Boot system and config register question

[vd123_cisco]

Hi All,

I am hoping if someone can help me understand the boot system command.

I have just gone through the config of 6500 switch and i found that there is no path to the boot image

6500#show bootvar

BOOT variable =

CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist

BOOTLDR variable =

Configuration register is 0x2102

Standby is up

Standby has 524288K/65536K bytes of memory.

Standby BOOT variable =

Standby CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist

Standby BOOTLDR variable does not exist

Standby Configuration register is 0x2102

There is only one image in the sup-bootdisk

6500#dir

Directory of sup-bootdisk:/

    1  -rw-    54622180   Nov 4 2008 04:17:06 +00:00  s3223-ipservicesk9_wan-mz.122-33.SXH3a.bin

    2  -rw-    26843548   Nov 4 2008 07:39:54 +00:00  sea_log.dat

is it right by default(config regiter 0x2102) the switch will try to boot the IOS from the flash? so in this case the image will be loaded fine without needing the boot system flash command. Or do i need to enter the boot systen command?

Thanks

Jay

[Leo Laohoo]

You need a boot statement:  boot system flash sup-bootdisk:s3223-ipservicesk9_wan-mz.122-33.SXH3a.bin

[vd123_cisco]

Hi leolaohoo,

Thank you for the reply. I understand that i would need to enter a boot system flash command but can some one explain why would you need that.

Regards,

Jay

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

6500E behaves differently.  Unlike the Catalyst 2K or 3K where you don't need a boot statement, the 6500E does.  If it can't find a boot statement or if the boot statement is incorrect, it doesn't have the "intelligent" to search for the first IOS file to boot.

[vd123_cisco]

Thank you Leolaohoo.

Regards,

Jay

[Leo Laohoo]

Thanks for the ratings, Jay.