How to restore a Cisco Nexus Switch from loader prompt

[Lucien Avramov]

This videos shows how to restore a Cisco Nexus 5000/2000 series or Cisco Nexus 3000 series switch from the loader> prompt.

Summary steps:

-load kickstart from TFTP server, when not present on bootflash:

-copy kickstart and system images from a TFTP/FTP server

-load system image

-finish the install with install all

[prasadchwdry]

Did you able to resolve you issue??? I do have the same problem. It got stuck in booting mode and not moving forward. Any suggestions please.

[prasadchwdry]

Hi Lucien,

I trying to recover the image from TFTP server, when i ran the boot from TFTP server it got stuck in booting prompt. I waited like half hour but no luck. Any suggestions please.

How do i know is it really booting or it got stuck here???

loader> boot tftp://10.1.220.254/TFTP/n5000-uk9-kickstart.5.2.1.N1.8b.bin
Address: 10.1.220.253
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Server: 10.1.220.254
Gateway: 10.1.220.254
Booting: /TFTP/n5000-uk9-kickstart.5.2.1.N1.8b.bin console=ttyS0,9600n8nn quiet
 loader_ver="pr-1.3"....

[naveenvictory647]

hi my nexus got stuck in loader promt ..i dont have the image s tried to download it from cisco website asking for contract details which i dont have ..i gave sn no looks like warrenty is expired 

please can some body provide the images it will be helpfull for me 

Thanks 

[Seth Hendrix]

I'm having this same issue. I just put the laptop in the rack and hope it resolves itself overnight.

Did you ever come to a conclusion on this?

[shendrix1985]

I'm having a different issue now, but this problem was caused by having the port my laptop and mgmt port set to "switchport mode trunk" instead of "switchport access vlan ##".

[M-a-h-i]

Hi All,

Here is the solution and checks if you face tftp get operation failed at switch(boot).

>If your device in switch (boot) and you are trying to copy the image from TFTP server .

  Check the ping rechablity between your device and TFTP server (In loader prompt ping wont work    whereas in switch(boot) it will work. 

>Check the path between the device and TFTP server, Make sure no issues in the path. 

++++++++++++

ON DEVICE:

++++++++++++

>Check the Ip address ---->switch(boot)#sh ip

>Check the mgmt 0 int status---> switch(boot)#sh int

  >>If Mgmt 0 down, goto configuration mode and enable it

     >>>switch(boot)#conf ter

     >>>switch(boot)#int mgmt 0

     >>>switch(boot)#no shut

>Try to copy the code, If you still facing the tftp get operation failed

 >>Check the default gateway and enable routing

     >>>switch(boot)#conf ter

     >>>switch(boot)#ip default-gateway X.X.X.X

     >>>switch(boot)#ip routing

 >Try to copy the code now, It will work.

[Cisco_Bob]

I got the same issue because the 3548-X has no kickstart or image. Does anyone know if you can use the usb1: or usb2: to boot the kickstart from loader mode? Or with a 3K is TFTP is the only way to boot the kickstart is though TFTP?

[boythanhdat_2012]

Note: I can't ping from tftp or ftp to mgmt0 in (boot) mode (although, in loader> I can).

>>> Solution: assign ip address again in mgmt0 in boot mode. 

Config ter

int m0

ip add x.x.x.x

no shut

exit

[dmcgrath.ca]

Just for search-ability on an issue I ran into with this on a Ubuntu server.

I was getting some "Error 25: Disk read error", which seemed to be grub related, which would result is a truncated file image download every time I would try to copy from tftp://. The issue being that the kickstart files are just a hair over 32MB. It seems that the tftpd I was using doesn't support RFC2348, which limits tftp to 64k x 512b blocks, or 32mb. The RFC2348 allows the blocks up to 64k as well, which yields a 4GB filesize.

I found that in Ubuntu, the aftpd was a drop in replacement, and it "just works (tm)".

Enjoy!

[haithamabdelkader26597]

switch(boot)# copy ftp: bootflash:
Enter source filename: n5000-uk9-kickstart.5.0.3.N2.2.bin
Enter hostname for the ftp server: 192.168.88.100
Enter username: test

( Stuck in username no get the password )

[Semil thai Kandy]

Can we try in new IOS also?

[Semil thai Kandy]

Hi everyone please support i  am having below issue .i cant boot from the loader .it was happen during IOS update..

Loading IGB driver ...
Installing SSE module ... done
Creating the sse device node ... done
Loading I2C driver ...
Installing CCTRL driver for card_type 51 ...
CCTRL driver for card_index 11122 ...
Not Micron SSD...

Checking all filesystems.......
Installing default sprom values ...
done.[ 7.300889] [1704868298] NVRAM Error: (line 166):Can't get sprom hw changes bits from SPROM.
************* WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! *************
* This image is not compatible with *
* the current hardware platform. *
* Rebooting system. *
******************************************************

Stoping third party daemons
Sending all processes the TERM signal...
Sending all processes the KILL signal...
Unmounting filesystems...
[ 19.346337] [1704868311] Restarting system.

CISCO SWITCH Ver4.16
Device detected on 0:6:0 after 0 msecs
Device detected on 0:1:1 after 0 msecs
Device detected on 0:1:0 after 0 msecs
MCFrequency 1333Mhz
Relocated to memory
Time: 1/10/2024 6:32:2
Pre-Reserving Memory Bar of size 8000000 for root-port B0|D1C|F0 7ffffff 4
Detected CISCO IOFPGA
MIFPGA Present
Code Signing Results: 0x0
Using Upgrade FPGA
Booting from Primary Bios
FPGA Revison : 0x40000005
FPGA ID : 0x1541166
FPGA Date : 0x20160608
Power Debug Register: 0x0
Reset Cause Register: 0x80000000
Boot Ctrl Register : 0xe0ff
FPGA Update Status : 0x20
Detected CISCO MIFPGA
FPGA Update Status : 0x20
Version 2.16.1240. Copyright (C) 2013 American Megatrends, Inc.
Board type 2
IOFPGA @ 0xc8000000
SLOT_ID @ 0xf
Press ctrl C to go to loader prompt in 2 secs
Aborting config file read and autoboot
No autoboot or failed autoboot. falling to loader

Loader Version 8.26

loader > help

[Sky-net]

@Semil thai Kandy 

Tendras que volver y setear la version anterior de imagen. Que imagenes disponibles tienes en dir bootflash: ? Favor sube una captura e indica las imagenes nuevas que te dieron error

[stuart99]

I know I'm resurrecting an old thread but hopefully someone is still around to answer my question.

I have a Nexus 6000 and I did a factory reset on it, this deleted all the files/firmware so I used the video from this thread in an attempt to get the machine back up and running.

I have both firmware files on the machine (n6000-uk9-kickstart.7.3.12.N1.1.bin and n6000-uk9.7.3.12.N1.1.bin) but the system is still booting to the loader prompt.

At the loader prompt I can boot the kickstart file and then at the 'switch(boot)#' prompt I can boot the main file and I can login in to the switch.

What do I need to do to get the switch to automatically boot the firmware files rather than me having to type the command in each time?

Thanks.

[stuart99]

I've looked at this again. I think the issue is with the 'install all' command, it gets as far as the 'images will be upgraded according to the following table', it shows then table and then just drops to the 'switch#' prompt, I don't get asked 'Do you want to continue with the installation (y/n)' - 11:30 in the video above.