1601-R not loading boot image on power cycle

[itdepartment]

Recently, one of my companies/customers 1601-R's has been stopping at the bootstrap (rommon) prompt and not loading the boot image upon a power cycle. I verified the config reg is set to 2101 via a show version (below).

It becomes a problem for them when I'm not on site if there is a power issue as they have to link up serially and issue a "reset" command to get the router out of rommon mode. Also a problem on nights and weekends when no one is on site.

Is there something simple I'm forgetting to look for? Any ideas?

Thanks!

SHOW VERSION RESULTS:

Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software

IOS (tm) 1600 Software (C1600-OY-M), Version 12.0(3), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Copyright (c) 1986-1999 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Compiled Mon 08-Feb-99 21:06 by phanguye

Image text-base: 0x02005000, data-base: 0x024A680C

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.0(3)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

ROM: 1600 Software (C1600-RBOOT-R), Version 12.0(3)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

1601-R uptime is 18 hours, 46 minutes

System restarted by power-on

System image file is "flash:c1600-0y-mz.120-3.T"

cisco 1601 (68360) processor (revision C) with 24064K/512K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID 16973126, with hardware revision 00000002

Bridging software.

X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.

1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)

1 Serial(sync/async) network interface(s)

System/IO memory with parity disabled

8192K bytes of DRAM onboard 16384K bytes of DRAM on SIMM

System running from RAM

8K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.

4096K bytes of processor board PCMCIA flash (Read/Write)

Configuration register is 0x2102

[itdepartment]

Anyone? Help!

[itdepartment]

...

[thisisshanky]

What message do you get during startup....????

Can you paste those ..........

[itdepartment]

It just boots into ROMMON:

(rommon# >)

Just a second ago, I found a link off Google that pointed to an old post here where another user had the exact same problem. It was suggested that; if the console cable was plugged in, the 1601 would run bootstrap, else, it would load the image as required. I won't have time to try that for a bit as it's a 24/7 unit, however, it appears to have resolved his issue. Very weird! I called a buddy who's just finishing up his CCE training and he never heard of such an issue either, so it's nothing new!

Does this ring a bell?

Thanks!

[thisisshanky]

Nah!

That sounds weird to me toooo......

What do you get when you try to initialize the IOS, with an "i" + hit enter.....??? Does it boot ????

[itdepartment]

Haven't tried that. I would always just; "reset & enter". That would reset the router and load the IOS.

I'm going to e-mail the person who helped out the first guy and ask how he knew the console cable was the issue for the 1601. My buddy asked his Certified Cisco Instructor, and he didn't even know!

I'll post the response here if it's ok with the responder.