Attempting to trunk a 2924xl to a 3550

[acameron12]

I have a 3550 and 2924xl switch I want to trunk together but am unsuccefule thus far:

The 3550 is as follows:

Model number: WS-C3550-24-EMI

System image file is "flash:c3550-i5q3l2-mz.121-14.EA1a/c3550-i5q3l2-mz.121-14.EA1a.bin

cisco WS-C3550-24 (PowerPC) processor (revision K0) with 65526K/8192K bytes of memory.

The 2924 is as follows:

Model number: WS-C2924-XL-A

System image file is "flash:c2900XL-h2-mz-112.8.2-SA6.bin", booted via administrator on vty0 (172.16.204.213)

cisco WS-C2924-XL (PowerPC403GA) processor (revision 0x11) with 8192K/1024K bytes of memory.

With the 2924XL access port set to access, I can access it. Setup in multi mode with vlans permitted from the 3550, I cannot.

My objective is to offload a Nortel switch currenlty trunked from my 3550 and shit the hosts on the Nortel to the 2924 XL on a similarly trunked port.

Is what I am attempting even possible with these two versions of Catalysts?

[acameron12]

Should I still be able to upgrade to c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin image and enable compatible trunking functions?

[jjalexander401 · Accepted solution]

Yes, that's the image mine had on it.

System image file is "flash:c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin"

If you have console access, I'd just set up a tftp server on your laptop and grab the new image from there.  You'll probably have to delete the current image from flash before doing so due to space restrictions.

[acameron12]

Ok, I will try the procedure again with your recommendations. I had used tftp to load the new 12.0 image to the 2924. I renamed the existing 11.x image with a .old extension to force a load of the 12.x.

[acameron12]

I tried the attempted procedure, but:

switch: flash_init                                                             
Initializing Flash...                                                          
...The flash is already initialized.                                           
switch: load_helper                                                            
switch: load_helper                                                            
switch:                                                                        
switch:         dir flash:                                                     
Directory of flash:/                                                           
                                                                               
2    -rwx  1109398                  c2900XL-h2-mz-112.8.2-SA6.old        
3    -rwx  98833                    c2900XL-diag-mz-112.8.2-SA6          
4    drwx  10816                    html                                 
175  -rwx  1395                     config.text                          
177  -rwx  1811903                  c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin      
178  -rwx  323                      env_vars                             
                                                                               
83968 bytes available (3528704 bytes used)                                     
switch: boot c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin                                   
Loading "c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin"...c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin: per
mission denied                                                                 
                                                                               
Error loading "c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin"                                
                                                                               
Interrupt within 5 seconds to abort boot process.             

Boot process failed...                                                         
switch:               

[Leo Laohoo]

This is unbelievable!  How were you able to load TWO IOS into a 2900XL???  It couldn't be done.

Unfortunately, you are in ROMmon and it will be difficult to delete the old IOS.  I would have to recommend you FORMAT the flash and upload the "c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin" again.

You will need to use the command "formate flash:" to do so.

[acameron12]

What is the c2900XL-diag-mz-112.8.2-SA6 image and do I need to update that?

[Leo Laohoo]

c2900XL-diag-mz-112.8.2-SA6 is a very, very old IOS.

[acameron12]

mmm, ok.

Would it make sense to just tftp the old 11.x images off the switch, delete them, leave the 12.x then re-boot?

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

The 2900Xl will only allow ONE IOS.  There's not enough flash space for two.

[glen.grant · Accepted solution]

  You can get rid of the diag image , its just there for factory troubleshooting and has no function in everyday usage .  Use the 12.X image . It is the right image for the box , just verify the size in flash matches the size of the file you downloaded from CCO.   Then make sure you do the boot statement , "boot system flash:c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin .  Write mem the config and reload .   For your trunk setup make sure both are using dot1q for the encapsulation ,  early versions of the 2924 used ISL as a default I believe.

[acameron12]

Thanks!

I am making progress:

sh ver                                                        
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software                                   
IOS (tm) C2900XL Software (C2900XL-C3H2S-M), Version 12.0(5)WC17, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)                                                                       
Copyright (c) 1986-2007 by cisco Systems, Inc.                                 
Compiled Tue 13-Feb-07 15:27 by antonino                                       
Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x00352924                             
                                                                               
ROM: Bootstrap program is C2900XL boot loader                                  
                                                                               
BDC-UNI-INF-SW-G uptime is 14 minutes                                          
System returned to ROM by reload                                               
System image file is "flash:c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC17.bin"     

An the switch now offers trunking options:

(config-if)#switchport ?                                       
  access    Set access mode characteristics of the interface                   
  mode      Set trunking mode of the interface                                 
  multi     Set characteristics when in multi-VLAN mode                        
  priority  Set 802.1p priorities                                              
  trunk     Set trunking characteristics of the interface                      
  voice     Voice appliance attributes                           

(config-if)#switchport trunk ?                                 
  allowed        Set allowed VLAN characteristics when interface is in trunking
                 mode                                                          
  encapsulation  Set trunking encapsulation when interface is in trunking mode 
  native         Set trunking native characteristics when interface is in      
                 trunking mode                                                 
  pruning        Set pruning VLAN characteristics when interface is in trunking
                 mode                                                          
                                                                                             

[acameron12]

As of this writing, I have successfully re-applied the original trunking commands to my 2924 and 3550.

I am now able to access the IP address of my 2924 through the 3550 and the trunk access.

The two original 11.x images were removed from the 2924 and the 12.x image remaining in flash with

the boot system command applied to point definitively to the new image.

I have executed several reloads to verify the 2924 can recover access.

Thanks all for your insights and suggestions.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

If your troubles have been addressed, may I request if you can mark this post as "Answered" and rate our posts?  Thank you very much.