Ok so the order of events. Had a task to re-configure a 4331, it had an existing config and an older ios. As is my usual practice I backed up the config to flash just in case, with a copy command, giving no file extension.
I then fttp'd the latest recommended image over (isr4300-universalk9.16.09.03.SPA.bin) and did a verify on it. Deleted the old image and did a write erase.
Once I reloaded the router it entered a loop. It appears that I should have done a ROMMON upgrade first. I cannot get into rommon due to password recovery being enabled. Ordinarily, I would just answer y to the question "Do you want to reset the router to the factory default configuration and proceed [y/n] ?"
But for some reason, during the boot process I think it is picking up the config saved on flash and re-enabling password recovery. I thought it only looked for .cfg files.
Here's a condensed excerpt of the boot process;
Router#wr er
Erase of nvram: complete
Router#reload
System configuration has been modified. Save? [yes/no]: no
Proceed with reload? [confirm]
Initializing Hardware ...
System integrity status: 00000610
Rom image verified correctly
System Bootstrap, Version 15.4(3r)S5, RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2015 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Current image running: Boot ROM0
Last reset cause: LocalSoft
........
no valid BOOT image found
Final autoboot attempt from default boot device...
File size is 0x00000180
Located old_config_saved_to_flash_with_password_rec_dis_command_in_it
Located isr4300-universalk9.16.09.03.SPA.bin
Image size 583810543 inode num 16, bks cnt 142532 blk size 8*512
#################################################################
Package header rev 3 structure detected
Calculating SHA-1 hash...done
validate_package: SHA-1 hash:
calculated fc8707af:7758180b:25f16323:3830ea98:3c16accc
expected fc8707af:7758180b:25f16323:3830ea98:3c16accc
RSA Signed RELEASE Image Signature Verification Successful.
Unknown image structure
boot: cannot determine first file name on device "bootflash:/"
autoboot: boot failed, restarting...
Initializing Hardware ...The above will loop round indefinitely. If I enter the break sequence;
PASSWORD RECOVERY IS DISABLED.
Do you want to reset the router to the factory default
configuration and proceed [y/n] ?y
Router clearing configuration. Please wait for ROMMON prompt...
Initializing Hardware ...
It does not drop to ROMMON but instead restarts and continues to loop.
I've opened her up to see if there is a removable flash, not in this model. Tried answering n and continued to hit the break sequence after the image uncompresses. I'm out of ideas.
Help!
