Router loading bootstrap from USB key

[michaelngai]

Hi All,

Not sure if this is the right forum to ask this.

I'm experiencing some trouble trying to get a router to boot off a bootstrap configuration on a usb key.

I have configured a bootstrap configuration (verified to be valid by manually pasting it in via CLI), saved it as a .cfg file on a USB key.

USB key (3rd party) formatted as FAT16, router can see contents (the cfg file) of key via show commands.

I pasted the below command in the router via console CLI, saved the config and rebooted.

Router(config)#  boot config usbflash0:CONFIG1.CFG

However, the router just booted normally without loading the bootstrap.

Anyone see if I'm missing something obvious?

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Leo Laohoo]

Bootstrap????

Can you post the output to the command "dir usbflash0:" please?

[michaelngai]

Thanks leolaohoo.

Trying to get an "out of the box" router to load bootstrap so it'll pull the full CLI config and IOS image update from Prime Infrastructure.  I've verified the process works by manually pasting the bootstrap in via console CLI.  Just wanted a slightly cleaner process by having bootstrap on USB and only having to issue 1 command "boot config" to kickstart the process.

Router#dir usbflash0:

Directory of usbflash0:/

    1  -rw-           0   Apr 4 2013 22:41:16 +00:00  bootstrap.cfg

2016083968 bytes total (2015952896 bytes free)

Below are the contents of the bootstrap.cfg if it helps.

ip host pnp.local 192.168.100.179

ip host pnp 192.168.100.179

cns trusted-server all-agents pnp.local

cns trusted-server all-agents pnp

cns trusted-server all-agents 192.168.100.179

cns id hardware-serial

cns id hardware-serial event

cns id hardware-serial image

cns event pnp.local keepalive 120 2 reconnect-time 60

cns exec 80

cns image server http://pnp.local/cns/HttpMsgDispatcher status http://pnp.local/cns/HttpMsgDispatcher

cns config partial pnp.local 80

cns config initial pnp.local 80

interface Vlan1

ip address dhcp

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Ok, now it clears things.

"bootstrap", in the eyes of Cisco is an executable file as part of the IOS of a router.  What you have is a "configuration" file.

Rename the file to end in "txt".  Then once you've done this, just issue the command "copy bootstrap.txt run" and the router will load the configuration you wanted into the running-config.

Then if you are happy with the changes, save the config.

NOTE:  I don't recommend you copy the configuration file into the startup-config because if you make a mistake, you can't roll-back.

[michaelngai]

Works!!  Thanks.

[Leo Laohoo]

Thanks for the ratings, Michael.