How to Factory Default Cisco 1200 FTD

Restoring a factory default Cisco 1200 FTD device is a common task when repurposing hardware, wiping old configurations, or troubleshooting serious software corruption. The Cisco Firepower 1200 series — including the Firepower 1120, 1140, 1150, 1160, 1170, and 1180 — runs FTD (Firepower Threat Defense), which supports multiple methods to reset the device to its original factory state.

This guide explains three proven ways to perform a factory reset on Cisco 1200 FTD appliances, plus preparation tips, post-reset steps, and best practices.

Why Perform a Factory Default on Cisco 1200 FTD?

Resetting to factory default Cisco 1200 FTD settings will:

• Erase all firewall, routing, and security configurations.
• Remove licenses and FMC (Firepower Management Center) registration.
• Return the device to its out-of-box setup wizard state.
• Resolve misconfiguration or corruption issues that prevent normal operation.

Preparation Before Reset

Before you reset a Cisco Firepower 1200 FTD device:

1. Backup configurations via Firepower Device Manager (FDM) or FMC — resets are irreversible.
2. Deregister from FMC using:
   configure manager delete
3. Release licenses from your Cisco Smart Account to avoid orphaned entries.
4. Connect via console to prevent loss of access during the reset.

Method 1 — CLI Command: configure factory-default

This is the most direct method to factory reset Cisco 1200 FTD devices if you have CLI access.

1. Log in to the device CLI (console or SSH).
2. Enter:
   > configure factory-default
3. Confirm the warning — the system will erase the running and startup configs, remove all policies, and disable current network settings.
4. Wait 5–10 minutes for the appliance to reboot.
5. Run the setup wizard to configure hostname, management IP, and admin credentials.

Method 2 — Hardware Reset Command

If configure factory-default fails or is unavailable, you can reset the hardware configuration on Cisco Firepower 1120–1180 models:

1. Access expert mode:
   > expert
2. Run:
   sudo hw-module module reset config
3. Confirm the prompt — the device will wipe its configuration storage and reboot to factory default.

Method 3 — ROMMON Recovery Reset

For lost passwords or system corruption, use the ROMMON method to reset Cisco 1200 FTD to factory default.

1. Power cycle the appliance, press Break during boot to enter ROMMON.
2. Format the internal flash:
   rommon> format disk0:
3. Boot the default image:
   rommon> boot
4. Complete the initial setup wizard after boot.

Default Settings After Factory Reset

After restoring to factory default Cisco 1200 FTD:

• Management IP: 192.168.45.45/24 (Mgmt 1/1 interface)
• Username/Password: admin / Admin123 (default FTD credentials)
• Setup Wizard launches on first boot.

Post-Reset Best Practices

• Upgrade to the latest supported FTD image.
• Restore backed-up policies and objects.
• Re-register with FMC if in centralized management mode.
• Test connectivity and policy enforcement before going live.

Conclusion

Knowing how to perform a factory default on Cisco 1200 FTD devices — whether via CLI, hardware reset, or ROMMON — ensures you can recover from configuration issues or prepare hardware for redeployment.
By following these steps, you can reset Firepower 1120, 1140, 1150, 1160, 1170, and 1180 appliances quickly and safely, keeping downtime to a minimum.

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