fortinet reset question

[jamestiberius]

I know you can reset via console, but the one I need to reset is at remote site with no IT people there.

tried to walk someone through resetting it via reset in back, using paperclip, but it appears to only have rebooted it.

is that due to not holding in the reset button long enough, or is that all the reset is used for ?

and if you succesfully reset, it goes back to old firmware right?

90d was purchased with 5.2 I think, and when user sent me picture of login screen, looked like 5.4 login.

which just makes me think more that it was only restarted not factory reset.

someone used this spare for testing, and no one knows password so I just need to get it factory reset, so I can get them logged in, and have them load backup of the confg file.

[jamestiberius]

further googling makes it appear you have to use reset in conjunction with the console, so will try that

found this for 60d, does it hold true for 90d?

Step 1

Connect to the FortiGate 60D using a console cable.

Step 2

Open Terminal.

Step 3

Plug the FortiGate 60D to the power adapter and wait for the device to boot up.

FortiGate-60D (15:09-08.12.2013)
Ver:04000022
Serial number: FGT60D1111111111
CPU(00): 800MHz
Total RAM: 2GB
Initializing boot device...
Initializing MAC... nplite#0
Please wait for OS to boot, or press any key to display configuration menu......

Booting OS...
Reading boot image... 1242703 bytes.
Initializing firewall...

System is starting...

FGT60D1111111111 login:

Step 4

Within 20 seconds of the device booting up, press and hold the RESET button. Once you see System is resetting to factory default..., you can release the button.

Step 5

The default login username is admin and the default password is blank.

 

[tanr · Accepted solution]

I believe you are correct.

You need to stat pressing and holding the reset button within 20 seconds of the device completing its boot up sequence. 

You do need a console connection to see that it has completed the boot up sequence.

This should be the case for most recent devices and firmware, I think.

[jamestiberius]

awesome, will give that a try tomorrow.

[mamuning2017]

Hi There;

Got so much exposure in resetting 50E's (around a hundred times) since we distributed 400 of these to bank branches. 

The $1 trick is:

1. Unplug the power. 

2. Watch and wait  for the LEDs to start to blink (LAN, WAN and STA leds). 

3. After about 5 seconds after the STA led  blinks, press the small reset button at the back using a paper clip, keeping it pressed until you see the leds blink orange, then red. At this stage, you can release the button. 

4. Congratulations. You have manually factory-reset your Fortigate. 

5. Cheers and have a beer.. :)