TFTP keeps timing out--recommended software?

[Jonnyballgame34]

HI-

Trying to pull down new IOS for a 4331 router.  It keeps timing out.  I'm using SolarWinds, which doesn't seem to be held in high regard. Can someone recommend another choice?  Also, any other tips would be appreciate.

[Karsten Iwen]

A typical problem with TFTP is that the router could use a wrong (or default) source-interface. Have you checked that?

[Jonnyballgame34]

Hi, 

Thanks for looking at my question.  I found that suggestion earlier but haven't had a chance to test it yet----but I would have a follow up if you know the answer..  IT's a DMVPN router at a remote site.  Should my source interface be the WAN interface or the tunnel? Thanks again

[Karsten Iwen · Accepted solution]

You likely have a loopback for management. That is a good candidate. By default it's the management-port which would be wrong if not in use.

In general, it has to be an interface that has IP-connectivity to your TFTP-server.

[Richard Burts · Accepted solution]

Karsten's suggestion that it might be a problem with source interface suggests that the underlying problem is basic IP connectivity. And learning that this is a DMVPN I can believe that it may be IP connectivity. But I also know from experience that as the size of the image gets larger it gets more difficult to transfer the image using TFTP. So I would ask the question of whether TFTP from this router works on a smaller file - for example can you do a copy running-config tftp?

The original post asked for suggestions and I have two suggestions.

First suggestion is that some TFTP software has problems with large file transfers. I am not clear whether Solar Winds is in this category or not. But I would suggest a different TFTP software as a potential solution. I have had good success with tftpd32 or tftpd64.

Second suggestion is to not use TFTP. Try using FTP instead. FTP is much more efficient for larger files than TFTP. There are several reasons for this and I find it a much more effective way to transfer large image files.

HTH

Rick

[Joseph W. Doherty · Accepted solution]

To add to Rick's suggestion about FTP, FTP is also much better dealing with higher latency, such as copying across a WAN.

[Jonnyballgame34]

Thanks all---adding the Loopback as the source interface and switching to FTP cut it to minutes instead of hours.  Can I get greedy and ask one more?  Trying to get this to boot to the S6a-ext.SPA.bin, (below).  I've done the "boot system Flash:S6a and gotten it to show as the boot flash, save the running config, but can't get it to reload with the New IOS.  Looking for the correct syntax.  Thought I had it, but it keeps coming up that way.  Think maybe I need to do a "no boot system flash:old IOS: but don't want to blow this thing up as it's 1000 miles away.  Cisco 4331.  Thanks

System image file is "bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.02.S.155-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin"
Last reload reason: Reload Command

boot-start-marker
boot system flash flash:isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin
boot system flash
boot system flash bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.02.S.155-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin
boot system flash bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin
boot-end-marker
no ip bootp server

[Richard Burts]

Thank you for posting back to the forum to let us know that specifying the source interface and switching to FTP have made major improvements. This will be helpful to other readers in the forum.

As far as booting the image is concerned can you verify that you have copied the new inage into the same location as the old image? Perhaps post the output of show flash (or maybe show bootflash)? Assuming that it is in the correct location then it looks to me that you should change this

boot system flash flash:isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin

to this

boot system flash bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin

HTH

Rick

[Jonnyballgame34]

Thanks again for the help and answer.  That was one of the ones I'd applied without luck.  Looks like it's in the right directory

USCNCRTVP001#show bootflash: | include isr4300-universalk9

4 470602752 Oct 29 2016 10:00:46 +00:00 /bootflash/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.02.S.155-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin

701 38819995 Dec 13 2016 20:40:45 +00:00 /bootflash/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin

[Karsten Iwen]

try to remove all the entries that don't match. Here it looks pretty much the same and works as expected:

rtr#show bootflash: | include isr4300-universalk9
 19 420461412 Nov 08 2016 02:06:44 +00:00 /bootflash/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin
 20 486645440 Dec 01 2016 00:37:26 +00:00 /bootflash/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.04b.S.155-3.S4b-ext.SPA.bin
!
rtr#sh run | i boot
boot-start-marker
boot system bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.04b.S.155-3.S4b-ext.SPA.bin
boot system bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin
boot-end-marker
!
rtr#sh ver | i bootfl
System image file is "bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.04b.S.155-3.S4b-ext.SPA.bi"
3223551K bytes of flash memory at bootflash:.

[Jonnyballgame34]

Thanks-

So do you mean I need a "no system boot bootflash:old ios"

[Jonnyballgame34]

boot system flash
boot system flash bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.16.02.S.155-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin
boot system flash bootflash:/isr4300-universalk9.03.13.06a.S.154-3.S6a-ext.SPA.bin

or do I need to get rid of the first one, "boot system flash" to stop it from grabbing the first one in the list after it, (the s2a

[Karsten Iwen]

I would remove the first entry. And there is an extra "flash" inside your other boot statements. I assume that's the reason that they don't match.

[Jonnyballgame34]

I noticed the extra "flash" in statement but shrugged it off because the boot statement for the current flash is the same. 

I just deleted the new one, uploaded it again, did a verify /md5, all looks good, but same results

[Jonnyballgame34]

Thanks to all---the correct answer was to remove the extra statements because it was picking up the first in the list.  I removed just the boot system flash, and the old IOS statement behind it......I actually reentered the old one behind the new one in case there were issues. but it all worked out.  Thanks again