Core Issue
This error message may be caused by an issue with the TFTP server program or the image may be wrong for the router.
Resolution
If the router is a Cisco 3661 or 3662 series, it could have an Enterprise or a Telco chassis.
To resolve this issue, perform these steps:
- Software versions cannot be interchanged between these two types of chassis and produce this error message. Before upgrading, identify the chassis type by issuing the show version command, as shown in this example:
3660#show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) 3600 Software (C3660-TELCOENT-M), Version 12.1(5)T12, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
TAC Support: http://www.cisco.com/tac
Copyright (c) 1986-2002 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon 04-Feb-02 09:14 by ccai
Image text-base: 0x60008960, data-base: 0x615C0000
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.0(6r)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
crnetoheatn1a1 uptime is 3 days, 21 hours, 33 minutes
System returned to ROM by reload
System image file is "flash:c3660-telcoent-mz.121-5.T12.bin"
Cisco c3660-telco (R527x) processor (revision C0) with 254976K/7168K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID JMX0620K1V0
R527x CPU at 225Mhz, Implementation 40, Rev 10.0, 2048KB L2 Cache
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).
TN3270 Emulation software.
3660 Chassis type: TELCO
2 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
2 Serial network interface(s)
8 Low-speed serial(sync/async) network interface(s)
64 terminal line(s)
DRAM configuration is 64 bits wide with parity disabled.
125K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
65536K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)
16384K bytes of processor board PCMCIA Slot1 flash (Read/Write)
Configuration register is 0x2102
This example shows that the router is a Telco chassis. Therefore, any non-Telco Cisco IOS Software image will not work on this router and the error message is displayed. In the same way, if it was an Enterprise chassis, a Telco Cisco IOS Software image would not work and the error message would be displayed. - Make sure the right image for the hardware has been downloaded by referring to the Find software compatible with my hardware section of Software Advisor as well as the Cisco IOS Upgrade Planner.
- If the error message is still displayed after verifying the image for the hardware, perform these steps:
- If you are using the Cisco TFTP server version 1.1, go to View > Options > Menu and uncheck the Show file transfer progress and Enable logging checkboxes.
- Try the TFTP transfer again. If the message still appears, try another TFTP server program or answer n when prompted to abort the copy, as shown in this example:
%Warning: File not a valid executable for this system
Abort Copy? [confirm] n
Note: This should cause no problem as long as the image is actually the correct image for the hardware.
