How to do a password recovery in Cisco 9500 IOS-XE version 16.9.3

What I've found out when following the manual vs reality

The official manual needs an update. It seems that someone copy+pasted the procedure of the 9200 and hastily added a note but there are still some differences:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9500/software/release/16-9/configuration_guide/sys_mgmt/b_169_sys_mgmt_9500_cg/troubleshooting_the_software_configuration.html

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 DETAILED STEPS

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Step 1

Connect a terminal or PC to the switch. Connect a terminal or a PC with terminal-emulation software to the switch console port. Connect a PC to the Ethernet management port.

Step 2

Set the line speed on the emulation software to 9600 baud.

Step 3

Power off the standalone switch or the entire switch stack.

Step 4

For Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches, reconnect the power cord to the switch or the active switch.   As soon as the System LED blinks, press and release the Mode button 2-3 times.  The switch enters the ROMMON mode.    --- # Not the right procedure, do the CTRL-C sequence Note  Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches- High Performance do not have a Mode button. You can exit the configuration dialog at any prompt using Ctrl-C to kill the bootup sequence.  The following console messages are displayed during the reload: Initializing Hardware... System Bootstrap, Version 16.6.1r [FC1], RELEASE SOFTWARE (P) Compiled Sat 07/15/2017 8:31:57.39 by rel Current image running: Primary Rommon Image Last reset cause: SoftwareReload  C9500-12Q platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory attempting to boot from [flash:packages.conf] Located file packages.conf # ##################################################################### Unable to load cat9k-rpboot.16.06.02b.SPA.pkg Failed to boot file flash:user/packages.conf ERROR: failed to boot from flash:packages.conf (Aborted)<--- abort="" em="" will=""> Initializing Hardware... System Bootstrap, Version 16.8.1r [FC4], RELEASE SOFTWARE (P) Compiled 20-03-2018 15:12:03.01 by rel Current ROMMON image : Primary Rommon Image Last reset cause:PowerOn C9500-48Y4C platform with 16777216 Kbytes of main memory Preparing to autoboot. [Press Ctrl-C to interrupt]  Break sequence to be pressed to get to rommon   Proceed to the Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled section, and follow the steps.

Step 5

After recovering the password, reload the switch or the active switch. On a switch: Switch> reload Proceed with reload? [confirm] y

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Procedure with Password Recovery Enabled

Procedure

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Step 1

Ignore the startup configuration with the following command: Switch: SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG=1  ROMMON x > SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG=1

Step 2

Boot the switch with the packages.conf file from flash. Switch: boot flash:packages.conf  --# the 9500 was with factory version 16.9.3 and with no packages.conf file   ROMMON x > boot

Step 3

Terminate the initial configuration dialog by answering No. Would you like to enter the initial configuration dialog? [yes/no]: No

Step 4

At the switch prompt, enter privileged EXEC mode. Switch> enable Switch#

Step 5

Copy the startup configuration to running configuration. Switch# copy startup-config running-config Destination filename [running-config]? Press Return in response to the confirmation prompts. The configuration file is now reloaded, and you can change the password.

Step 6

Enter global configuration mode and change the enable password. Switch# configure terminal Switch(config)#

Step 7

Write the running configuration to the startup configuration file. Switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config

Step 8

Confirm that manual boot mode is enabled. Switch# show boot BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf; Manual Boot = yes Enable Break = yes

Step 9

Reload the device. Switch# reload

Step 10

Set the SWITCH_IGNORE_STARTUP_CFG parameter to 0. Switch(config)# no system ignore startupconfig switch all Switch(config)# end Switch# write memory