Cisco 3504 image 8.5.161 turns into version 8.7.106 after uploading

[Eric Boers]

Hi All,

I just upgraded a Cisco 3504 from version 8.5.140.0 to 8.5.161.0.  Just as normal routine, but something strange happens:

After the upgrade version 8.5.161.0 turn into version 8.7.106.0.

Sounds weird,but luckely i have the logs:

******Check this: The primary is version 8.5.140 and backup 8.5.135.0

(Cisco Controller) >show ap image all

Total number of APs.............................. 2
Number of APs
Initiated....................................... 0
Downloading..................................... 0
Predownloading.................................. 0
Completed predownloading........................ 0
Not Supported................................... 0
Failed to Predownload........................... 0

Predownload Predownload Flexconnect
AP Name Primary Image Backup Image Status Version Next Retry Time Retry Count Predownload
------------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- ------------ --------------
AP_1E 8.5.140.0 8.5.135.0 None None NA NA
AP_BG 8.5.140.0 8.5.135.0 None None NA NA

*****After uploading version 8.5.161.0 into the controller i did a predownloading to the APs:--- so far the version is still 8.5.161.0 ( downloaded the file today with size 296 MB).

(Cisco Controller) >show ap image all

Total number of APs.............................. 2
Number of APs
Initiated....................................... 0
Downloading..................................... 0
Predownloading.................................. 2
Completed predownloading........................ 0
Not Supported................................... 0
Failed to Predownload........................... 0

Predownload Predownload Flexconnect
AP Name Primary Image Backup Image Status Version Next Retry Time Retry Count Predownload
------------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- ------------ --------------
AP_1E 8.5.140.0 8.5.135.0 Predownloading 8.5.161.0 NA 0
AP_BG 8.5.140.0 8.5.135.0 Predownloading 8.5.161.0 NA 0

*****The predownloading is ready and as you can see the backupimage is now 8.5.161.0 and ready to swap:

(Cisco Controller) >show ap image all

Total number of APs.............................. 2
Number of APs
Initiated....................................... 0
Downloading..................................... 0
Predownloading.................................. 0
Completed predownloading........................ 2
Not Supported................................... 0
Failed to Predownload........................... 0

Predownload Predownload Flexconnect
AP Name Primary Image Backup Image Status Version Next Retry Time Retry Count Predownload
------------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- ------------ --------------
AP_1E 8.5.140.0 8.5.161.0 Complete 8.5.161.0 NA NA
AP_BG 8.5.140.0 8.5.161.0 Complete 8.5.161.0 NA NA

*****After the swap the primary image is now 8.5.161.0 as expected.

(Cisco Controller) >show ap image all

Total number of APs.............................. 2
Number of APs
Initiated....................................... 0
Downloading..................................... 0
Predownloading.................................. 0
Completed predownloading........................ 2
Not Supported................................... 0
Failed to Predownload........................... 0

Predownload Predownload Flexconnect
AP Name Primary Image Backup Image Status Version Next Retry Time Retry Count Predownload
------------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- ------------ --------------
AP_1E 8.5.161.0 8.5.140.0 Complete 8.5.161.0 NA NA
AP_BG 8.5.161.0 8.5.140.0 Complete 8.5.161.0 NA NA

****After the reboot of the 3504 controller the image is now 8.7.106!

(Cisco Controller) >show ap image all

Total number of APs.............................. 2
Number of APs
Initiated....................................... 0
Downloading..................................... 0
Predownloading.................................. 0
Completed predownloading........................ 0
Not Supported................................... 0
Failed to Predownload........................... 0

Predownload Predownload Flexconnect
AP Name Primary Image Backup Image Status Version Next Retry Time Retry Count Predownload
------------------ -------------- -------------- --------------- -------------- ---------------- ------------ --------------
AP_BG 8.7.106.0 8.5.140.0 None None NA NA
AP_1E 8.7.106.0 8.5.140.0 None None NA NA

I have no problems with this release, but i can imagine that the "version swap" could lead to some misunderstanding when having issue's and need some TAC advice. 

Note: I Also updated Cisco 5520's with 8.5.161.0 and those controllers showing the right version, so it seems to be a WLC 3504 issue as far as i can tell.

[rafafilho11]

What the commands below are showing:

show boot

show sysinfo

[Eric Boers · Accepted solution]

Hi rafafilho11,

It seems that 8.7.106.0 is the default and the active image.

According to the documents: after upgrade the WLC automaticaly upgrade, the new image would become active and the previous image (8.5.140) would become the backup image.

To explain the experienced behavior: There is just a important detail: it depends of which image is default and active.

I think 8.7.106 was previous the primary image, but not active.  The 8.5.140.0 was actualy the backup image and  active as boot.

After upgrading to version 8.5.161 this update became indeed the primary and the previous 8.7.106.0 version the backup image as writen in the Cisco manuals.  But the previous backup image setting kept default and active and loading the new backup image 8.7.106.0.

I already made the primary boot active now and works fine with 8.5.161.0.

Lessons learned: dont trust the gui about the primary version, check first cli boot to be sure.

Thanks for mentioning the boot status.

(Cisco Controller) >show boot
Primary Boot Image............................... 8.5.161.0
Backup Boot Image................................ 8.7.106.0 (default) (active)

(Cisco Controller) >
(Cisco Controller) >
(Cisco Controller) >show sys?
sysinfo syslog system
(Cisco Controller) >show sysinfo

Manufacturer's Name.............................. Cisco Systems Inc.
Product Name..................................... Cisco Controller
Product Version.................................. 8.7.106.0
RTOS Version..................................... 8.7.106.0
Bootloader Version............................... 8.5.103.0
Emergency Image Version.......................... 8.5.103.0

OUI File Last Update Time........................ N/A
Build Type....................................... DATA + WPS

System Name...................................... WLC
System Location..................................
System Contact...................................
System ObjectID.................................. 1.3.6.1.4.1.9.1.2427
Redundancy Mode.................................. Disabled
IP Address....................................... 172.16.1.12
IPv6 Address..................................... ::
Last Reset....................................... Soft reset due to RST_SOFT_RST write
System Up Time................................... 0 days 3 hrs 50 mins 27 secs
System Timezone Location......................... (GMT +1:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Rome, Vienna
System Stats Realtime Interval................... 5

--More-- or (q)uit
System Stats Normal Interval..................... 180

Configured Country............................... NL - Netherlands
Operating Environment............................ Commercial (10 to 35 C)
Internal Temp Alarm Limits....................... -10 to 80 C
Internal Temperature............................. +64 C
Mgig Temp Alarm Limits........................... -10 to 78 C
Mgig Temperature................................. +55 C
External Temp Alarm Limits....................... -10 to 71 C
External Temperature............................. +48 C
Fan Status....................................... OK
Fan Speed Mode................................... Disable

State of 802.11b Network......................... Enabled
State of 802.11a Network......................... Enabled
Number of WLANs.................................. 3
Number of Active Clients......................... 6

OUI Classification Failure Count................. 1

Burned-in MAC Address............................ 6C:DD:30:4B:28:00
Maximum number of APs supported.................. 150
System Nas-Id....................................

--More-- or (q)uit
WLC MIC Certificate Types........................ SHA1/SHA2
Licensing Type................................... RTU

[Rich R]

Glad that was an easy solution for you :)
Another tricky one to watch out for is https://bst.cloudapps.cisco.com/bugsearch/bug/CSCve14291 "After WLC upgrade, AP-COS APs join, still running old code".
It's fixed from 8.5.140.0 but if you're upgrading from an earlier version you may need to manually reset the AP to get it to load the new code.

[Eric Boers]

Hi rrudling,

Thanks for mentioning. I've seen those issues too and luckely for me the site did not have hundreds of APs ;-)