Replaced 5508-X and swapped over original SSD to no avail

[fbeye]

Hello.

My old 5508-X was a V1 and it crashed and was not qualified for replacement (I have no contract) so I went out and got a new/er one (V5) and everything turns on beautifully and loads my SSD (though it didn't load the config) and so I restored from the backup I had on my PC.. It loaded the backup awesome, it all works, until I get some major errors and it reloads to default.

Now I knew I could have problems and I accept that. TBH I am 100% for formatting the SSD and starting from scratch. But here are the errors: (Side note, ORIGINAL is ASA Version 9.6(2)2 and replacement 5508-X is 9.5(1). I dont care which version I have, I just wanna know it saves after reload)

Attempt autoboot: "boot disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA"
Directory asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA not found
Unable to load asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA

boot: error executing "boot disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA"
Attempt autoboot: "boot disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA"
Directory asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA not found
Unable to load asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA

boot: error executing "boot disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA"
Attempt autoboot: "boot disk0:"
Located 'asa951-lfbff-k8.SPA' @ cluster 11.

There are differences between boot sector and its backup.
Differences: (offset:original/backup)
65:01/00
Not automatically fixing this.
INFO: Unable to read cluster interface-mode from flash
Writing default mode "None" to flash

[Marvin Rhoads]

It appears the configuration you restored is pointing to a boot image of asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA. You mentioned the new ASA has installed 9.5(1). Correct the boot variable in the startup-config to match the actual boot file on disk0 and it should get you past that error.

By the way, the SSD is NOT disk0. Your ASA's disk0 is flash memory while the SSD is s sold state drive used by the Firepower service module (if and when it is active)

[fbeye]

Alright that makes sense but I do not know the original asa image name. I have no idea how it made SSD Disk 0.. I kind of really am unsure what to do, but I understand "what" to do.

Would I simply type

boot system disk0:/asa951-lfbff-k8.SPA

Also, Looking at my original working config, it also says "boot system disk0:/" and it has worked that way..?

[Marvin Rhoads]

You can check and confirm the file actually on disk0 with the "dir" command - it works even in rommon mode.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/asa95/configuration/general/asa-95-general-config/admin-swconfig.html#ID-2152-00000497

[fbeye]

ciscoasa(config)# dir

Directory of disk0:/

44 -rwx 74369568 20:13:08 Sep 23 2017 asa951-lfbff-k8.SPA
45 -rwx 25025404 20:13:28 Sep 23 2017 asdm-751.bin
46 -rwx 90 20:35:24 Jan 18 2021 .boot_string
11 drwx 4096 20:16:32 Sep 23 2017 log
21 drwx 4096 20:17:24 Sep 23 2017 crypto_archive
22 drwx 4096 20:17:26 Sep 23 2017 coredumpinfo
47 -rwx 2686 20:47:00 Jan 18 2021 fr_customization.po
48 -rwx 30550994 20:46:54 Jan 18 2021 anyconnect-win-4.4.04030-webdeploy-k9.pkg
49 -rwx 4149 20:47:00 Jan 18 2021 fr_PortForwarder.po
50 -rwx 34638 20:47:00 Jan 18 2021 fr_webvpn.po
51 -rwx 2927 20:47:00 Jan 18 2021 ja_customization.po
52 -rwx 4481 20:47:01 Jan 18 2021 ja_PortForwarder.po
53 -rwx 36989 20:47:01 Jan 18 2021 ja_webvpn.po
54 -rwx 3101 20:47:01 Jan 18 2021 ru_customization.po
55 -rwx 4932 20:47:01 Jan 18 2021 ru_PortForwarder.po
56 -rwx 42083 20:47:02 Jan 18 2021 ru_webvpn.po
57 -rwx 9775 20:47:05 Jan 18 2021 startup-config.cfg

ciscoasa(config)# boot system disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA
ERROR: Unable to set this url, it has already been set
Remove the first instance before adding this one
ciscoasa(config)# no boot system disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA
ciscoasa(config)# boot system disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA
WARNING: BOOT variable added, but unable to find disk0:/asa964-42-lfbff-k8.SPA

I just am at such a loss.

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

Your disk0 contains only one ASA image: asa951-lfbff-k8.SPA

So you need to tell the ASA to boot that image:

boot system disk0:/asa951-lfbff-k8.SPA

[fbeye]

It reboots without the errors which is nice but it won’t save the running-config to startup-config after I’ve changed it.

it says Configuration registrar is 0x41, is that the right one?

[fbeye]

Well, don’t know if it is correct or not but it now saves my configuration. I did confreg 3 and now it saves it. 

But the issue at hand in the topic, you resolved, so I thank you . 

[Marvin Rhoads · Accepted solution]

The command reference explains the config-register values here:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/asa-cli-reference/A-H/asa-command-ref-A-H/clf-crx-commands.html#wp8225270190

Your earlier 0x41 means "Ignores the startup configuration and loads the default configuration".

Value 0x3 means "boots the image specified in the first boot system command".

The default ASA config-register value (and recommended for most installations) is 0x1 which means "Boots the image specified by the first boot system local_flash command. If that image does not load, the ASA tries to boot each image specified by subsequent boot system commands until it boots successfully."

[fbeye]

Awesome link, thank you. Thank you for all of the information.