6509 boots to ROMMON after ios upgrade

[wilson_1234_2]

Yet another 6509 boot to rommmon after upgrade question.

After looking, it seems to be a common occurance.

Are the 6509s quirky, or is it usually due to an avoidable problem?

For example, I have a 6509 I wanted to upgrade to that lates image in the train I currently have.

The 6509 has an IOS image in sup-bootflash and and older image on disk0.

The switch was booted and running the image in sup-bootflash:

s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF5.bin

The image on disk0 was not used:

s72033-jk9o3sv-mz.122-18.SXD7.bin

I inserted a flash card in slot 1, I did not format the disk.

I copied a newer image to disk 1:

s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF15a.bin

did a verify (showed good) and modified the boot variable:

boot system flash disk1:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF15a.bin

boot system flash sup-bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF5.bin

The switch booted to rommon with the

"device does not contain a valid magic number" error message, which indicated corrupted image or disk.

The switch booted after the disk1 was pulled and "reset" in rommon.

1. Why didn't the switch go on to the second image in the boot variable it had previously booted to in sup-bootflash?

2. What would be the normal boot order of sup-bootflash, bootflash and the disks?

[Edison Ortiz]

I inserted a flash card in slot 1, I did not format the disk.

Richard,

That's the problem. You must format the disk, then copy the image.

1. Why didn't the switch go on to the second image in the boot variable it had previously booted to in sup-bootflash?

There was a severe error during the bootup, thus the loading process was halted.

It only goes to the second option if the image isn't present in the primary file system. On this case, the system is making you aware of the severe problem and halting the process.

2. What would be the normal boot order of sup-bootflash, bootflash and the disks?

The order depends on how the command are entered in the config. Per your output, you have DISK1: first then sup-bootflash:

HTH,

__

Edison.

[wilson_1234_2]

Thanks edison,

Is it because it is a new disk that it needed to be formatted?

Also, the image will show good during verify, even if the disk had not been formatted?

[Edison Ortiz]

Correct, is part of the documentation from the card, please see:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst6500/hardware/Config_Notes/78_15537.html

See Step 3.

The fact you were able to view contents on the file system while running an IOS that was booted from another file system, does not qualify that file system as a bootable file system.

Put it this way, if you have 2 hard drives in a computer, can you take C: out and boot from D: without making a bootable drive?

___

Edison.

[wilson_1234_2]

Thanks edison,

I really appreciate your replies.

I see now, so, the formatting process makes the disk bootable correct?

Would formatting the disk in the 6509 also make it bootable for any device that uses that particular type of flash card (like a 7206)?

[Edison Ortiz · Accepted solution]

I wouldn't go as far as making the disk bootable, it just conditions the disk to be use on that platform.

If you were to use that media in another platform, to be safe - I format the media once again under that platform and then copy the file on it.

The bootable reference in my previous reply was for you to understand how the behavior relates to a computer use of media.

HTH,

__

Edison.

[wilson_1234_2]

Thanks edison,

greatly appreciated.