Cannot upgrade IOS on switch stack on cisco 9300

[anointedballa]

Hi Everyone,

I have been trying to upgrade the IOS of a configuration of 4 switches in a stack. they are all cisco 9300 models.

I transferred the bin image over to all of the switches via tftp. I am upgrading from 16.6.6 to 16.9.3.

I ran the following command:

request platform software package install switch all file <filename>

In the code below, you will see that the command runs successfully but it seems like it wants to expand correctly until it gets to switches 2,3, and 4.

Jul 31 20:37:48.811: %IOSXE-5-PLATFORM: Switch 1 R0/0: Jul 31 20:37:48 provision.sh: %INSTALL-5-OPERATION_START_INFO: Started install package flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.binExpanding image file: flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin
[1 2 3 4]: Expanding file

*Jul 31 20:38:18.259: %IOSXE-5-PLATFORM: Switch 1 R0/0: Jul 31 20:38:18 packtool.sh: %INSTALL-5-OPERATION_START_INFO: Started expand package flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin[1]: Verifying parameters
[1]: Expanding superpackage flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin
[1]: Validating package type
[1]: Copying package files
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-cc_srdriver.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-espbase.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-guestshell.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-rpbase.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-rpboot.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-sipbase.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-sipspa.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-srdriver.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-webui.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: WARNING: cat9k-wlc.16.09.03.SPA.pkg will replace the identical file that already exists in flash:
[1]: SUCCESS: Finished expanding all-in-one software package.
[2]: Verifying parameters
[2]: Expanding superpackage flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin
[2]: FAILED: Specified package file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin does not exist
[3]: Verifying parameters
[3]: Expanding superpackage flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin
[3]: FAILED: Specified package file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin does not exist
[4]: Verifying parameters
[4]: Expanding superpackage flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin
[4]: FAILED: Specified package file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin does not exist
[1]: Finished expanding all-in-one software package in switch 1
FAILED: [2 3 4]: FAILED: Expanding all-in-one software package failed in switch 2 3 4

*Jul 31 20:40:02.021: %IOSXE-3-PLATFORM: Switch 1 R0/0: Jul 31 20:40:02 packtool.sh: %INSTALL-3-OPERATION_ERROR_MESSAGE: Failed to expand package flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin, Error: [2 3 4]: FAILED: Expanding all-in-one software package failed in switch 2 3 4FAILED: Unable to expand flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin

*Jul 31 20:40:03.723: %IOSXE-3-PLATFORM: Switch 1 R0/0: Jul 31 20:40:03 provision.sh: %INSTALL-3-OPERATION_ERROR_MESSAGE: Failed to install package flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin, Error: FAILED: [2 3 4]: FAILED: Expanding all-in-one software package failed in switch 2 3 4
*Jul 31 20:40:03.740: %IOSXE-3-PLATFORM: Switch 1 R0/0: Jul 31 20:40:03 provision.sh: %INSTALL-3-OPERATION_ERROR_MESSAGE: Failed to install package flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin, Error: Unable to expand flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin

I haven't been able to find any documentation on how to adequately program a stack with 4 switches straight out of the box, anywhere either.

*sidenote - I am a rookie :) I am glad to grow in the field with this community.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Antonio

[balaji.bandi]

here is the upgrade document, what mode are you bundle or install mode ?

show version will give you information what mode are you and follow beloe guide based on the mode.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9300/software/release/16-6/release_notes/ol-16-6-9300.html#pgfId-1485517

[anointedballa]

---

@balaji.bandi wrote:

here is the upgrade document, what mode are you bundle or install mode ?

show version will give you information what mode are you and follow beloe guide based on the mode.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9300/software/release/16-6/release_notes/ol-16-6-9300.html#pgfId-1485517

---

thank you so much for your help! I bookmarked this page. I couldn't have found this without your help.

[Leo Laohoo · Accepted solution]

Do the following:

1. request platform software package clean switch all
2. install remove inactive
3. Copy the IOS into flash: or flash-1:
4. request platform software package install switch all file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin auto-copy verbose
5. install add file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin activate commit

Pay close attention attention to error message(s) in #4.  

To verify, use the command "more flash-1:packages.conf" and make sure 16.09.03 is listed in the 2nd page.  Do the same to each member of the switch stack (i. e.  more flash-2:packages.conf, more flash-3:packages.conf, etc.). 

Hope this helps.

[rattanakangvanvong]

May I know what is the different between command in mark 1 / mark 2 and command in mark 4 / mark 5 ?

     Cause from my perspective it's pretty much the same to me.

[AmolWani41381]

Do the commands "request platform software package install switch all file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin auto-copy verbose"
& "install add file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin activate commit" necessarily perform the same operation ?

Is it mandatory to use both the commands or instead of the latter command we can use the below commands

"install activate file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin" 
"install commit file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin" 

[Leo Laohoo]

Yes and no. 

They are, technically, the same.  HOWEVER, the command "request platform software package install switch all file flash:cat9k_iosxe.16.09.03.SPA.bin auto-copy verbose" has an additional option which is not present in the other command:  

on-reboot

NOTE:  The "on-reboot" command is a "bug".  It is meant to be "NO-reboot" (CSCve94966). 

Using the the "on-reboot" option means that after the package has been unpacked, the switch DOES NOT reboot.  The "install software" option reboots the switch/stack as soon as the command is entered.  

[bbb bbb]

Thanks, Leo

I verified each flash content after step 4 and did a manual reload because I want to know the start of downtime until the network becomes available. This helps me to predict a certain window time where network access is not available as a reference for future switch upgrades. 

In my case, where we did a switch upgrade on a production environment on a two 9300-48U stacked switch took around 10 minutes to complete reload.

After that, I verified the target software version then went back to step 1 to clean or remove the old IOSXE.