1841 cold always boots to ROMMON

CiscoNordeast · ‎03-05-2012

Hi, we have 55 of the 1841 routers here, and one of them always boots to ROMMON from a very cold (down 1 hour or more) start. The image on all 55 is c1841-ipbasek9-mz.124-24.T4.bin. 32 MB Cisco brand flash. Here's what's been done thus far:

In ROMMON changed to 0x2102. Then 'reset' and the image boots fine. Change config-reg to 0x2102. Save config. Reload and image boots fine again. Wait an hour or more and boots to ROMMON.

Boot from ROMMON to USBflash0: Format the CF then copy over the bin file. Change to 0x2102 and save. Reload and image boots fine again. Wait an hour or more and boots to ROMMON.

Swapped CF with another unit. Again, works fine to reload, but shut down and restart an hour or more later and boots to ROMMON. Format this CF and copy over image while on router. Image boots fine. Wait an hour or more and boots to ROMMON.

In each case of very cold start the configuration register has reverted to 0x0 {why it boots to ROMMON}

Tried dx mode with 0x8001. Nothing seen that is unusual to me, but I'm not an expert by any means.

It doesn't seem to a CF card problem, but could be a connection to the CF card and then something behind that.

Here is the output of diagnostic boot mode:

..........................................................................................................................................

Cisco 1841 (revision 7.0) with 116736K/14336K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID FTX1231W0JA

2 FastEthernet interfaces

2 Low-speed serial(sync/async) interfaces

DRAM configuration is 64 bits wide with parity disabled.

191K bytes of NVRAM.

31360K bytes of ATA CompactFlash (Read/Write)

Configuration register is 0x8001

Router>

System Bootstrap, Version 12.4(13r)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Initializing cache

Initializing TLB and required TLB entries

Reading monitor variables from NVRAM

Init Rommon Upgrade NVRAM Vars

Init Rommon Upgrade startPLD version 0x10

GIO ASIC version 0x127

Reset IO

Enabling interrupts

Reading cookie

Initializing main memory

Sizing NVRAM

Initializing PCI subsystem

Exiting init

c1841 platform with 131072 Kbytes of main memory

Main memory is configured to 64 bit mode with parity disabled

Readonly ROMMON initialized

program load complete, entry point: 0x8000f000, size: 0xcb80

program load complete, entry point: 0x8000f000, size: 0x1a4e2e8

Stack pointer : 0x87FFFF80

monstack : 0x8000EFC0

monra : 0xBFC016B4

edata : 0x800259A0

magic : 0xFEEDFACE

memsize : 0x08000000

uncomp_size : 0x034AE128

comp_size : 0x01A37931

STACK_BYTES : 0x00008000

COPY_CODE_BUF : 0x00000800

_end : 0x8004E240

comp_checksum : 0xB3FD84DA

uncomp_checksum : 0xB12F46D8

Self decompressing the image : ################################################################################################################################################# [OK]

Source elf_hdr->e_shnum = 0x00000010

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000001

to image_info section 0x00000000

sh_name = 0x0000000B

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000007

sh_addr = 0x8000F000

sh_offset = 0x00000060

sh_size = 0x01FB17A4

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000020

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000002

to image_info section 0x00000001

sh_name = 0x00000011

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000006

sh_addr = 0x81FC07A4

sh_offset = 0x01FB1804

sh_size = 0x00006324

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000004

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000003

to image_info section 0x00000002

sh_name = 0x00000015

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000006

sh_addr = 0x81FC6AC8

sh_offset = 0x01FB7B28

sh_size = 0x00000C78

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000004

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000005

to image_info section 0x00000003

sh_name = 0x00000022

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000002

sh_addr = 0x82000000

sh_offset = 0x01FF1060

sh_size = 0x00B52378

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000008

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000006

to image_info section 0x00000004

sh_name = 0x0000002A

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000003

sh_addr = 0x82B52378

sh_offset = 0x02B433D8

sh_size = 0x000A3F34

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000004

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000007

to image_info section 0x00000005

sh_name = 0x00000034

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000002

sh_addr = 0x82BF62AC

sh_offset = 0x02BE730C

sh_size = 0x0000D600

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000004

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000008

to image_info section 0x00000006

sh_name = 0x0000003D

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000002

sh_addr = 0x82C038AC

sh_offset = 0x02BF490C

sh_size = 0x0006E148

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000004

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x00000009

to image_info section 0x00000007

sh_name = 0x00000049

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000003

sh_addr = 0x82C71A00

sh_offset = 0x02C62A60

sh_size = 0x0054E3A8

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000008

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x0000000A

to image_info section 0x00000008

sh_name = 0x0000004F

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x00000003

sh_addr = 0x831BFDC0

sh_offset = 0x031B0E20

sh_size = 0x00000010

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000001

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

Setting up to copy ELF section 0x0000000B

to image_info section 0x00000009

sh_name = 0x00000056

sh_type = 0x00000001

sh_flags = 0x10000003

sh_addr = 0x831BFDE0

sh_offset = 0x031B0E40

sh_size = 0x000004F8

sh_link = 0x00000000

sh_info = 0x00000000

sh_addralign = 0x00000010

sh_entsize = 0x00000000

cpu type : 0x00000006

uncomp_size : 0x034AE128

monstack : 0x8000EFC0

image_info.entry_point = 0x80015F40

image_info.section_count = 0x0000000A

image_info.monstack = 0x8000EFC0

image_info.monra = 0xBFC016B4

image_info.param0 = 0x00000002

image_info.param1 = 0x00000000

image_info.param2 = 0x8000C508

image_info.param3 = 0x8000F000

Section Index = 0x00000000

source = 0x8004E3A0

dest = 0x80015F40

bytes = 0x01FB17A4

Section Index = 0x00000001

source = 0x81FFFB44

dest = 0x81FC76E4

bytes = 0x00006324

Section Index = 0x00000002

source = 0x82005E68

dest = 0x81FCDA08

bytes = 0x00000C78

Section Index = 0x00000003

source = 0x8203F3A0

dest = 0x82006F40

bytes = 0x00B52378

Section Index = 0x00000004

source = 0x82B91718

dest = 0x82B592B8

bytes = 0x000A3F34

Section Index = 0x00000005

source = 0x82C3564C

dest = 0x82BFD1EC

bytes = 0x0000D600

Section Index = 0x00000006

source = 0x82C42C4C

dest = 0x82C0A7EC

bytes = 0x0006E148

Section Index = 0x00000007

source = 0x82CB0DA0

dest = 0x82C78940

bytes = 0x0054E3A8

Section Index = 0x00000008

source = 0x831FF160

dest = 0x831C6D00

bytes = 0x00000010

Section Index = 0x00000009

source = 0x831FF180

dest = 0x831C6D20

bytes = 0x000004F8

Smart Init is enabled

smart init is sizing iomem

ID MEMORY_REQ TYPE

0X003AA110 public buffer pools

0X00211000 public particle pools

0X00020000 Crypto module pools

0X0013 0X00035000 Card in slot 0

0X000021B8 Onboard USB

If any of the above Memory Requirements are

"UNKNOWN", you may be using an unsupported

configuration or there is a software problem and

system operation may be compromised.

Allocating additional 5271784 bytes to IO Memory.

PMem allocated: 119537664 bytes; IOMem allocated: 14680064 bytes

Restricted Rights Legend

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is

subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph

(c) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted

Rights clause at FAR sec. 52.227-19 and subparagraph

(c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer

Software clause at DFARS sec. 252.227-7013.

cisco Systems, Inc.

170 West Tasman Drive

San Jose, California 95134-1706

Cisco IOS Software, 1841 Software (C1841-IPBASEK9-M), Version 12.4(24)T4, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Compiled Fri 03-Sep-10 03:51 by prod_rel_team

This product contains cryptographic features and is subject to United

States and local country laws governing import, export, transfer and

use. Delivery of Cisco cryptographic products does not imply

third-party authority to import, export, distribute or use encryption.

Importers, exporters, distributors and users are responsible for

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Cisco 1841 (revision 7.0) with 116736K/14336K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID FTX1231W0JA

2 FastEthernet interfaces

2 Low-speed serial(sync/async) interfaces

DRAM configuration is 64 bits wide with parity disabled.

191K bytes of NVRAM.

31360K bytes of ATA CompactFlash (Read/Write)

..........................................................................................................................................

Is there a capacitor slow draining somewhere? Appreciate any assistance.

paolo bevilacqua · ‎03-05-2012

Try updating rommon. If still trouble, RMA the unit (requires a support contract).

CiscoNordeast · ‎03-06-2012

Updated the ROM monitor to C1841_RM2.srec.124-13r.T5. {USB makes this quick and easy} There is no change in the behavior.

Noticed also that this unit alerts to possible non-genuine WIC in 0-1-1. But the 2A/S was direct from Cisco. Remove the WIC and it still gives the same alert on boot.

Finally, noticed that boot to ROMMON will occur right after all power is removed - power cord unplugged. So perhaps a battery issue?

We'll need to consider repairs, as you advised. Thanks for your response.

Leo Laohoo · ‎03-05-2012

Boot from ROMMON to USBflash0:

You can't boot from USB because your ROMmon is not running the version which support booting at USB. Like what Paolo said, upgrade to 12.4(13r)T5.

Cisco 1841 (revision 7.0) with 116736K/14336K bytes of memory.

I suspect you do not have enough DRAM. According to the Cisco Download Software page for the 1841, to run this IOS, you need 192 DRAM and 64 Flash. Both cases, you don't have enough of.

CiscoNordeast · ‎03-06-2012

Turns out that it was able to boot successfully from USB.

As to possible insufficient memory, the same configuration (hdwr + ios) runs ok on another 20 units.

Appreciate the input; issues to be considered.

Leo Laohoo · ‎03-06-2012

Then you got me stumped. If this is the only unit that's having this problem then I guess you could be facing a hardware issue.

jszapipes · ‎03-06-2012

Have you tried adding to your start up config?

"boot system flash:your ios version.bin"

Neeraj Arora · ‎03-08-2012

I do agree with the last response of configuring a boot statementin the configuration

"boot system flash flash:c1841-ipbasek9-mz.124-24.T4.bin" .... yes it has two flash kw in it...

But the behaviour you've mentioned does not point towards a config fault, instead I would give two possible reasons:

- there is a battery present in routers which is supposed to last router's life time (which we safely can say is somewhere from 6-10 yrs) but it can sometime fail

- As you have observered that after taking the power chord out, this issue happens. It could be possible when the power is turned on, the inrush current could possible reset the ASIC which holds the config register value causing this peculiar behaviour

In both the cases, your best bet is to get the router replaced if it is under a valid support contract or contact the reseller from whom you bought this

Neeraj