PIX 515 Memory Question

[hareskhan]

Hi,

I am using a PIX 515 (its not 515E), it had two 32MB DIMM (=64MB RAM) and is running 6.2(2) ver PIX OS. I am planning of upgrading the OS to 7.0(4) and had ordered PIX-515-MEM-128.

I removed the two 32 MB RAM DIMMs and installed the 128 MB one, but the "show version" still gives

ixfirewall> sh ver

Cisco PIX Firewall Version 6.2(2)

Cisco PIX Device Manager Version 2.1(1)

Compiled on Fri 07-Jun-02 17:49 by morlee

pixfirewall up 4 mins 10 secs

Hardware: PIX-515, 64 MB RAM, CPU Pentium 200 MHz

Flash i28F640J5 @ 0x300, 16MB

BIOS Flash AT29C257 @ 0xfffd8000, 32KB

0: ethernet0: address is 0003.6bf7.4ee4, irq 11

1: ethernet1: address is 0003.6bf7.4ee5, irq 10

2: ethernet2: address is 00e0.b602.20c7, irq 7

3: ethernet3: address is 00e0.b602.20c6, irq 7

4: ethernet4: address is 00e0.b602.20c5, irq 7

5: ethernet5: address is 00e0.b602.20c4, irq 7

Licensed Features:

Failover: Enabled

VPN-DES: Enabled

VPN-3DES: Enabled

Maximum Interfaces: 6

Cut-through Proxy: Enabled

Guards: Enabled

URL-filtering: Enabled

Inside Hosts: Unlimited

Throughput: Unlimited

IKE peers: Unlimited

Please help what is wrong, why is it not showing 128MB RAM?

Thanks in advance.

Hares

[stomasko]

Are you sure the 515 supports a single 128 MB module? This document seems to point towards only support 2 64 MB chips.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_installation_guide_chapter09186a00803d246a.html#wp1026926

Hope this helps.

Steve

[hareskhan]

Steve,

Thank you for your response. When I was thinking of upgrading, I did look for the PIX-515-MEM-64= DIMMS but I didn't find them anywhere (atleast the places I searched like CDW & INGRAM) which was the reason, I purchased the PIX-515-MEM-128 DIMM. The document you showed doesn't say anywhere that the PIX 515 doesn't support one single 128MB DIMM. Infact if you look at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_installation_guide_chapter09186a00800f6104_4container_ccmigration_09186a00801e8931.html#1026926 it says

Note: Do not install a 64 MB DIMM in a PIX 515. You will not be able to properly replace the top panel because of the height of a 64 MB DIMM. Operating a PIX Firewall chassis without a top panel installed may cause damage to the unit.

Please advice. Yes, this PIX has a Unrestricted Failover License.

[fzamora]

Hi,

What type of license do your PIX have? You cut off the part where it provides the info.

Please check the table below:

Minimum Memory Requirements

If you are a PIX 515 or PIX 515E user with a PIX Version 6.3, you will need to upgrade your memory before performing an upgrade to PIX Security appliance Version 7.0. PIX Security appliance Version 7.0 requires at least 64 MB of RAM for Restricted (R) licenses and 128 MB of RAM for Unrestricted (UR) and Failover (FO) licenses

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/iaabu/pix/pix_sw/v_70/pix_upgd/pixupgrd.htm#wp1032446

Hope it helps.

Franco Zamora

[stomasko]

His issue is the PIX not recognizing the memory upgrade. The question is why is a 128MB chip showing as 64MB in the config. Does a 515 running 6.2(2) need to be upgraded in order to reconginze the additional RAM or does he need to use 2 64MB chips instead?

Also, doesn't the fact that Failover is enabled and unlimited connections signal it is an unrestricted license?

[hareskhan]

Thank you for your response Franco. My PIX has a Unrestricted (UR) and Failover (FO) licenses, which was the reason I ordered the PIX-515-MEM-128= DIMM. I was confused by the note

Note Do not install a 64 MB DIMM in a PIX 515. You will not be able to properly replace the top panel because of the height of a 64 MB DIMM. Operating a PIX Firewall chassis without a top panel installed may cause damage to the unit

in http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_installation_guide_chapter09186a00800f6104_4container_ccmigration_09186a00801e8931.html#1026926

which was the reason I ordered the 128DIMM which show as 64MB RAM in show version. Please advice if I should return these DIMMs or should I try upgrading from 6.2(2) to 6.3(5) and see if 6.3(5) might detect all 128MB RAM.

Thanks again.

[hareskhan]

Anyone any idea what my next step should be? I want this 128MB DIMM to be detected as 128MB and not 64MB :(

Thanks in advance.

Hares

[boschrexroth]

If you get an answer to this, please let us know.

I just purchased my 128MB upgrade so I can go to Version 7.0 and hope I don't run into the same issue.

[insccisco]

I am on the same situation.

I have a 515E, with 32mb RAM and I need to upgrade it to 128MB but now I am really not sure if I should buy 2 64MB dimms or a single 128mb dimm

Please can anyone advice

[wharrison2000]

What you have is a restricted license issue. I know that your interface # indicate otherwise. Right down to your upgrade to 7.04 will work

Bill Harrison

Cisco Instructor

See post on licensing issues

[boschrexroth]

How do you determine whether you have a unrestricted or resticted license. I show the same thing as above and now I don't know if I have a unrestricted licence.

Also, my memory upgrade came with two 64MB memory modules. Will they install properly or will I have the height issue that was mentioned?

Thanks.

[dflick]

Other poster is correct. The maximum memory that the PIX 515 can support is 64MB PER SLOT totaling to 128M. Since the PIX can only address a maximum of 64MB per slot, the PIX BIOS will only use the first 64MB that it sees on your 128MB stick of RAM. To upgrade to the E version, you need memory as well as a daughter card for encryption.

[hareskhan]

Guys, I figured out the solution. To upgrade from 64MB to 128MB, you will have to install 2 * 64MB in the PIX. You cannot install a 128MB dimm, I am not even sure if there exists one because the one I got originally were 64MB and not 128MB which is why they were showing up at 64MB. I found this out after calling the vendor from whom I purchased it. Each DIMM was actually 64MB and not 128MB.