On a router with an enabled secret password but no console password, which mode is displayed upon boot?

On a router with an enabled secret password but no console password, which mode is displayed upon boot?

• A. User EXEC mode
• B. Privileged EXEC mode
• C. Global Configuration mode
• D. ROM Monitor mode

Answer: (A)

When a Cisco router boots normally, you start in User EXEC mode. If there’s no console password, you log in without entering a password and you land at the basic, non-privileged prompt (Router>). The enable secret password is used to move up to Privileged EXEC mode; you must type enable and (when prompted) provide that secret to reach the privileged prompt (Router#). Global Configuration mode is accessed from Privileged EXEC by entering configure terminal, so you won’t see that right after boot. ROM Monitor mode is a recovery/diagnostic state used only if the device can’t boot IOS properly, not a normal startup state. So the mode shown upon boot in this scenario is User EXEC mode.

When a Cisco router boots normally, you start in User EXEC mode. If there’s no console password, you log in without entering a password and you land at the basic, non-privileged prompt (Router>). The enable secret password is used to move up to Privileged EXEC mode; you must type enable and (when prompted) provide that secret to reach the privileged prompt (Router#). Global Configuration mode is accessed from Privileged EXEC by entering configure terminal, so you won’t see that right after boot. ROM Monitor mode is a recovery/diagnostic state used only if the device can’t boot IOS properly, not a normal startup state. So the mode shown upon boot in this scenario is User EXEC mode.