Solved: cisco 4431 rommon 17.6.1 and rommon 16.12(2r)

ricky9779 · ‎01-11-2025

Hi,

I am working on multiple cisco 4431 routers, some router rommon version is 16.12(2r) which is latest according to cisco download center. and some routers are on 17.6.1 (bootstrap). How to download rommon version 17.6.1 or is there any way i can extract rommon file from router. i have attached output of the boot routers

Here is the output of router which is on 16.12(2r)

router1#sh platform
Chassis type: ISR4431/K9

Slot Type State Insert time (ago)
--------- ------------------- --------------------- -----------------
0 ISR4431/K9 ok 01:01:17
0/0 ISR4431-X-4x1GE ok 00:59:43
0/1 NIM-ES2-8 ok 00:59:43
0/2 NIM-8MFT-T1/E1 ok 00:59:43
R0 ISR4431/K9 ok, active 01:01:17
F0 ISR4431/K9 ok, active 01:01:17
P0 Unknown empty never
P1 PWR-4430-AC ok 01:00:19
P2 ACS-4430-FANASSY ok 01:00:19

Slot CPLD Version Firmware Version
--------- ------------------- ---------------------------------------
0 19042950 16.12(2r)
R0 19042950 16.12(2r)
F0 19042950 16.12(2r)

router1#sh rom-monitor r0
==========================================================

Here is output of router 2 which is on rommon/ bootstrap 17.6.1

router2#sh platform
Chassis type: ISR4431/K9

Slot Type State Insert time (ago)
--------- ------------------- --------------------- -----------------
0 ISR4431/K9 ok 1d01h
0/0 ISR4431-X-4x1GE ok 1d01h
R0 ISR4431/K9 ok, active 1d01h
F0 ISR4431/K9 ok, active 1d01h
P0 Unknown empty never
P1 PWR-4430-AC ok 1d01h
P2 ACS-4430-FANASSY ok 1d01h

Slot CPLD Version Firmware Version
--------- ------------------- ---------------------------------------
0 19042950 17.6.1
R0 19042950 17.6.1
F0 19042950 17.6.1

router2#sh rom-monitor r0
==========================================================

ricky9779 · ‎01-13-2025

@Flavio Miranda @Leo Laohoo

Thank you for support...

After 5 hours of troubleshooting with cisco TAC team and trying every intermediate ios xe version. router does not boot in 17.0.xx
After Cisco type a command "fsck bootflash:" got some output, something like.. boot flash is busy... and more.
After that i run command on routers where ios xe version is 17.0.xxx or later but did not find any error. and on other hands which i tried same command on those routers which are unable to boot into 17.0.xx they all give some.

Final conclusion is HW issue and in future. always run this "fsck bootflash:" if this command gives some error in output and do not update router.

View solution in original post

Flavio Miranda · ‎01-11-2025

@ricky9779

You can download only the version 16.12(2r) . Cisco has change how rommon is handled. You need to upgrade the IOS in order to upgrade the rommon.

"From Cisco IOS XE Release 17.6.1 onwards, the ROMMON image will not be released as a standalone package, and will be packaged with the IOS XE image. 17.6.1 ROMMON will only be used in devices with manufacturing date equal or later than 2535. You can view your device manufacturing date with the CLI command show license udi . For example,

elixir_p1b_11#show  license udi 
	UDI: PID:C1131X-8PWB, SN: FGL2451L5MJ

The device manufacturing date in this example is 2451."

ricky9779 · ‎01-11-2025

@Flavio Miranda
hi,

I have router whose manufacturing date is less than 2535, still has rommom 17.6.1.

router2#sh rom-monitor r0
==========================================================

router2#show license udi
UDI: PID:ISR4431/K9,SN:FOC24284XFN

@Flavio Miranda wrote:
@ricky9779
You can download only the version 16.12(2r) . Cisco has change how rommon is handled. You need to upgrade the IOS in order to upgrade the rommon.
"From Cisco IOS XE Release 17.6.1 onwards, the ROMMON image will not be released as a standalone package, and will be packaged with the IOS XE image. 17.6.1 ROMMON will only be used in devices with manufacturing date equal or later than 2535. You can view your device manufacturing date with the CLI command show license udi . For example,
elixir_p1b_11#show  license udi 
	UDI: PID:C1131X-8PWB, SN: FGL2451L5MJ
The device manufacturing date in this example is 2451."

ricky9779 · ‎01-11-2025

Hi,
I'm doing router upgradation activity for my organization, having cisco 4431 routers more than 800, but some routers are stuck in bootloop after installing 17.09.05a or later.
Is there is any solution to fix this.

Leo Laohoo · ‎01-11-2025

Console into the router and reboot.

Post the entire boot-up process.

ricky9779 · ‎01-12-2025

Yes, but I want to install , 17.09.x later,

Leo Laohoo · ‎01-12-2025

@ricky9779 wrote:
but some routers are stuck in bootloop after installing 17.09.05a or later.

Wut? Please explain.

A router upgrading direct from 17.3.X (and earlier), to 17.12.X (and later), will go into an uncontrolled boot-crash-loop. This is because the router needs to be upgraded to in "intermediate" version like 17.6.X or 17.9.X. Cisco developers have kept everyone (including Cisco TAC) in the dark with this information.

The only way to gain back control of the runaway router is to forcefully break the boot-crash-loop into ROMMON and force the router to boot the previous/old version.

ricky9779 · ‎01-12-2025

@Leo Laohoo wrote:
@ricky9779 wrote:
but some routers are stuck in bootloop after installing 17.09.05a or later.
Wut? Please explain.
A router upgrading direct from 17.3.X (and earlier), to 17.12.X (and later), will go into an uncontrolled boot-crash-loop. This is because the router needs to be upgraded to in "intermediate" version like 17.6.X or 17.9.X. Cisco developers have kept everyone (including Cisco TAC) in the dark with this information.
The only way to gain back control of the runaway router is to forcefully break the boot-crash-loop into ROMMON and force the router to boot the previous/old version.

no, i have directly upgrade router from ios xe version 3.16 to 17.12.4a without any issue.

Flavio Miranda · ‎01-12-2025

Alright, then all you need to do is install ROMMON 16.12(2r), which is the last one available to download and will be enough for you.

ricky9779 · ‎01-12-2025

@Flavio Miranda wrote:
Alright, then all you need to do is install ROMMON 16.12(2r), which is the last one available to download and will be enough for you.

I have installed latest rommon 16.12(2r), but stuck in bootloop after installing IOS XE17.09.4a or 17.12.5a

Flavio Miranda · ‎01-12-2025

Can I see the log?

ricky9779 · ‎01-12-2025

@Flavio Miranda wrote:
Can I see the log?

Initializing Hardware ...

Checking for PCIe device presence...done
System integrity status: 0x610
Rom image verified correctly