Bootlooping Switch

[NathanLKoch]

Hello,

I recently got a switch online and it must have been a clean install or upgrade(not that thats a bad thing). I did a reset from rommon and It rebooted and said it was erasing. It then started bootlooping and I had to control C to get it to stop it's loop. I was able to "boot bootflash:ios" and get it to start fine. How can I remove the erase function from rommon to get it to stop bootlooping or set a default bootflash?

Thanks,

Nate

[Leo Laohoo]

I want to see the error messages to be able to determine if this is software or hardware issue.

[NathanLKoch]

**********************************************************
* *
* Rom Monitor Upgrade Utility For WS-C4948 System *
* *
* Copyright (c) 2003-2011 by Cisco Systems, Inc. *
* All rights reserved. *
* *
**********************************************************

Upgrading Image... DO NOT RESET the system
unless instructed or upgrade will fail !!!

Image Name : Cat4K_Mpc8245_Rommon
Image size : 349380 bytes

Uncompressing image.....
Done!

Beginning erase operation......
Done!

Beginning write operation......
Done!

Verifying......
Done!

**********************************************************
* *
* Welcome to Rom Monitor for WS-C4948 System. *
* Copyright (c) 2003-2011 by Cisco Systems, Inc. *
* All rights reserved. *
* *
**********************************************************

Rom Monitor Program Version 12.2(31r)SGA7
Supervisor: WS-C4948 Chassis: WS-C4948
Hardware Revisions - Board: 6.0 CPLD: 5 Dagobah: 226

MAC Address : 00-1f-ca-43-6a-bf
Ip Address : Not set.
Netmask : Not set.
Gateway : Not set.
TftpServer : Not set.
Main Memory : 256 MBytes

***** The system will autoboot in 5 seconds *****

Then it just loops.

rommon 2 >boot bootflash:cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG10.bin will get me into a working environment.

show bootvar

BOOT variable = bootflash:cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG10.bin,1;
CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x2101

[Leo Laohoo]

I think I know what is going on.
Post the complete output to the "dir".
I suspect the bootflash: will contain the file "Cat4K_Mpc8245_Rommon" on the top of the list and the IOS filename "cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG10.bin" is found below the ROMMON filename.
If this is true, then this is because of two reasons:
1. The config-registry is set to "0x2101";
2. Someone didn't read the instructions correctly. The instruction to upgrading the ROMMON would have stated "after the ROMMON has been upgraded, delete the file from the bootflash:." -- or something like that.

[NathanLKoch]

Yeah. It was my boot variable. It wasn't set. I was able to set it but I also set my config file as my boot bin and ended up saving a configuration file over the binary and my switch now won't boot, it shows originalios.bin(deleted) and ios.bin with different file lengths in rommon and the ios.bin is the conf file. I was able to tftpboot it from a fedora server. I am now booted into IOS and am trying to figure out if I can configure a interface so I can copy the entservicesk9 which originally came with the switch to the server. I don't have the "Support Credentials" to download it from Cisco. Once that's backed up. I will flash and erase the switch and set the variable back. Fingers crossed.

-Nate

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@NathanLKoch wrote:

It was my boot variable. It wasn't set.

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Even if the boot variable was set, config-registry value of 0x2101 means "IGNORE boot variable, load the first IOS file in the directory".  And this is why the switch booted the ROMMON firmware.

Kindly post the complete output to the command "dir".

[NathanLKoch]

I was able to get an interface working so I could tftp ios.bin to it. Heres where I am at. I tftp booted ios.bin using the management port. Then configured an interface once booted to be able to tftp files. When I dir /all it shows the deleted file it was showing me in rommon with [] around it. I need to figure out how to copy that to my tftp server then figure out how to flash this back and get everything configured properly.

Switch#dir /all                                            
Directory of bootflash:/

    1  -rwx      426652  Aug 29 2018 05:20:41 +00:00  cat4500-ios-promupgrade-122_31r_SGA7
    2  -rwx    19476896  Aug 29 2018 05:21:00 +00:00  [cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG10.bin]
    3  -rw-        2385   Jan 9 2020 16:46:49 +00:00  cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG10.bin
    4  -rwx    18095624   Jan 9 2020 18:44:37 +00:00  ios.bin

60817408 bytes total (22815336 bytes free)

Thank you for your assistance.

---

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Run this command: delete /f /r bootflash:cat4500-ios-promupgrade-122_31r_SGA7

[NathanLKoch]

It's getting late where I am. I will give it a try tomorrow. I think I will need to adjust boot variables. and I still need to figure out how to backup and transfer the [] file. I will keep you posted. Thank you.

-Nate

[NathanLKoch]

Thank you. Deleting that file and configuring boot to first file resolved that issue.

This has been a learning experience. Thus far I have learned how to delete and undelete a file, tftp bootstrap a switch, how the mgmt port works, how to configuring basic ip functions. how to transfer files over tftp, and how to recover from a disastrous situation.

I just need to find someone to send me updated files:

cat4500-entservicesk9-mz.150-2.SG11.bin

c2900-universalk9-mz.SPA.157-3.M5.bin

ap3g2-k9w7-tar.153-3.JF11.tar  ap3g2-k9w8-tar.153-3.JF11.tar  ap3g2-rcvk9w8-tar.153-3.JF11.tar

Thank you.

[Aijaz Rehman]

Switch: flash_init

Switch: dir flash:

Switch: set boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>

Switch: boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@Aijaz Rehman wrote:

Switch: flash_init
Switch: dir Flash:
Switch: set boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>
Switch: boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>

---

That's wrong.  

The second command, "dir Flash:", will throw a syntax error.

[Aijaz Rehman]

Switch: flash_init
Switch: load_helper
Switch: dir flash:
Switch: set boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>
Switch: boot flash: <flash file name with bin ext>

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Aijaz Rehman wrote:

Switch: Load_helper

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Try again.  I'm pretty sure that syntax is also incorrect. 

ROMMON is very case sensitive.