2960S and Cisco USB = No Boot

Chris Lindberg · ‎04-23-2013

I've discovered recently that whenever I cold boot or reload one of my Cat2960S switches with my new Cisco 1GB USB stick inserted, it does, well, nothing.... No console output. It just sits there with the status lights extinguished.

Take out the stick, flap the power and everything is back to normal. This is not behavior I am used to seeing with what few USB sticks I had before that semi-worked (ROMMON only).

Is this a "value added feature" of the Cisco brand USB sticks anyone else has noticed?

Running various flavors of 15.0(2) on them, 12.2(55r)SE boot loader. The USB stick was formatted by a 2960S prior to use and functions normally otherwise.

Thanks! If I missed another thread about this, please point me in the right direction.

Reza Sharifi · ‎04-23-2013

I don't have any 2960s switches but if the USB port function the same as the USB ports on the 3750X, 3560X series switches, that is not for booting the IOS from. That is there for upgrade and storage, so you can simply copy the IOS to it, copy it from USB to internal flash and then reboot the switch and let it boot from internal flash and not the USB.

From the 2960 data sheet:

USB storage for file backup, distribution, and simplified operations

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps6406/product_data_sheet0900aecd80322c0c.html

HTH

Leo Laohoo · ‎04-23-2013

I've never used Cisco USB sticks before because of the length of the "neck". I always use third-party USB sticks and CF.

I am suspecting them USB sticks you are using has a shorter neck and you need to scrape about 2 mm from the base so you can push them all the way in.

I have booted an IOS on 2960S either from ROMmon or from CLI. Once you insert the USB in, particularly in CLI, you'll get log message confiriming that a USB stick is present and whether or not it's supported.

Chris Lindberg · ‎04-23-2013

I wasn't clear in the original post, but the USB stick is an official Cisco stick. MEMUSB-1024FT= or something like that. It works perfectly well so long as I'm already in IOS or ROMMON. The system is booting from flash and always has been.

If the USB stick is inserted at boot time (either from cold state or from a reload) the sytem will not load in any noticable way. There is no console output. I cannot reach ROMMON.

I'm fine with not being able to boot from usbflash0:, that's not what I bought it for. What I'm wondering is why the system itself seems to be prevented from booting even to ROMMON just because this Cisco USB stick is inserted. 3rd party USB sticks do not cause this behavior (so far). It would be highly unfortunate if someone left one in a switch in the field...

Sorry for any misunderstanding caused by the OP.

Leo Laohoo · ‎04-23-2013

If the USB stick is inserted at boot time (either from cold state or from a reload) the sytem will not load in any noticable way. There is no console output. I cannot reach ROMMON.

Never tried this before. I always make sure the USB is in before I turn on the power.

Chris Lindberg · ‎04-24-2013

The USB is in when I turn on the power for a cold boot. Read "inserted at boot time" as "if I insert the stick and then cold boot." Also to include if the stick is left in during a reload.