Missing iOS | Need Help

[gmcclintock]

Hello everyone I would like to ask for the help of the community to solve a problem I've been having for some time. I have a Catalyst 3500XL series switch that doesn't have an iOS on it (purchased off eBay for my home lab) I've been trying to find an iOS for it here on the cisco website and have been very unlucky. I downloaded an iOS from a shady site that I haven't tried putting it on the switch as of yet mostly because I can't get past the flash_int command, the switch just freezes / locks up after that command and I don't know what else to do. Is there a place for old legacy iOS where I can get an image for this router?

Can anyone help me with this?

[joselgo2]

Hi!

I´m sorry but the ios version you required is the Release 12.0(5)WC7 and is no longer being sold anymore, so you need consider change your equipment for a new one.

greetings!

[D_Lebedev]

Hi,

I have c3500xl-c3h2s-tar.120-5.WC17.tar

[gmcclintock]

I will check to see if this works for me, thanks.......I would also like to mention that when I try to recover/enter rommon mode I am presented with a screen filled with unreadable characters. Can you shine any light on that for me?

[D_Lebedev]

So,if you face with unreadable characters,there are few issues,that can cause problem like yours:

1) Wrong speed and settings on your serial port. Should be 9600-8-N-1 by default.

2) Wrong emulation mode with your console software.Should be VT100 by default.

3) Physical problems with your console cable,serial port/adapter on PC or console controller on the switch is damaged.

4) If you hadn't success serial connection to the same device (3500) it can be so,switch is faulty itself.

Hope it helps.

And don't forget rate helpfull posts. :)

[gmcclintock]

Oh that's not good news but thanks for pointing these things to me, I am able to console in to it sometimes of different terminal but other times I get the unreadable characters. 

Either way I will try to get this IOS loaded and see if it helps me regain control of the device. Thanks 

[gmcclintock]

Ok guys its been a while but I still haven't been able to load the ios on to the device yet. I am actually lost on how to accomplish this task not being able to console into the device normally.