PDT

What release switch?

23 days later.... There is no "retrieval" of passwords from a 4.5 switch. As of 4.5, the passwords are handled via a one-way hash. When you enter the login and password to get in your switch, your entry is hashed by the same process, and the result compared against what is stored. It matches, you're in.... It don't, and you are not.

The good news..... There is a mechanism by which your vendor can reset the Admin 1, Admin 2, and PDT passwords to known values. On the 11c, it involves setting the dip switches in a specific way, followed by the entry of a command on the terminal. Very secure since you need physical access to the system, and it never reveals what the password was. That prevents an unauthorized person from guessing a future password based on the pattern of the old one.

As far as the PDT password being a touchy subject... It's really not. Nortel has addressed the issue. This one of the ways. I have several training manuals that I received directly from Nortel that have the default password printed in them.

BTW: Unless you spoofed where you posted from, you can ask one of the "Partners" why you need to contact your vendor to have the password reset, and why you can't get the procedure off the 'Net - especially posting with gmail return address including the word "chaos" (I know, it's a take off on "Get Smart", but......)