noted that I am not the "network guy", but rather a systems guy. This was handed to me because, well, honestly heck if I know. The network team won't touch it so it gets to me to get it done...

All things considered, failing a software approach, I guess I could go all Office Space printer on these switches and be done with it :-P

[Mark Malone]

Hi

i do it in ci to be sure get in wipe everything

in cli # mode when you login

type

erase startup-config

then type reload and hit return do not save it , this will wipe all configurations

then go back in and go to flash

check it with either show flash: or dir flash:

it will bring up all the listed files stored, here delete one by one except the ios software itself

make sure to delete flash:vlan.dat which contains all vlan information and doesn't get wiped on the

you could do that first then erase startup command last either way just make sure you get everything

This will wipe the switch to factory , everything should go from flash except the .bin file which is the software

This is how you  would connect to a Cisco switch from pc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sM4f1_QloQ

Any questions just ask

[Sherdilkhan2015]

You can just press the mode button on front panel for few seconds until it will show you the prompt:

flash_init

Type this command flash_init and wait for few seconds more, delete the files with command delete flash:config.text if you really want to delete a d same with all other files after deleting all files just type boot and your switch is factory reset now.