5.2 Managing the Cisco File System  
  5.2.4 Managing configuration files using copy and paste  
Another way to create a backup copy of the configuration is to capture the output of the show running-config command. This can be done from the terminal session by copying the output, pasting to a text file, then saving the text file. This file will need some editing before it can be used to restore configuration to the router.

Perform the following to capture the configuration using the text displayed on the HyperTerminal screen to a text file:

  1. Select Transfer
  2. Select Capture Text
  3. Specify the name for the text file to capture the configuration
  4. Select Start to start capturing text
  5. Display the configuration to the screen by entering show running-config
  6. Press the space bar when each "-More -" prompt appears
  7. When the complete configuration has been displayed, stop the capture by:
  8. Select Transfer
  9. Select Capture Text
  10. Select Stop

After the capture is complete, the configuration file needs to be edited to remove extra text. To create this in a form to be “pasted” back into the router, remove any unnecessary information from the captured configuration. Comments may also be added to explain the various parts of the configuration. A comment is added by beginning a line with an exclamation mark “!”.

The configuration file can be edited from a text editor such as Notepad. To edit the file from Notepad click on File > Open. Find the captured file and select it. Click Open.

The lines that need to be deleted contain:

  • show running-config
  • Building configuration...
  • Current configuration:
  • - More -
  • Any lines that appear after the word "End"

At the end of each of the interface sections add the no shutdown command. Clicking File > Save will save the clean version of the configuration.

The backup configuration can be restored from a HyperTerminal session. Before the configuration is restored any remaining configuration should be removed from the router. This can be done by entering the command erase startup-config at the privileged EXEC router prompt and then restarting the router by entering the reload command.

HyperTerminal can be used to restore a configuration. The clean backup of the configuration can be copied into the router.

  • Enter router global configuration mode.
  • From HyperTerminal, click on Transfer > Send Text File.
  • Select the name of the file for the saved backup configuration.
  • The lines of the file will be entered into the router as if they were being typed.
  • Observe any errors.
  • After the configuration is entered, press Ctrl-Z key to exit global configuration mode.
  • Restore the startup configuration with copy running-config startup-config.
 

Web Links

Operating and Maintaining Cisco Devices: Using Cisco Info Center

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns110/ ns5/ns7/ns18/networking_solutions_design_guide_ chapter09186a00800bcd02.html