Startup-config lost when booting from ROMMON, confreg= 0x102

[oskar-oscar]

Hi,

Conf-reg set to 0x102
SW IOS-XE 17.06.03A (also tested IOS-XE 17.15)

Behavior:

STEP-1:

If I reload from Cisco CLI 

(switch)# reload

It reloads fine and keep its startup-config. 

STEP-2

If I hit break during boot. (Break signal) and enters ROMMON, and type

switch: boot

The startup-config is lost and I get the initial startup-config tutorial.

The startup-config is actually erased

STEP-3

Power-cycle the unit and DON'T use Break-signal. Just boot normally. The startup-config is erased.

Does anyone have any idea why booting from rommon ignores/erase the startup-config.

I am running the Switch in Install-mode---> boot=flash:packages.conf

[marce1000]

  - For starters you have to use the standard confreg value to avoid this ; but for
     IOS-XE also have a look at  https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-9300-series-switches/216850-configuration-register-equivalent-clis-i.html

  M.

[oskar-oscar]

Ok, Thank you so much for the web link. Can you explain more around the confreg 0x102? (I read the document you sent). Before I used this document: Understand Configuration Register Usage on all Routers - Cisco

All the switches are delivered with confreg 0x102 to me.

I have a lot of strange behavior; e.g. loosing its bootvar after several reboots ---> getting stuck in ROMMON. with the following error:

Loading "flash:.installer/rollback/rb_points/0/packages.conf" to memory ... Error: file "flash:.installer/rollback/rb_points/0/SWITCH-model-rp_iot.17.06.03.SPA.pkg" not found or already open

I need to manually set the boot var with

switch: boot flash:packages.conf

The romvar in Cisco CLI looks good: boot=packages.conf

It boots correctly several times, but after 20 times reboot, it lost the boot variable.


EDIT: I tried to set the config register to 0x2102. But that did not matter. It still erase the startup-config.

[marce1000]

  - I doubt if that is even relevant , as far as I understand it the value of the config register in IOS-XE is ignored,

  M.