SG300 Firmware Upgrade - Copy: Illegal software format

[jclarke99]

Following the process documented in the SG300 manual - When I select the firmware source file - Select File sx300_fw-14088.ros (I just downloaded from the Cisco website)  -  I receive the following error - Copy: Illegal software format.  What is the file extension of the firmware upgrade file?  What am I doing wrong?

[Flexxx35802]

You can also just download a simple free tftp software to make your desktop a tftp server.  I use TFTPServer for MAC.

[mohit]

Hi,

I am following the same steps that you have mentioned and I am able to transfer some firmware file data but after exact same amount to byte transfer it stops working and gives me illegal software format error.

Could you please help me to find out the cause of this issue?

[ace.lemaire]

Mohit,

Based on your extensive documentation of the problem I will make a wild-ass guess that you are not using a TFTP server for your file transfers.

 PL

[mohit]

Hi,

I have run TFTP server and I was able to upload boot file. But after then when I tried to upgrade firmware file I was not able to upload whole file. Just look at the error message that I have attached to previous comment.

Thanks,

Mohit

[elba.moty]

Hi,

I have upgraded my 1.0.x to 1.3.5.

First boot via TFTP and right after the firmware and then save  and reboot.

After the upgrade I needed to login few times until the gui fully loaded (was stack on 90%).

than I upgraded directly to 1.4.7.6.

I also downloaded 1.4.1.3 as it the last one with zip file but found that the boot file is 1.3.5.0.6 so I didn't used it as it this boot is already installed.

According to 1.4.7.6 release notes:

 Change in Flash File System In versions 1.3.5 and later

the Flash file system has been upgraded.

This has implications when upgrading from previous releases to version 1.3.5, and when downgrading from 1.3.5 or later to previous versions as described below.

Upgrading from Versions Earlier than 1.3.5

When upgrading the device from version prior to 1.3.5:

• For Sx200/Sx300 models, first upgrade the device image to image version 1.3.5.x and upgrade the boot file to 1.3.5.06

• For Sx500 models, first upgrade the device image to image version 1.3.7.x and upgrade the boot file to 1.3.7.01

During the first bootup of the new image version (1.3.5.x or 1.3.7.x), the flash file system is upgraded and:

• This process takes a few minutes. "…" progress in the Console is displayed during this process (not relevant to Sx200).

• The syslog file is deleted during this process.

• The original image file is deleted. The two images on the Flash after the upgrade will have the same version (1.3.5.x/1.3.7.x).

After the device is running version 1.3.5.x/1.3.7.x, you can upgrade the device to version 1.4.0.48 or 1.4.1.3 .

All the Best,

Moty.

[pfeifferc]

i have the same proble to upgrade the SG300

but i couldn't find any 1.3.5.x/1.3.7.x

so i'm not able to update to 1.4xxx

please help

Kind regards

[mipopov]

Hello All,

If you cannot find Sx300 intermediate firmware/boot code, follow the link below:

https://software.cisco.com/download/home/283019617/type/282463181/release/1.3.5.58

[MichaelPosvanc]

Hello,

i have another situation:

my device with the same problem:

SG300-10MP Serial Number: PSZ163301UE PID VID: SRW2008MP-K9 V02

SG300-28P Serial Number: DNI182805KW PID VID: SRW2024P-K9 V02

1. current active firmware is 1.3.0.59

2. I have upgraded boot image to 1.3.5.06 - the latest version, reboot

3. upload (I tried both options tftp/http) new FW sx300_fw-13558.ros but, always fails with the following error: 

Bytes Transferred:6976512 Status:Copy failed Error Message:Copy: Illegal software format

4. The image is uploaded but the transfer fails - I noticed MD5 checksum is missing in system summary (see picture in attach)

5. cli - sh bootvar - shows 2 image 1.3.0.59 Active and 1.3.5.58 Not active

6. cli - dir - shows image-1 and image-2 same size 7012352 (that's weird)

7. if I switch to the new one, the original 1.3.0.59 is loaded (maybe MD5 checksum problem)

What i can do in next step? now I'm frozen and I do not know what to do when nothing works ... 

Thx for reply.

[mipopov]

Hello Michael,

You should upgrade your boot code to be 1.3.5.06 (you can find it in version 1.3.5.58 - in the zip file). Verify that you are on this boot code and then upgrade the firmware to 1.3.5.58, verify and final step upgrade to latest 1.4.9.4.

Hope it helps,

Cheers, 

Mike

[MichaelPosvanc]

Hi Mike,

I made a mistake in point 2 I have already installed the version you write, I will fix it in the post. In the attached image is the correct version you are typing. Look on it..

Regards, 

Michael

[mipopov]

Hello Michael,

I see now that you have uploaded the 1.3.5.58 firmware, but it is not active. 

Because I see that you opened the CLI - so the command to do that is :

switchxxxxxx# boot system image-2

after you reboot, verify it is on 1.3.5.58 with command 'show version', then you can upgrade to latest

Cheers, 

Mike

[MichaelPosvanc]

Hi Mike,

I did, of course, this step, but it does not work. I've tried to set this image as active through the web, even through CLI, always loaded in the original.
Maybe the error is that I first uploaded a new boot image and after that I tried to upload a new version but as I mentioned above the upload version fails. Although the firmware is transferred but does not fit MD5 and can not be activated. Maybe it would like to upload the original boot image and perform the procedure again and in the correct order .. but the original boot image is not downloadable now from cisco and i do not have backup boot image.

Regards,

Michael P.

[mipopov]

Hello Michael,

I see, just download again 1.3.5.58 zip, unzip it to some folder and upgrade again from 1.3.0.x, after upload finishes, swap the active image to be 1.3.5.58 and then reboot the switch.

Verify it is on 1.3.5.58 and upgrade / swap after to 1.4.9.4 and then reboot.

Cheers, 

Mike

[MichaelPosvanc]

Hi again,

same problem illegal software format .. file transferred to switch but MD5 hash isnt present .. 

Software Information
Firmware Version (Active Image):	1.3.0.59
Firmware MD5 Checksum (Active Image):	058f64500c68e5624b5e5c292bbb2beb
Firmware Version (Non-active):	1.3.0.62
Firmware MD5 Checksum (Non-active):
Boot Version:	1.3.5.06
Boot MD5 Checksum:	da44c9c583e5a8a274f911c4d16f501e
Locale:	en-US
Language Version:	1.3.0.59
Language MD5 Checksum:	N/A

[mipopov]

Hello Michael,

Change the active image to be 1.3.0.62 and then try to upgrade to 1.3.5.58. 

If you cannot change to 1.3.0.62, try to upgrade first to 1.3.0.62 and then upgrade to 1.3.5.58.

Cheers,

Mike