CSCvm55208 - C9300 Mainboard hardware authentication failed. Abort init ...

[ATaylor1]

I have a C930048P-E and it boots into a switch: prompt. I cannot force it into ROMMON nor can I tftp the following IOS file to the switch.

switch: set
BOARDID=20564
IP_ADDRESS=192.168.0.1
MAC_ADDR=84:8A:8D:E0:5C:80
MODEL_NUM=C9300-48P
MOTHERBOARD_SERIAL_NUM=FOC22202CR0
PS1=switch:
ROMMON_AUTOBOOT_ATTEMPT=1
SWITCH_NUMBER=1
SYSTEM_SERIAL_NUM=SNxxxxxxxxx

The switch is missing the IOS file and fails to boot when I enter the following command:

switch: boot flash:packages.conf
attempting to boot from [flash:packages.conf]

Located file packages.conf
#
##################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

Mainboard hardware authentication failed. Abort init ...

Mainboard hardware authentication failed. Abort init ...

It will continue to loop the message above regarding the Mainboard failure. I then power cycled the switch and this is how it starts.

Initializing Hardware...

System Bootstrap, Version 16.6.1r [FC1], RELEASE SOFTWARE (P)
Compiled Sat 07/15/2017 8:31:57.39 by rel

Current image running:
Golden Rommon Image

Last reset cause: PrimaryImageBootFailure
C9300-48P platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

WARNING: Bootable URL's in BOOT variable not found or exhausted.
Please check the ROMMON configuration or boot command usage.

Here are the flash and bootflash's directories:

switch: dir flash:

Size Attributes Name
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2097152 -rw- nvram_config
5403592 -rw- cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
76673988 -rw- cat9k-espbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
1536964 -rw- cat9k-guestshell.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
380920768 -rw- cat9k-rpbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
27620292 -rw- cat9k-sipbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
54977472 -rw- cat9k-sipspa.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
6591428 -rw- cat9k-srdriver.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
12284864 -rw- cat9k-webui.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
1536960 -rw- cat9k-wlc.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
6628 -rw- packages.conf
29622146 -rw- cat9k-rpboot.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
4096 drw- .installer
1480 -rw- bootloader_evt_handle.log
4096 drw- core
4096 drw- .prst_sync
4096 drw- .rollback_timer
4096 drw- gs_script
4096 drw- dc_profile_dir
252 -rw- boothelper.log
98869 -rw- memleak.tcl
0 -rw- NVRAM
2097152 -rw- nvram_config_bkup
34 -rw- pnp-tech-time
49472 -rw- pnp-tech-discovery-summary
796 -rw- vlan.dat
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

switch: dir bootflash:

Size Attributes Name
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2097152 -rw- nvram_config
5403592 -rw- cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
76673988 -rw- cat9k-espbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
1536964 -rw- cat9k-guestshell.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
380920768 -rw- cat9k-rpbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
27620292 -rw- cat9k-sipbase.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
54977472 -rw- cat9k-sipspa.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
6591428 -rw- cat9k-srdriver.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
12284864 -rw- cat9k-webui.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
1536960 -rw- cat9k-wlc.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
6628 -rw- packages.conf
29622146 -rw- cat9k-rpboot.16.06.03.SPA.pkg
4096 drw- .installer
1480 -rw- bootloader_evt_handle.log
4096 drw- core
4096 drw- .prst_sync
4096 drw- .rollback_timer
4096 drw- gs_script
4096 drw- dc_profile_dir
252 -rw- boothelper.log
98869 -rw- memleak.tcl
0 -rw- NVRAM
2097152 -rw- nvram_config_bkup
34 -rw- pnp-tech-time
49472 -rw- pnp-tech-discovery-summary
796 -rw- vlan.dat
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I just need to get the switch to boot or at least figure out a way to push the following IOS to it cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin

[mrattoolsen]

I am having the same problem and had no solution yet. I was running 16.9.4 on a 2 9300-48 stack.

Did you manage to fix this?

Thanks!

[Walikhan500]

Hello.........

I am having the same issue as you mentioned, whenever you found any suitable solution, Please leave a message here

[Smudger84]

Hi i am now experiencing this issue on a 9300 with 17.03.01

Can anyone please advise how I can remediate this issue ?

I have also tried and emergency install of 16.12.04 but no joy :(((((((

[jholibaugh]

same issue here, would love to know if there is a fix for this

[Alexander Simbun]

Hi,

I had the same issue. My switch (C9300X-24Y) firmware is 17.5.1r, and by right, it should have no problem with the bug. But, it happens when the switch is added into the stack with other switches has a higher version but fail when rebooted.

According to Cisco, I need to RMA this unit but I'm sure there's a workaround for this than just RMA it to Cisco.

Alex

Alex

[Wei Ting Lin]

I am having the same problem too. I was running 16.12.3 upgrade to 17.8.1 Occurs after upgrade reboot on a 2 9200L-24T-4X stack. but 9200L#1 is fail, #2 is normal, that's really weird.

[kenmunford]

I am having the same issue but on a 9200l-48-4X.  No stack.  Upgrade from 16.12.04 to 17.08.01.  Didn't boot after the activate commit command.

[Alexander Simbun]

My issue is solved. Cisco engineer helped me to fix the problem. We need to boot into ROMMON mode and install the latest firmware, IOS-XE 17.06.03, which resolved the issue. I think it is better to use the latest firmware according to your model and current IOS set.

[ahsansaeed]

hi Alexander

were you ave to solve the issue cam you please provide further details

[Giuseppe Scocuzza]

Hi Alexander, could you explaint better how do you solve the problem? I don't want to send back the switch for a bug that could be solved by myself.

[Alexander Simbun]

Hello all,

Oh my, it's almost two years since my last post. I remember what happened when the Cisco TAC engineer helped me fix the issue. He asked me to download a particular IOS firmware to solve the problem of having mixed C9300 switches in a single stack. The version is Cisco IOS XE Software, Version 17.06.03, which is compatible with these switches,

1. C9300X-24Y

2. C9300-48T

The upgrade process is relatively straightforward. Without this IOS firmware, neither type can form a stack. The previous IOS for both switches is different from each other, and it fails to form a stack due to the differences in the IOS. In short, both need an IOS that can be used.

Alex

[Giuseppe Scocuzza]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your reply. Now I can use only rommon mode and I’ve tried to install 17.06.03, also in emergency-install, but I have always the same error. Do you remember if there is something else to do?

Thanks a lot

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Giuseppe Scocuzza wrote:
but I have always the same error.

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Contact Cisco TAC and organize an RMA because the switch is dead.