Cat3850 not loading

[g.s]

Hi,

I currently have a 3850-12XS switch stack where one on the switches has failed - system indicator LED flashing rapidly constantly.
I've consoled on and the flash: directory is missing from the low level boot-loader environment, I've tried the Emergency-install by using TFTP to a laptop but this hasn't worked.

I've also used the switch USB port to try and boot from usbflash0: - it recognises and sees the image on the usb drive but doesn’t boot – “Boot process failed”.

The following is output from the switch when trying a reset from the boot-loader environment:

Booting...ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 2
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 1
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 0
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 2
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 1
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 0
Incorrect signature, expected = 0x55 0xAA, detected = 0 d
bf[0] = 55, bf[1] = 53
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 2
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 1
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 0
Incorrect signature, expected = 0x55 0xAA, detected = 0 d
bf[0] = 55, bf[1] = 53
call dfs_loadpartitions, retry = 1
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 2
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 1
ERR: !CSWSIGNATURE
ERR: Read ERROR start 0 blks 1, retry = 0
Incorrect signature, expected = 0x55 0xAA, detected = d2 f8
bf[0] = 55, bf[1] = 53
call dfs_loadpartitions, retry = 0

usbflash0: contains unexpected values in partition table or boot sector.
Device needs formatting before use!
cf_identify_drive: cf_waitfor(CMD_READY): timed out.
Boot bus: Failed to detect any IDE storage!

Interface GE 0 link down***ERROR: PHY link is down
flash:packages.conf: no such device
Cannot open file flash:packages.conf

The system is unable to boot automatically. The
BOOT environment variable needs to be set to a
bootable image.

Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks.

[Martin L]

Problem is with flash:packages.conf: no such device

Cannot open file flash:packages.conf

so u need to get into Mode switch (aka ROMMON mode).   Press and hold mode button for 15 sec while powering on the switch.  Once in mode, do "dir flash:"  -  will show u files in flash, make sure u got .bin in there.  

then do command "set"

look for "boot= xyz.bin "

that is boot environment variable

then command to set up this is just "boot=image name"

if u do not have image .bin file, u must have packages, several files ending in .pkg (5-6 files) and then boot=packeges.conf  is needed to boot switch.  

[Martin L]

small correction; boot=packeges.conf 

[g.s]

Thanks MartinLo for your response.

One issue I have is that the switch is still powered using the stack power cable and I didn't want to remove the stack power cable in case it affected the one and only working switch in the stack, we don't have any spare switches for contingency. Therefore power is still supplied to the switch even with the power cable unplugged as it's deriving power through the stack cable.

I'm awaiting a spare switch before attempting to remove the stack power cables just in case.