> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://jncia-workbook.gitbook.io/workbook/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://jncia-workbook.gitbook.io/workbook/junos-basics/3-restore-factory-default-config-method-2.md).
# 3) Restore Factory-Default Config (Method 2)
There is another method to reset the configuration that is not as "forceful."
Telnet to R2 (`telnet 10.200.255.3 5000`). (R1 is already on the default configuration if you completed the previous lab, so we'll move to R2 now). Reset the configuration to factory-default, ensuring that all log files, and other settings are kept intact.
### Answer
Expand to reveal
Use the configuration command `load factory-default`
```
admin@R2# load factory-default
warning: activating factory configuration
[edit]
```
\
You can see what will change by using `show | compare`
```
admin@R2# show | compare
[edit]
- version 25.4R1.12;
[edit system]
- host-name R2;
- root-authentication {
- encrypted-password "$6$dMRWC12Y$mg8BTFhtlrCH60zYXvFkg92bgAN1du6cszpqnR4Xco3o9JEzQacgWPP1GpFSCL.jQi3HOOTr0uKhjRks98Rh8/"; ## SECRET-DATA
- }
+ commit {
+ factory-settings;
+ }
- login {
- user admin {
- uid 2000;
- class super-user;
- authentication {
- encrypted-password "$6$XPIIkGMt$qa.TG2jPMIJnd/jGBTbOu.uZwrweJFfoGVMCxtFHX8CTur0hyi7UcJu4TR0DEfvDYgcvwh4dP8zY5mM6hOBkN1"; ## SECRET-DATA
- }
- }
- }
- services {
- netconf {
- ssh;
- }
- ssh {
- root-login allow;
- }
- }
- management-instance;
+ syslog {
+ file interactive-commands {
+ interactive-commands any;
+ }
+ file messages {
+ any notice;
+ authorization info;
+ }
+ }
[edit]
- chassis {
- fpc 0 {
- pic 0 {
- number-of-ports 12;
- }
- }
- }
- interfaces {
- fxp0 {
- unit 0 {
- family inet {
- address 10.0.0.15/24;
- }
- family inet6 {
- address 2001:db8::2/64;
- }
- }
- }
- }
- routing-instances {
- mgmt_junos {
- routing-options {
- rib mgmt_junos.inet6.0 {
- static {
- route ::/0 next-hop 2001:db8::1;
- }
- }
- static {
- route 0.0.0.0/0 next-hop 10.0.0.2;
- }
- }
- }
- }
[edit]
admin@R2#
```
\
Enter `commit`**.** Notice that you cannot commit without entering a root password:
```
admin@R2# commit
[edit]
'system'
Missing mandatory statement: 'root-authentication'
error: commit failed: (missing mandatory statements)
[edit]
```
* This is a general rule - you cannot commit any configuration if the root password is not set. As we saw in the previous lab, the default configuration does not have a root password. So we have to set one in order to commit the factory-default config.
* Interestingly, it seems that on some systems, after you reboot, this root password you just set is lost. The factory-default config will be "re-loaded" after the reboot, and the root password you set just now will be gone. On this vJunos-router, this is not the case. The root password is retained upon the first boot on the factory-default config.
\
Enter a new root password, and then `commit`**:**
```
admin@R2# set system root-authentication plain-text-password
New password:
Retype new password:
[edit]
admin@R2# commit
```
\
Reboot the router.
```
admin@R2# exit
Exiting configuration mode
admin@R2> request system reboot
Reboot the system ? [yes,no] (no) yes
```
\
Notice that since our **admin** user no longer exists, we cannot run this command:
```
mgd: unable to switch user admin: No such file or directory
```
\
If you logged in with **root** instead, you would not see this message, and the reboot would work.
\
If you are logged as **admin**, then `exit`, login as **root** with the password you just set, start the `cli`, and then reboot.
```
admin@R2> exit
FreeBSD/amd64 (R2) (ttyu0)
login: root
Password:
Last login: Tue Dec 16 17:42:21 on ttyu0
--- JUNOS 25.4R1.12 Kernel 64-bit JNPR-15.0-20251024.861cae5_buil
root@R2:~ # cli
root@R2> request system reboot
Reboot the system ? [yes,no] (no) yes
*** FINAL System shutdown message from root@R2 ***
```
* Only the root user is presented with the underlying bash shell upon login, requiring you to run the **cli** command. All other users are presented with the Junos cli instead.
\
Notice that the hostname is **Amnesiac** again, like we saw in the previous lab.
```
FreeBSD/amd64 (Amnesiac) (ttyu0)
login:
```
\
Be aware that this is *not* an acceptable way to wipe a router for decommissioning purposes. We can see that the router still retains logs and configuration files. Try using `show system commit` and `show log` to see that our previous config and log files are still present on the router. (This is *not* the case when using `request system zeroize`).
### Explanation
Expand to reveal
The `load` command loads configuration from multiple possible sources - a file, the terminal, etc. In addition, you can load the factory-default configuration. This is, as the name suggests, the default configuration as the device would come straight from the factory.
\
As explained above, you the factory default configuration does not contain a root password. However, you cannot commit a configuration that does not have a root password. Therefore, after loading the factory-default config, we must also manually add a root password.
\
Upon committing, the device will be on the factory-default config. However, you will still see the old hostname in the prompt. You would need to fully reboot the device in order to see the **Amnesiac** hostname prompt.
\
Using `load factory-default` is a less-intensive wipe method. With `request system zeroize`, we wipe all files, including the config. With `load factory-default`, we simply wipe the configuration, while retaining all other files on the system.
### Further Reading