2960 - System returned to ROM by address error at PC 0x676320, address 0x0

[Clive Hodgetts]

Hi, I have a 2960 which has been stable for several months. The switch crashed and then automatically reloaded without loading the saved configuration in flash. We reloaded the switch manually and the switch booted as expected with the correct configuration. The show version stated the following prior to the switch being manually reloaded:

Switch#show version
Cisco IOS Software, C2960 Software (C2960-LANBASEK9-M), Version 12.2(58)SE2, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2011 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Thu 21-Jul-11 02:13 by prod_rel_team

ROM: Bootstrap program is C2960 boot loader
BOOTLDR: C2960 Boot Loader (C2960-HBOOT-M) Version 12.2(44)SE5, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Switch uptime is 18 hours, 40 minutes
System returned to ROM by address error at PC 0x676320, address 0x0
System image file is "flash:/c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-58.SE2.bin"

I cannot find any reference to 'address error'

[InayathUlla Sharieff]

could you please share me with the logs so that i could decode and provid you the reason.

[Clive Hodgetts]

Hi, Thank you for your response. I have attached the crash files and show tech.

Kind Regards,

Clive

[InayathUlla Sharieff · Accepted solution]

I could found the following error in the crash/log:

++ HARDWARE-1-TCAM_ERROR: [traceback] Found error in [chars] TCAM Space and not able to
recover the error --- The switch cannot fix a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM)
integrity error. [chars] is memory location with the error: Unassigned TCAM Space, HFTM
TCAM Space (the ASIC forwarding TCAM manager space), or HQATM TCAM Space (the TCAM ASIC
quality of service [QoS] and access control list [ACL] TCAM manager space).

Note : This message is not applicable on Catalyst 2960-S switches.

%HARDWARE-1-TCAM_ERROR: Found error in HFTM TCAM Space and not able to recover the error"
is one of the new system messages on Cisco IOS Release12.2(55)SE and Later. This error
message means there was an error on the TCAM and it became corrupted during an upgrade of
the IOS in the past. This can be recovered by a power cycle of the switch. A software
reload will not resolve this, it requires a full power cycle.

TCAM corruption is due to SEL(System error logging) events, memory consistency check found
those errors and corrected few of them and not able to recover remaining.

For more information refer the link below.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750/software/release/12.2_55_se/rele
ase/notes/OL23054.html#wp1077955

Action Plan :

+ Reset the switch, if reset doesn't resolve the issue will replace the switch.

[Clive Hodgetts]

After the initial crash the switch automatically (soft) reloaded. At that point the switch did not load the configuration saved in flash. After a hard reload was initiated the switch booted as expected and loaded the correct configuration. So this fits with the observation that only a hard reload will recover the switch. Since the last reload the switch has been stable.

Thank you for your comprehensive explanation of my problem.

[InayathUlla Sharieff]

Hi Clive,

Thank you for the comment. May I ask you a favour to mark the thread as answered so that the thread is closed and other people in future facing same issue will be benefited.

Thanks in advance.

Regards

Inayath

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