how to upgrade cisco 39xx ios via USB flashdrive?

[syjeon]

Hi,

I would like to upgrade cisco 39xx IOS via USB flash drive. Hence, I've summarized the candence like following.

  - proceed the format usb drive regardless of fat32/ntfs filesystem.

  - copy new cisco 39xx ios to usb flash drive in window environment

  - check if copied image size in usb flash drive is same as original filesize  in window.

  - move the usb drive and insert into usb port.

  - dir usbflash0:/ and verify if the usb drive could access and the file is seen.

  - copy usbflash to cisco flash disk in CLI

  - modify bootvar and reboot.

  - complete the ios uprade via USB flashdrive.

Any usb flah drive which is accessible read/write in window can be compatible without any problem into Cisco router? I hope there is no specific limitation in USB flash drive to use copy ios in cisco router.

Your experience before, and any suggestion would be more help a lot to me.

Thanks.

[johnlloyd_13]

hi,

cisco router is choosy when it comes to external USB thumb drives.

i had to lend a friend to use my USB drive coz his won't work even when formatted.

see link from personal experience:

http://wannabelab.blogspot.com/2015/01/cisco-2911-usb-port.html

[Leo Laohoo]

Any usb flah drive which is accessible read/write in window can be compatible without any problem into Cisco router? I hope there is no specific limitation in USB flash drive to use copy ios in cisco router.

I would recommend any network admin to invest a few dollars into these USB flash drives.  It has saved me a number of hours just having a handy USB thumb drive, loaded with all relevant IOSes, in my tool box.  

Let me give you a low-down-and-dirty story about the USB flashdrive industry:  Does anyone honestly believe that big USB flashdrive "manufacturers", like Toshiba, Lexar, SanDisks, etc, do actually make them?  The answer is:  NO.  

There are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of USB "manufacturers" ... And nearly all of them don't follow the right specifications.  Cisco will always use "Type 2" USB (don't know what that means).   Just because you've got two  (or more) USB flashdrives, same "brand" but are different sizes, does not mean they came from the same manufacturer (the real one).  For example, I might have an 8Gb and 16Gb Lexar flashdrive but I can assure you the 8Gb and 16Gb are both made by different manufacturer.  And because of this, the 8Gb might work with Cisco appliances but the 16Gb won't work (or vice versa).

This is also the same with CF and SD cards for Cisco gear.

[Andre Neethling]

Something else I have noticed is that some of these Thumb Drives can only be formatted as exFAT. And this format does not always work with lots of devices that require FAT/FAT32, like media players, etc. This could be why some of these drives don't work in Cisco Devices

[syjeon]

Hi Andre,

If so, If we force to format fat/fat32 before IOS copy from window, then, would it be work correctly regardless manufactor? it sound like it would be better compatible to work as fat/fat32 than exFAT.

[Leo Laohoo]

would it be work correctly regardless manufactor

Nope.  The best way to determine is to get one and insert it into the USB slot.  Cisco routers and switches will immediately determine if the USB flashdrive is supported or not.

[Andre Neethling]

As Leo said, it's best to test the drive in a router first. But the format should be FAT/FAT32.