C9200 software downgrade

[mauricio2099]

Hello,

I didn't realize and installed Amsterdam version 17 to my 9200 which was running Gibraltar 16.12.04 y was supposed to install Gibraltar 16.12.5 but I messed it up.
I ran the install activate command but didn't go for the reload when prompted to do it. (just realized i had the wrong version)

I am afraid to reload the switches and the Amsterdam 17 doesn't work for them and then get in troubles

How can I uninstall Amsterdam  or use previous Gibraltar version?

Regards!

[balaji.bandi · Accepted solution]

Look at the downgrade steps :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9200/software/release/17-1/release_notes/ol-17-1-9200.html#task_tql_4qk_5jb

[mauricio2099]

Hello Balaji, Thanks for your help.

From the document I see I can uninstall the wrong software version 17 with the install remove inactive command. Please help me to confirm the following.

This is my switch output before I run this command:

myswitch#sh install active
[ Switch 1 2 ] Active Package(s) Information:
State (St): I - Inactive, U - Activated & Uncommitted,
C - Activated & Committed, D - Deactivated & Uncommitted
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Type St Filename/Version
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMG C 16.12.4.0.4480

myswitch#

#sh ver
Cisco IOS XE Software, Version 16.12.04
Cisco IOS Software [Gibraltar], Catalyst L3 Switch Software (CAT9K_LITE_IOSXE), Version 16.12.4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc5)

I assume i don't have to do anything else but run the command if I want to keep my running version, right?
After I run install remove inactive command, if I reboot my switch, will it come back with the current running version 16.12.04? 

These are the files in flash: The ones from Apr 10 came with the switch, I think are enough.
78 391255060 Apr 10 2021 19:50:06.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
79 40633301 Apr 10 2021 19:51:02.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-rpboot.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
80 4576276 Apr 10 2021 19:50:07.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
81 10171408 Apr 10 2021 19:50:08.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-webui.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
83 482403517 Jul 30 2021 19:37:03.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.bin
84 426931224 Jul 30 2021 19:42:28.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-rpbase.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
85 40648801 Jul 30 2021 19:43:22.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-rpboot.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
86 4133912 Jul 30 2021 19:42:28.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-srdriver.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
87 11031572 Jul 30 2021 19:42:28.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite-webui.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
88 4919 Jul 30 2021 19:43:22.0000000000 +00:00 cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.conf

Regards,

[Leo Laohoo]

Before making any attempt to downgrade, read the Release Notes very carefully because not all switches can support 16.X.X. 

Unlike the classic IOS archive extraction script, IOS-XE extraction script is very "dumb":  The script does not perform a software compatibility check--  A 9200/9200L will unpack/extract the package files meant for 9300/9300L, 9400, 9500 & 9600 (and vice versa) when this should not be allowed.

In another example, the Install Mode script "allow" 17.2.X (and earlier) packages to be extracted on a Catalyst 9300-48H model (first supported on 17.3.1).

[mauricio2099]

Hello Leo thanks for your reply, 

In this case i want to go back to the switch version it had before I messed it up installing Amsterdam 17. 
I want to uninstall whatever I installed with v17 and keep the version the switch is running. 
And I will reload the switch after to make sure it works.

Regards,

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@mauricio2099 wrote:

And I will reload the switch after to make sure it works.

---

No, it will depend on what the boot variable string is pointing to. 

If the boot variable string is pointing to a file called "packages.conf" then each content of this file needs to be examined.  Take note, each content of the file.  This means checking each switch to make sure the "packages.conf" file is configured for the same package version. 

To check what the boot variable string is pointing to: sh boot

To examine the "packages.conf" file, use the following command:  more flash-1:packages.conf | begin for CAT

Check each switch member.  

If each switch member are all pointing to the correct version, reboot the stack and then clean up the flash so no one will accidentally boot the wrong version next time.  

[mauricio2099]

Hello Leo, very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

#sh boot

Boot Variables on next reload:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;
Manual Boot = no
Enable Break = no
Boot Mode = DEVICE
iPXE Timeout = 0

more flash-1:packages.conf

boot rp 0 0 rp_boot cat9k_lite-rpboot.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_base cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_daemons cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_iosd cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_security cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_webui cat9k_lite-webui.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 srdriver cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso fp 0 0 fp cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso cc 0 0 cc cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso cc 0 0 cc_srdriver cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg

Other lines in the output are commented #

And this is shown from switch2

more flash-2:packages.conf

boot rp 0 0 rp_boot cat9k_lite-rpboot.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_base cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_daemons cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_iosd cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_security cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 rp_webui cat9k_lite-webui.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso rp 0 0 srdriver cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso fp 0 0 fp cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso cc 0 0 cc cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
iso cc 0 0 cc_srdriver cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg

Other lines in the output are commented #

Then no indication that packages.conf points to the wrong version 17.

[mauricio2099]

I want to share the actions taken. Where files for the right version were preserved and files for the wrong version were removed.

1. Remove files for version 17

#install remove inactive

install_remove: START Wed Aug 4 15:34:42 UTC 2021
Aug 4 15:34:45.135 %INSTALL-5-INSTALL_START_INFO: R0/0: install_engine: Started install remove
Cleaning up unnecessary package files
No path specified, will use booted path flash:packages.conf
Cleaning flash:
Scanning boot directory for packages ... done.
Preparing packages list to delete ...
cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-rpboot.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-webui.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
packages.conf
File is in use, will not delete.
done.

Cleaning up unnecessary package files
No path specified, will use booted path flash:packages.conf
Cleaning flash:
Scanning boot directory for packages ... done.
Preparing packages list to delete ...
cat9k_lite-rpbase.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-rpboot.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-srdriver.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
cat9k_lite-webui.16.12.04.SPA.pkg
File is in use, will not delete.
packages.conf
File is in use, will not delete.
done.

The following files will be deleted:
[switch 1]:
/flash/cat9k_lite-rpbase.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-rpboot.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-srdriver.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-webui.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.bin
/flash/cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.conf
[switch 2]:
/flash/cat9k_lite-rpbase.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-rpboot.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-srdriver.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite-webui.17.03.03.SPA.pkg
/flash/cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.bin
/flash/cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.conf

Do you want to remove the above files? [y/n]y
[switch 1]:
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-rpbase.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-rpboot.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-srdriver.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-webui.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.bin ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.conf ... done.
SUCCESS: Files deleted.
[switch 2]:
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-rpbase.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-rpboot.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-srdriver.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite-webui.17.03.03.SPA.pkg ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.bin ... done.
Deleting file flash:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.03.03.SPA.conf ... done.
SUCCESS: Files deleted.
--- Starting Post_Remove_Cleanup ---
Performing Post_Remove_Cleanup on all members
[1] Post_Remove_Cleanup package(s) on switch 1
[1] Finished Post_Remove_Cleanup on switch 1
[2] Post_Remove_Cleanup package(s) on switch 2
[2] Finished Post_Remove_Cleanup on switch 2
Checking status of Post_Remove_Cleanup on [1 2]
Post_Remove_Cleanup: Passed on [1 2]
Finished Post_Remove_Cleanup

SUCCESS: install_remove Wed Aug 4 15:37:26 UTC 2021
Aug 4 15:37:27.428 %INSTALL-5-INSTALL_COMPLETED_INFO: R0/0: install_engine: Completed install remove
#

2.Save config
#wr mem
3. Reload switch
#reload

Reload command is being issued on Active unit, this will reload the whole stack
Proceed with reload? [confirm]

The switch reboot fine on version 16 as expected and all services working.