ISR 4461 IOS Upgrade to 17.3.4a in INSTALL mode

[TW80CJ5]

Good Afternoon...

I have been upgrading 3 of my ISR 4461's in our lab. They are currently on version 16.12.06 (don't shoot me Leo!!!!) in INSTALL Mode and have Rom version 16.12.2r

The problem I am running into is when I enter the following commands to prepare the install:

Unless I delete the following files, it will keep the older IOS version in my packages.conf:

packages.conf
prev_packages.conf

Then I issue the following command:

request platform software package expand file bootflash:isr4400v2-universalk9.17.03.04a.SPA.bin force verb

I verify the IOS version I am upgrading to by using the command: 

more bootflash:packages.conf.

I update the boot file with the following commands:

boot system flash bootflash:packages.conf
boot system flash bootflash:isr4400v2-universalk9.17.03.04a.SPA.bin

My problem is that when the router reboots, it's booting into a blank SD-WAN config. I have to locally issue the controller-mode disable command and it reboots. When it reboots, I have to point to a recent backup config and reboot again

My problem is keeping the router from booting into a blank SD-WAN after upgrading, which has happened all three times. I have (2) ISR 4461's in production that I need and won't have the luxury of issuing local commands.

How can I upgrade these routers without any local user involvement? 

Thoughts / Suggestions?

[Leo Laohoo]

Ok, so the router was originally SD-WAN (or had SD-WAN firmware)? 

If it is so, I want to see the directory:  dir 

Removing SD-WAN image from a router is a manual process and an "undocumented feature".  

[TW80CJ5]

Yessir...it originally shipped from Cisco with SD-WAN. A procurement error...

See the attached....

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Make sure the router is within arms reach.  If I remembered correctly, everything "sdwan" needs to be deleted as well as the SD-WAN package files.  

del /f /r bootflash:*sdwan*
del /f /r bootflash:isr4400v2-firmware*.pkg

Try that and reboot.

[TW80CJ5]

Mornin Leo...

To make sure I am correctly following you...I need to delete all of the firmware.pkg files as well or just the files that contain sdwan? Right now the router is currently booting up in INSTALL mode correctly and loading a standard config.

But if I do need to delete the firmware.pkg files too, should I rerun the request platform software package expand file bootflash:17.03.04a.SPA.bin force verb command after all sdwan files are deleted? Or are the files I only need are the following:

isr4400v2-rpboot.17.03.04a.SPA.pkg

.isr4400v2-mono-universalk9.17.03.04a.SPA.pkg

See the revised sheet....yellow = delete

[Leo Laohoo]

No, the two delete commands will only remove SD-WAN related files (and sub-directories).  That's it.  

The items that have been highlighted in yellow are only sub-directories but there are still SD-WAN related firmware files which the router will automatically and stubbornly boot into.

[TW80CJ5]

Thanks Leo!!!!!