In this guide, I will demonstrate how to regain access to an Aruba 6000 series switch. We will cover two distinct procedures: resetting the administrator password (which preserves your configuration) and performing a complete factory reset (which wipes all settings).
Before performing any resets, you must connect to the switch via the console port.
You cannot reset the password or wipe the switch while the main operating system is running. We need to access the Service OS (similar to BIOS/UEFI).
Locate the physical Reset button on the switch. Press and hold it for approximately 5 seconds until you see a dot appear, then release it. This initiates a soft reset.
As the switch begins to boot, repeatedly press the 0 (zero) key in the terminal window. This interrupts the boot process and brings you to the Service OS menu.
When prompted to select an image, choose the option for Service OS Console. Login with the username admin (no password is required for this specific Service OS login).
If you only need to regain access without losing your configuration, follow this step.
At the Service OS prompt, type password and press Enter. The system will prompt you to enter a new password for the admin account on the primary image. Confirm the password when asked.
Once complete, you can reboot the switch and log in with your new credentials, keeping your existing configuration intact.
If you want to completely wipe the configuration and restore the switch to factory defaults, follow this step instead of the password reset.
At the Service OS prompt, type the following command:
erase zeroize
The system will ask for confirmation. Type y and press Enter. The switch will now reboot and begin the "zeroization" process, which wipes all data.
This process typically takes 3-4 minutes. Once the switch finishes initializing, you will be presented with a login prompt. Since it is now factory reset, use the default credentials:
You will immediately be prompted to set a new password for the admin account.