Resetting a Juniper Netscreen to Factory Defaults

If you run into a situation where you are unable to access your netscreen (forgotten password etc) you can reset the unit to factory defaults if you have physical access to the device.

Doing this is a bit easier then with a cisco device, mostly beacause there is a pinhole button on the back of the unit, sometimes labelled "Asset Recovery". You can push this button with a thin firm wire such as a straightened paper-clip.

Here are the steps to resetting your device:
1. Connect your console cable to the device and start an active serial connection.
2. Power on your device.
3. Wait for your device to complete it's boot process.
4. Push and hold the pinhole button with the paper-clip. When the button is pressed you should see the following message pop-up on the console:
Configuration Erasure Process has been initiated.
5. Continue to hold the button in until the following message is displayed on the console:
Waiting for 2nd confirmation.
Then release the button.
6. Wait 3-4 seconds then push the button again and hold until the following message appears on the console:
2nd push has been confirmed.
Configuration Erase sequence accepted, unit reset
7. Release the button, the unit will now reboot with it's factory default configuration.

Don't forget that after your netscreen reboots it's username/passsword will be netscreen/netscreen.