3850 upgrade - Error - packages.conf.01- appears to be a rollback file

[arif.malik38]

Hi Experts,

I'm trying to upgrade C3850-48P but it gives below error - Can you please assist what is the issue. 

Note: Switch was rolled back before few months

Switch#show flash:
-#- --length-- ---------date/time--------- path
2 2097152 Feb 05 2018 21:59:40.0000000000 +00:00 nvram_config
3 79110340 Jan 05 2015 20:09:14.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-base.SPA.03.03.04SE.pkg
4 6521532 Jan 05 2015 20:09:15.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-drivers.SPA.03.03.04SE.pkg
5 34530288 Jan 05 2015 20:09:14.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-infra.SPA.03.03.04SE.pkg
6 34856268 Jan 05 2015 20:09:14.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-iosd-universalk9.SPA.150-1.EZ4.pkg
7 25172880 Jan 05 2015 20:09:14.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-platform.SPA.03.03.04SE.pkg
8 77445952 Jan 05 2015 20:09:15.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-wcm.SPA.10.1.140.0.pkg
9 65301 Sep 28 2017 04:15:03.0000000000 +00:00 memleak.tcl
10 76 Sep 28 2017 04:14:47.0000000000 +00:00 boothelper.log
11 1247 Feb 05 2018 22:11:07.0000000000 +00:00 packages.conf.01-
12 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:25:57.0000000000 +00:00 core
13 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:18:27.0000000000 +00:00 core/modules
14 1 Sep 28 2017 03:40:57.0000000000 +00:00 core/.callhome
15 328157104 Feb 01 2018 04:00:50.0000000000 +00:00 cat3k_caa-universalk9.SPA.03.07.04.E.152-3.E4.bin
16 111 Sep 28 2017 04:14:23.0000000000 +00:00 bootloader_evt_handle.log
17 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:18:25.0000000000 +00:00 .prst_sync
18 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:18:27.0000000000 +00:00 .rollback_timer
19 4096 Sep 28 2017 04:14:45.0000000000 +00:00 dc_profile_dir
20 169223 Sep 28 2017 04:14:45.0000000000 +00:00 dc_profile_dir/dc_default_profiles.txt
21 169223 Sep 28 2017 04:05:45.0000000000 +00:00 dc_profile_dir/dc_default_profiles.txt.bkp
22 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:18:37.0000000000 +00:00 gs_script
23 4096 Sep 28 2017 03:19:10.0000000000 +00:00 .installer
948146176 bytes available (591429632 bytes used)

Switch#
Switch#$ flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.SPA.03.07.04.E.152-3.E4.bin new
Preparing install operation ...
[1]: Starting install operation
[1]: % File /flash/packages.conf.01- appears to be a rollback file. Operation aborted.

[melshakweer]

Has anybody solved this issue? I'm running into the same thing trying to upgrade 3850 after there was a rollback last year.

[marce1000]

 - Your install command has a an installation file with a .bin extension normally I would assume to be .pkg file in that command.

 M.

[melshakweer]

NO, his command is correct, you download the .bin file from Cisco website (there is NO .pkg files to download), the "software install" command will extract the .pkg files from the .bin file and add them to the flash

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3850/software/release/16-12/release_notes/ol-16-12-3850.html#task_k3s_tgq_k3b

[marce1000]

 - Could you use both the new and  force options on the end of the command (as per documentation)

 M.

[melshakweer]

yes used the new and force option but still got the same result;

3850#software install file flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.16.12.05b.SPA.bin new force
Preparing install operation ...
[1]: Copying software from active switch 1 to switch 2
[1]: Finished copying software to switch 2
[1 2]: Starting install operation 
[1]: % File /flash/packages.conf.00- appears to be a rollback file. Operation aborted.
[2]: % File /flash/packages.conf.00- appears to be a rollback file. Operation aborted.
[1]: % An internal error was encountered. Operation aborted.
[2]: % An internal error was encountered. Operation aborted.   

[marce1000]

 - What is the output of show version ?

 M.

[melshakweer]

3850#sh ver
Cisco IOS Software, IOS-XE Software, Catalyst L3 Switch Software (CAT3K_CAA-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 03.06.04.E RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2016 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sat 13-Feb-16 03:45 by prod_rel_team



Cisco IOS-XE software, Copyright (c) 2005-2015 by cisco Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved.  Certain components of Cisco IOS-XE software are
licensed under the GNU General Public License ("GPL") Version 2.0.  The
software code licensed under GPL Version 2.0 is free software that comes
with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.  You can redistribute and/or modify such
GPL code under the terms of GPL Version 2.0.
(http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html) For more details, see the
documentation or "License Notice" file accompanying the IOS-XE software,
or the applicable URL provided on the flyer accompanying the IOS-XE
software.



ROM: IOS-XE ROMMON
BOOTLDR: CAT3K_CAA Boot Loader (CAT3K_CAA-HBOOT-M) Version 4.68, RELEASE SOFTWARE (P)

3850 uptime is 7 weeks, 1 day, 14 hours, 56 minutes
Uptime for this control processor is 7 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours, 2 minutes
System returned to ROM by reload at 20:25:05 EDT Mon Sep 27 2021
System restarted at 20:33:06 EDT Mon Sep 27 2021
System image file is "flash:packages.conf.00-"
Last reload reason: Reload command



This product contains cryptographic features and is subject to United
States and local country laws governing import, export, transfer and
use. Delivery of Cisco cryptographic products does not imply
third-party authority to import, export, distribute or use encryption.
Importers, exporters, distributors and users are responsible for
compliance with U.S. and local country laws. By using this product you
agree to comply with applicable laws and regulations. If you are unable
to comply with U.S. and local laws, return this product immediately.

A summary of U.S. laws governing Cisco cryptographic products may be found at:
http://www.cisco.com/wwl/export/crypto/tool/stqrg.html

If you require further assistance please contact us by sending email to
export@cisco.com.

License Level: Ipservices
License Type: Permanent
Next reload license Level: Ipservices

cisco WS-C3850-48T (MIPS) processor with 4194304K bytes of physical memory.
Processor board ID
4 Virtual Ethernet interfaces
104 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
8 Ten Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
2048K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
4194304K bytes of physical memory.
252000K bytes of Crash Files at crashinfo:.
252000K bytes of Crash Files at crashinfo-2:.
1611414K bytes of Flash at flash:.
1611414K bytes of Flash at flash-2:.
0K bytes of Dummy USB Flash at usbflash0-2:.
0K bytes of Dummy USB Flash at usbflash0:.
0K bytes of  at webui:.

Base Ethernet MAC Address          : 
Motherboard Assembly Number        : 
Motherboard Serial Number          :
Model Revision Number              : Z0
Motherboard Revision Number        : B0
Model Number                       : WS-C3850-48T
System Serial Number               :


Switch Ports Model              SW Version        SW Image              Mode   
------ ----- -----              ----------        ----------            ----   
*    1 56    WS-C3850-48T       03.06.04.E        cat3k_caa-universalk9 INSTALL
     2 56    WS-C3850-48T       03.06.04.E        cat3k_caa-universalk9 INSTALL


Switch 02
---------
Switch uptime                      : 7 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours, 2 minutes 
Base Ethernet MAC Address          : 
Motherboard Assembly Number        : 
Motherboard Serial Number          :
Model Revision Number              : Z0
Motherboard Revision Number        : B0
Model Number                       : WS-C3850-48T
System Serial Number               :

Configuration register is 0x102

[marce1000]

 - You may try to safe the configuration externally with tftp or scp , then factory reset; install the intended software version and then restore the configuration which you saved earlier.

 M.

[melshakweer]

This device is in production, so I cannot do that, its better to set up a replacement to swap out.

[marce1000]

If it in production then a sucessfull upgrade would have caused a reboot
and service interruption too. M.

[tdavis85]

Can you do a show run | include boot? also, is there really not a packages.conf file in flash:?  I see you have the packages.conf.01 file, but not the packages.conf file itself.  Also your version output shows your image file being   "flash:packages.conf.00" (probably the shadow copy from the rollback) rather than the flash:packages.conf file itself.  If you verify that you don't have the right packages.conf file, it may be worth trying to delete the packages.conf.01 file and then doing a software expand command of the bin file. It should recreate the packages.conf.  You can do a "more flash:packages.conf.01" to see what's in the file before you delete it.

[melshakweer]

So I was able to get a 3850 in lab to test and recreate the issue; I had previously upgraded from IOS XE 3.4.6 to 16.12.5b; then I did the below steps;

• “request platform software package install rollback” or “request platform software package install rollback force” these commands don’t work and gave us an error when trying to downgrade back to 3.4.6 IOS-XE

• We changed the boot statement to “boot system switch all flash:packages.conf.00-” then reloaded the box
• The box came backup in IOS XE 3.4.6
• We copied the new IOS-XE 16.12.5b to the flash and performed the md5 check, which were successful.
• We did the “software install file flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.16.12.05b.SPA.bin new force” and got the same error
• We tried “software expand file flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.16.12.05b.SPA.bin switch 1-2”, the IOS expanded successfully and a new packages.conf was written to the flash, and was verified with the “more flash:packages.conf” command

-          the boot command had to be changed back to “boot system switch all flash:packages.conf”

-          Finally the box was reloaded with “reload” command and the box came up successfully with the new IOS 16.12.5b

[juliojmz82]

I got similar error when trying Install mode after issue the Single Install Command from 16.6.4a to 16.12.07

switch#request platform software package install switch all file flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.16.12.07.SPA.bin new auto-copy

--- Starting install local lock acquisition on switch 1 ---

Finished install local lock acquisition on switch 1

 ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^HExpanding image file: flash:cat3k_caa-universalk9.16.12.07.SPA.bin

[1]: Expanding file

 ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H ^H[1]: Finished expanding all-in-one software package in switch 1

SUCCESS: Finished expanding all-in-one software package.

[1]: Performing install

 SUCCESS: install finished

[1]: install package(s) on switch 1

--- Starting local lock acquisition on switch 1 ---

Finished local lock acquisition on switch 1

--- Starting file path checking ---

Finished file path checking

FAILED: File /flash/packages.conf.00- appears to be a rollback file

[1]: Finished install failed on switch 1

Checking status of install on [1]

[1]: FAILED: install failed in switch 1

SUCCESS: Finished install: Success on []. Failed on [1]

switch#

Look the "show boot", and you will see something similar with the old file "packages.conf.00-" what I did is change this variable with the new file "packages.conf".

Make sure your new file is correct by issue the "more" command

switch#sh boot

---------------------------

Switch 1

---------------------------

Current Boot Variables:

BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf.00-;

Boot Variables on next reload:

BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf.00-;

Manual Boot = no

Enable Break = no

Boot Mode = DEVICE

iPXE Timeout = 0

switch#

switch#more packages.conf

#! /usr/binos/bin/packages_conf.sh

-----omitted output------

# This is for NOVA

iso  rp 0 0  rp_base    cat3k_caa-rpbase.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  rp_core    cat3k_caa-rpcore.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  rp_daemons   cat3k_caa-rpcore.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  rp_iosd    cat3k_caa-rpcore.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  rp_webui    cat3k_caa-webui.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  srdriver    cat3k_caa-srdriver.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  rp_security  cat3k_caa-rpcore.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  rp 0 0  guestshell   cat3k_caa-guestshell.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

iso  fp 0 0  fp       cat3k_caa-rpcore.16.12.07.SPA.pkg

#

# -start- superpackage .pkginfo

#

switch#

The following steps works for me to fix this error

1.- Delete this line:

no boot system switch all flash:packages.conf.00-

2.- Place these lines:

boot system switch all flash:packages.conf

boot system switch all flash:packages.conf.00-

3.- Save and reload

write

reload