ISR1000 series ROMMON versions?

[andrew.butterworth]

In the release notes for IOS-XE 17.5.x it states that minimum ROMMON versions are:

IOS-XE     Minimum ROMMON

17.2.x      16.9(1r)

17.3.x      16.12(2r)

17.4.x      16.12(2r)

17.5.x      17.5(1r)

However the latest ROMMON available on CCO is 16.12(1r).  Where can these be obtained?  Or is the table wrong?

Andy

[Leo Laohoo]

ROMMON firmware can be found HERE.

[andrew.butterworth]

Did you even read the post?

I know where the ROMMON images are for the C1100 series.  The release notes state newer versions of the ROMMON are required for IOS-XE versions after 17.3.  The versions listed are not on CCO in the link you provided.

Please read the question before trying to score a quick point.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@andrew.butterworth wrote:

Please read the question before trying to score a quick point.

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I read. 

I understood. 

I provided the link for the ISR 1100 because they are the same. 

If my response are not sufficient, then there is no need to be narky about it.  

NOTE:  I have no intention to score a "quick point".  Not my style.

[andrew.butterworth]

OK Leo, apologies if I was a bit abrupt.

Answer me this then.  Where can I find ROMMON versions 6.12(2r) or 17.5(1r) for the C1100 series?

[Leo Laohoo]

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@andrew.butterworth wrote:

Where can I find ROMMON versions 6.12(2r) or 17.5(1r) for the C1100 series?

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That is a "trick question". 

There is no 16.12(2r) for the ISR 1000.

There is no 17.X(Xr) for the ISR 1000 that I am aware of, either. 

The "highest", as of the time being, anyone can go with ROMMON version is 16.12(1r).  

NOTE:  The ROMMON version you've mentioned, 16.12(2r), as far as I am aware, are only for the ISR 4k (courtesy of CSCvr18589), and ASR1k.  Same goes for ROMMON 17.X.X.

If you want to go to 17.5.X, for example, it can be done with ROMMON version 16.12(1r).  

NOTE:  I regularly check ROMMON releases so I am not sure where those files are "hidden" or tucked away.

[andrew.butterworth]

OK, so the release notes are incorrect then:

Release Notes for Cisco 1000 Series Integrated Services Routers, Cisco IOS XE Bengaluru 17.5.x - Cisco

Andy

[Leo Laohoo]

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@andrew.butterworth wrote:

so the release notes are incorrect then

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Yup.

Cisco recent "standard" is to publish documents that contain incorrect information.  

Not trying to "change the subject", but look at the 15.5(1)SY Release Notes for the 6800?  It talks about FPGA but it does not warn the user that the option for the command is actually HIDDEN. 

How about the Release Notes for the CIMC upgrade?  If no one knows what they are doing, they can brick the CIMC easily.  

Look at some of the Bug IDs.  They are no different. 

Cisco's documentation has gone down the same slippery path as their quality control of their software engineering.  And, frankly, I am not seeing any signs of improving.

[Rich R]

Just came across this post when I had the same question.  I have an 1100 which actually has 16.12(2r) ROMMON (and I knew the last I had downloaded was 1r) so it definitely *exists*.

Clearly it's still not available for download, so either it's being installed at factory without offering it to us (even though it's specified in release notes), or (and I have seen them do this with 4400 IOS) they've bundled it into IOS so that it does an autoupgrade when you boot the newer IOS.

I haven't gone so far as to test different versions to see what happens but I think that's most likely what they're doing but agreed with Leo the docs are getting worse - this should be clearly stated in the release notes.

[ccardon]

Hi Andy,

If you upgrade to IOS XE 17.9.x, ROMMON will be upgraded to 17.5(1r)

From release notes:

To identify the manufacturing date, use the show license udi command. For example:

Router#show license udi 
UDI: PID:C1131-8PLTEPWB,SN:FGLxxxxLCQ6

The xxxx in the command output represents the manufacturing date.

• If the manufacturing date is greater than or equal to 0x2535, the manufactured ROMmon version is 17.6(1r) or higher.

• If the manufacturing date is less than 0x2535, the ROMmon will be automatically upgraded to 17.5(1r) or above when the Cisco IOS XE 17.9.x release is installed.

[jrennie]

If you install the later IOS-XE versions, they will upgrade the ROMMON automatically as part of the upgrade process.

This is why the ROMMON images are not available separately.

[andrew.butterworth]

Yes, I discovered this recently when upgrading a couple of ISR1100's to 17.6.x.

I don't remember seeing this in the release notes anywhere, however I just skimmed through them.

[Rich R]

It's documented here now (but not in the release notes):

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/access/isr1100/software/configuration/xe-17/isr1100-sw-config-xe-17/Configuring_ROMMON.html

Note

Starting from the following releases, the ROMMON image is not available for download on software.cisco.com: Cisco IOS XE Release 16.12.4 (16.x) onwards Cisco IOS XE Release 17.3.2 (17.x) onwards Instead the ROMMON image is bundled along with the IOS XE image. When you install the IOS XE image, if the version of ROMMON bundled is higher than the existing version of ROMMON, an upgrade is performed automatically.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Rich R wrote:

Instead the ROMMON image is bundled along with the IOS XE image. When you install the IOS XE image, if the version of ROMMON bundled is higher than the existing version of ROMMON, an upgrade is performed automatically.

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A lot of us have asked for this (automatic ROMMON upgrade) for the last 10 years and we were told "not gonna happen".  Oh well, I am glad this has finally happened. 

I have put in a request for automatic "golden capsule upgrade" and I hope this gets in before I retire in 2030.

[alpha76]

@Leo Laohoo @andrew.butterworth 

Hi, Apologies for bumping this thread. I realised I had the same issue with the bootrom version. Since upgrading the firmware the router lost power and obviously rebooted but for whatever reason the ethernet is hard down. The VDSL definitely works because I've tested it on the default broadband suppliers router.

I can't help but think the update has done something to the vdsl/ethernet? Any ideas or experience anything similar?

Cheers

Matt