ISR 1100 (C1121X) Boot Loop

[brianfrom]

Hi.

I have a C1121X-8PLTEP that is stuck in boot loop, hopefully someone can help me get it recovered. 

When I perform a break it prompts for factory reset but fails after selecting Y.  I cannot enter ROMMON on interact with the router besides break. 

Terminal:

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: PowerOn
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

........

no valid BOOT image found
Final autoboot attempt from default boot device...
Failed to find bootable image on device bootflash:

........

autoboot: boot failed, restarting...

Resetting .......

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: LocalSoft
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

........

autoboot: boot failed, restarting...

Resetting .......

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: LocalSoft
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

........

unable to open bootflash:packages.conf (14)

........

autoboot: boot failed, restarting...

Resetting .......

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: LocalSoft
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

........

Do you want to reset the router to the factory default

configuration and proceed y/n [n]: y

Router clearing configuration. please wait for rommon prompt

autoboot: boot failed, restarting...

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@brianfrom wrote:
PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

---

Contact Cisco and organize and RMA.  

Some genius disabled password-recovery and this also disables the Reset button.  Genius! 

[brianfrom]

Hi Leo, thanks for the reply.

If disabled password recovery is the issue then why was i able to reach ROMMON on another C1121 i have?  (Terminal output below)

Am i wrong in assuming i can't enter ROMMON because the bootflash is missing an image?

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: PowerOn
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

PASSWORD RECOVERY FUNCTIONALITY IS DISABLED

.......

PASSWORD RECOVERY IS DISABLED.
Do you want to reset the router to the factory default
configuration and proceed y/n [n]: y

Router clearing configuration. Please wait for ROMMON prompt...

Located c1100-universalk9.17.03.04a.SPA.bin
################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################

Package header rev 3 structure detected
IsoSize = 559341568
Performing Integrity Check ...
Performing Signature Verification ...
RSA Signed RELEASE Image Signature Verification Successful
Image validated

Both copies of Nvram are corrupted.

Warning: monitor Nvram area is corrupt ... using default values
Confreg is corrupted, using default 8000
Key Sectors:(Primary, GOOD), (Backup, GOOD), (Revocation, GOOD)
Size of Primary = 1664 Backup = 1664 Revocation = 348
RSA Self Test Passed

Expected hash:
DDAF35A193617ABACC417349AE204131
12E6FA4E89A97EA20A9EEEE64B55D39A
2192992A274FC1A836BA3C23A3FEEBBD
454D4423643CE80E2A9AC94FA54CA49F

Obtained hash:
DDAF35A193617ABACC417349AE204131
12E6FA4E89A97EA20A9EEEE64B55D39A
2192992A274FC1A836BA3C23A3FEEBBD
454D4423643CE80E2A9AC94FA54CA49F
Sha512 Self Test Passed
Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: LocalSoft
C1121X-8PLTEP platform with 8388608 Kbytes of main memory

rommon 1 > confreg 0x2142

You must reset or power cycle for new config to take effect
rommon 2 > reset

Resetting .......

Rom image verified correctly

System Bootstrap, Version 16.12(2r), RELEASE SOFTWARE
Copyright (c) 1994-2020 by cisco Systems, Inc.

[Leo Laohoo]

Because the genius who disabled password-recovery did not know that the same command also disables the reset button. 

And everyone knows that if one cannot use the Ctrl+Break to break the boot-up into ROMMON, the Reset button would have been ideal for such a situation.  

And the only way to fix this is to RMA said router.