Boot system flash: does not appear on 2960 running config

[gautamzone]

Dear friends,

On the 2960, i have two .bin images and i am pointing to the latest one.

However, the boot system flash: command along with the new image does not appear in the running config but it appears in the

show boot command.

t3a.sidradc.dmz.01#dir flash:
Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx        2131   Jan 3 2010 07:30:45 +03:00  private-config.text
    4  -rwx     8040418   Mar 1 1993 05:31:51 +03:00  c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-50.SE3.bin
    5  -rwx         676   Jan 3 2010 07:28:50 +03:00  vlan.dat
    6  drwx         128   Mar 1 1993 03:02:32 +03:00  c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-44.SE6
  546  -rwx        4120   Jan 3 2010 07:30:45 +03:00  multiple-fs
  548  -rwx        9001   Jan 3 2010 07:30:45 +03:00  config.text

32514048 bytes total (21123072 bytes free)

t3a.sidradc.dmz.01(config)#boot system flash:c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-50.SE3.bin
t3a.sidradc.dmz.01(config)#exit
t3a.sidradc.dmz.01#wr
Building configuration...
[OK]
t3a.sidradc.dmz.01#sh boot
BOOT path-list      : flash:c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-50.SE3.bin
Config file         : flash:/config.text
Private Config file : flash:/private-config.text
Enable Break        : no
Manual Boot         : no
HELPER path-list    :
Auto upgrade        : yes
Auto upgrade path   :
NVRAM/Config file
      buffer size:   65536
Timeout for Config
          Download:    0 seconds
Config Download
       via DHCP:       disabled (next boot: disabled)

t3a.sidradc.dmz.01#sh run | inc boot
boot-start-marker
boot-end-marker

Are you aware of any reasons for this?

Thanks a lot

Gautam

[Leo Laohoo]

WS-C2960C-12PC-L

Oh.  Those ones.  

I still need to know how to control the boot variable from the CLI.

What I would do is this: 

1.  Copy or un-pack the IOS to the remote end; 

2.  Verify the MD5 hash value

2.  Change the boot variable string to remove the old boot variable string.  Catalyst 2K and 3K do not support multiple boot variable string.  

config t

no boot system

boot system flash:/IOS_subdirectory/IOS_filename.bin

end

wr

Note:  If you don't save the config, the boot variable string won't change.

[brichter]

Ok, After working with the 2960 dev guys, we determined that I can issue the "boot system flash:/<image>" command and save the config, but that config line does not appear in the output of "show run" or "show start". However, it does show up in "show boot". The reason it doesn't show up in "show start" or "show run" is because it's a bug in IOS, and I'll be filing a CDETS on this issue.

Since it does show up in the output of "show boot" (thanks for teaching this old dog a new IOS "show" command), we can validate the configuration after uploading the new image, before rebooting, using "show boot" instead of "show start". Setting the config to boot the new image, as well as verifying the config was correct, was my main concern here as this procedure will be scripted and wrapped up into an admin CLI command for our product, to make it as simple as possible for the customer.

Thanks for your time, Leo, especially for the tutorial on the "archive" commands! They are a definite improvement if one needs the web-based UI.

[Leo Laohoo]

The reason it doesn't show up in "show start" or "show run" is because it's a bug in IOS, and I'll be filing a CDETS on this issue.

LOL.  It's been like this since a long, long time.  

[brichter]

Yup, don't know if they'll actually fix the show command or just change the docs... guess it all depends on how industrious they feel when the bug gets assigned. LOL

[Kenny Crumsey]

Thanks Leo,

 Worked perfect.

config t

no boot system

boot system flash:/c2960c405ex-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE7.bin

end

wr

reload

Loading "flash:/c2960c405ex-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE7.bin"...@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
File "flash:/c2960c405ex-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE7.bin" uncompressed and installed, entry point: 0x3000
executing...

[Leo Laohoo]

Thanks, Kenny..

NOTE:  Be vigilant with the IOS you're trying to use, 15.0(2)SE7.

[brichter]

All info regarding hardware model, ports, age, etc. aside, I still need to know how to control the boot variable from the CLI.

[zoltanszasz]

I hold 2 images just fine :P

Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx     2664051  Mar 01 1993 00:03:54 +00:00  c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-11.EA1.bin
    3  -rwx        1923  Mar 03 1993 01:05:13 +00:00  private-config.text
    4  -rwx        2084  Mar 03 1993 01:05:10 +00:00  config.text
    5  -rwx     3722814  Mar 01 1993 00:26:08 +00:00  c2950-i6k2l2q4-mz.121-22.EA14.bin
    7  drwx         704  Mar 01 1993 00:04:30 +00:00  html
   19  -rwx         109  Mar 01 1993 00:04:32 +00:00  info
   20  -rwx         109  Mar 01 1993 00:04:32 +00:00  info.ver
   21  -rwx         318  Mar 01 1993 00:31:02 +00:00  env_vars