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Installing new CF in a Cisco 3845 router

manuel.dennis
Level 1
Level 1

I am installing Cisco blank CF upgrades (double the capacity of the CF that came with the router) in Cisco 3845 routers and I cannot get the IOS to load.

Network security requires tftp be disabled, so I am limited to xmodem.  Slow, but it works.

I know the IOS download is good, because I can load it on the CF that came with the router.

I can install, format and read the new flash.  But the download locks up and bombs about 1/3 of the way through.

Note:  CF that came with the router was "C" so I used the format flash: command.  The new flash reads the same as the old, except that there is no file IOS loaded.

I've never had an issue upgrading an IOS, but this is my first shot at installing on a new CF.

Any ideas?

Manny

10 Replies 10

cgeorgiev
Level 1
Level 1

What baud are you using for the image upload? Any errors when it bombs out?

hobbe
Level 7
Level 7

Hi

If the flash is a flash card just take a pc and a flash card reader and copy the ios to the flash from a pc.

it is worth a try.

I do this quite often with ASA 5510 and 1841 routers when I need them to have a specific software.

if you have problems with the flash try fsck this might fix a problem if there is one with the flash.

good luck

HTH

Leo Laohoo
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

I go with "hobbe".  The easiest way is to use a multi-card reader to copy the IOS across the CF from a client.

Before you put anything it the CF format it using FAT16.

By the way, while your at it, load the latest ROMmon bootstrap.  This will also allow you to boot the router using USB thumb drive.  CF and USB flash sizes are supported by the ISR G1 of up to 2Gb.  Some have sworn to have used 4Gb but I have not yet tried it.

Leo, Hobbe,

I also agree with both of you.

My personal advice: the best course of action is to format the new CF in a working router using the IOS command format flash: because the IOS likes to write some additional code to the CF (the ATA monitor library) which you usually don't get when formatting the CF in a PC. Simply, let the IOS format the CF card the way it likes it best. After that, use a card reader on a PC to simply copy the IOS image to the CF and you're done.

I recommend against formatting the card in the ROMMON. I am not sure about the most recent ROMMONs, but older ROMMONs only created the old filesystem format on the CF (not the FAT) which is deprecated and not readable by PCs.

Best regards,

Peter

Hello all,

Thanks for the thoughts.

I am using a working router to format new-out-of-the-box-from-Cisco CF.  I do a live remove and insert and use the "config t" and "format flash:" commands.  When I compare the working to the newly formatted flash, everything is the same, except that there is on IOS on the new flash.

I am using Hyper Terminal Xmodem set at 115200, 8,N,1,N.  The com 0 port is set that way also.   I've done this before to update working CF, so I know that it does work.  But I have never tried it on a new CF.  The xmodem screen shows that the download stops.  The Xmodem box just sits on the screen for a while then goes away.  No errors show on the screen or in the router.

Copying from PC to CF is not the ideal option in my facility.  I really need a router based option.  As I have done this updating working CF, I just do not understand why it is not working with a new CF, unless I’m missing something that needs to be done when using a new CF that’s not documented anywhere I can find on the Cisco site.

At this point, I'll try anything, so I'll try reformatting from the ROMMON prompt and see how that goes.  Other ideas are welcome.

Manny

Hi again

You can have several IOS on the same flash.

so since you have a router that works, you can use that router to write down the correct IOS to the flash via ftp (since you do not use tftp)

or if you have a router you can just as easily set it up with a connection only your laptop and use either ftp or tftp to copy the file to the flash and then walk over with it to the damaged unit with the flash.

If neither of these options are ok with you I would start with slowing down the transfer from 115,2 and se if that changes anything.

and if possible change to another software to download from. a better and shorter cable and an disturbance free environment.

If there are problems with using the file transfers to switches/routers/firewalls and such equipment then I woulod start setting up a management network.

one way of securing that can be that you can shut down all ports so that no ports are available until you need them to be.

you can also format the flash from the working router.

Good luck

HTH

I am using Hyper Terminal Xmodem set at 115200, 8,N,1,N.  The com 0 port is set that way also.   I've done this before to update working CF, so I know that it does work.  But I have never tried it on a new CF.  The xmodem screen shows that the download stops.  The Xmodem box just sits on the screen for a while then goes away.  No errors show on the screen or in the router.

Huh?  Why don't you try "tftpdnld" instead.  It's faster and less complicated.

While we're on this topic, please consider upgrading your router's bootstrap/ROMmon to 12.4(13r)Txx.  This will allow ISR G1 (except 870) to be able to boot from a USB stick.  Nifty, eh? 

Hello again,

Thanks to all for the good comments.

I would like to use FTP/TFTP, but its use on operational assets is prohibited by policy.  Same for USB.  I may be able to use a CF reader connected to a stand-alone PC.  That leaves me with con 0.

I'm just not getting why I can copy a new IOS to a CF that already has an IOS, but not to a new CF.   Any ideas there?

Upgrading your router's bootstrap/ROMmon may be doable, but I've never tried it before.  Where would I find the proceedure and the software to download?

Manny

Upgrading your router's bootstrap/ROMmon may be doable, but I've never tried it before.  Where would I find the proceedure and the software to download?

The command in enable mode is "upgrade rom file tftp:///file".

I'm just not getting why I can copy a new IOS to a CF that already has an IOS, but not to a new CF.   Any ideas there?    

Maybe because you didn't format the new CF to FAT16?  What error message(s) do you get when you try to copy the IOS into the new CF?

Re. updating bootstrap:

“Upgrading your router's bootstrap/ROMmon may be doable, but I've never tried it before.  Where would I find the procedure and the software to download?”

“The command in enable mode is ‘upgrade rom file tftp:///file’.”

Using tftp on operational assets is prohibited by policy, so that won’t happen.  I don’t think I have issues there anyway.  My real issue is not being able to copy an IOS to a new CF.

Re. Loading an IOS to a new CF:

“I'm just not getting why I can copy a new IOS to a CF that already has an IOS, but not to a new CF.   Any ideas there?”    

"Maybe because you didn't format the new CF to FAT16?  What error message(s) do you get when you try to copy the IOS into the new CF?"

I don’t think formatting is the issue.  I am using a working router to format new-out-of-the-box-from-Cisco CF.  I do a live remove and insert and use the "config t" and "format flash:" commands.  When I compare the working to the newly formatted flash, everything is the same, except that the new CF is twice the size of the old CF and there is no IOS file on the new flash.

Using tftp on operational assets is prohibited by policy, so the com port is the only option I have available.  I am using Hyper Terminal Xmodem set at 115200, 8,N,1,N.  The com 0 port is set that way also.   I've done this many times before to update working CF, so I know that it does work.  But I have never tried it on a new CF.  The Xmodem screen shows that the download stops.  The Xmodem box just sits on the screen for a while then goes away.  No errors show on the screen or in the router. 

If I could use tftp, I’d be done by now.  I may have to set up an off-line spare router/PC mini LAN and use tftp or a stand-alone PC with a CF reader and load that way, but I would rather not if I don’t have to.  I just wanted to see if anyone in the community had encountered and resolved this problem before.

My thanks to all for their comments and suggestions.

Manny

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