Can i do "copy flash tftp" on a live production router

[bsciarra1]

Good morning, i need a copy of ios to replace the ios on a corrupted router. 

Can i do a "copy flash tftp" and download the good ios from a live production router without effecting functionality of that router?

[Leo Laohoo]

Can i do a "copy flash tftp" and download the good ios from a live production router without effecting functionality of that router?

Yes you can but why?

The best possible way is to download the IOS from the Cisco website.  This way you can compare the MD5 hash value of the file you've completed download against the value from the Cisco website.

Besides, what are you trying to do again?

1.  Copy the IOS from the router to a TFTP server;

2.  Copy the IOS from the TFTP server to the other router.

Uhhhhh ... why don't you just make your router a TFTP server and copy the IOS from one router to another.

[bsciarra1]

I will try but i don't think my cisco account allows access to download ios images

[Leo Laohoo]

If you can't, then make your source router a TFTP server using the command "tftp flash:filename.extension" and copy the IOS direct.  No need to use an intermediate TFTP.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Posting

Yes you can.  (You can also use other copy protocols, such a FTP and RCP).

Will there be impact on the production device?  Yes, it will impact the device's CPU, but usually not in a way that's significant to production traffic forwarding.

As Leo mentions, you can set up the router to also be a TFTP server (as noted by Leo), but if you do copy the IOS off a production box, you'll have another copy of it stored elsewhere.

Depending on the router's involved, you might also have the option to copy to external flash media such as USB.

[bsciarra1]

Thank you.  As it turns out, i do have access to download ios images. 

I was able to download the same flash i have on all my other routers, but i suspect there is something wrong with my flash - as it says insuffcient storage on flash.

And when i boot my router it takes me to a "rommon" prompt and tells me "compact flash not present"