Cat6509 multiple boot IOS images

[syntaxmonster]

Hi everybody,

i have an understanding problem about the boot method of the Cat6509. We are using the Sup720.

So the description of my "problem":

I have 2 different IOS releases, one on the bootflash: and one on the sup-bootflash:

My running-config looks like this:

----snip---

boot system flash sup-bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF1.bin

boot system flash bootflash:s72033-pk9sv-mz.122-17a.SX4.bin

----snap----

Now when i reload the switch, i see that it loads the bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF1.bin

but this image doesn?t exist on the bootflash: as it is physically on the sup-bootflash.

I found out that the bootvars on the SUP720 are these:

Switch#>remote command switch sh boot:

BOOT variable = bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF1.bin,1;bootflash:s72033-pk9sv-mz.122-17a.SX4.bin,1;

I don?t understand this?! Regardless what i use in the config file, the bootvars

are written as "bootflash:" on the sup720

Now i modified the boot variable so it cannot boot form the first image, forcing to load the second one:

----snip---

boot system flash sup-bootflash:my-test-image.bin

boot system flash bootflash:s72033-pk9sv-mz.122-17a.SX4.bin

----snap----

After saving the config and reloading the switch he tries to load the first image and fails, as expected

because of the wrong name.

Then he tries to load the second one and fails too because he cannot find the image. With dir bootflash:

is see the image that should be on the sup-bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF1.bin

I?m realy confused about this. Hope someone can help me with this.

[ankbhasi]

Hi Syntax,

Let me try to explain you and wait for your update if my explaination clears your doubt or not.

You have sup 720 with msfc3 integrated onboard sitting as a daughter card. The image which you have on sup720 is known as NATIVE IMAGE which is integrated image for sup as well as msfc a one complete single image which will handle both.

Now you have 2 bootflashes one bootflash on supervisor engine and one bootflash on msfc.When you load NATIVE image which is an integrated image you load it on supervisor bootflash and not on msfc bootflash which only has a bootloader image.

When your sup engine is booted up with this image you are on router prompt like a normal IOS and when you do "dir bootflash" you have an access of MSFC bootflash and not a supervisor bootflash and that is the reason you have a seperate command "dir sup-bootflash" to access the bootflash of supervisor on which the image should exist.

NOW coming to your point your sup720 with NATIVE image will and should only boot with image which exist on sup-bootflash and that is the reason when you give a wrong file name in sup-bootflash it does not boot and your second file does not exist on sup-bootflash so it does not boot with that also.

If you want your box to boot with s72033-pk9sv-mz.122-17a.SX4.bin you have to load this image on your sup-bootflash and then se tthe boot path with this image name and you wil be good to go.

HTH

Ankur

*Pls rate all helpfull post

[syntaxmonster]

Hi Ankur,

thank you for your reply. So, let me get you right: in case the first image fails to boot, the second one MUST be on the sup720 too.

With other words: images which are not on the sup-bootflash: are *not* bootable.

This is a real problem for me because i do not have enough memory space for BOTH images on the sup-bootflash.

Kind regards,

Chris

[ankbhasi]

Hi Chris,

Yeah you got me right. You have to have image on sup-bootflash: to make your sup boot with NATIVE IOS. Now if you want to have 2 images and you do not have enough space in your sup-bootflash then you can have a pcmcia card also termed as disk0 when you put it into your sup and can load image on that and can set a boot path to boot from there also.

HTH

Ankur

*Pls rate all helpfull post

[syntaxmonster]

Hi Ankur,

thank you for your info. So, my config shopuld look like this:

----snip---

boot system flash sup-bootflash:s72033-ipservicesk9-mz.122-18.SXF1.bin

boot system flash disk0:s72033-pk9sv-mz.122-17a.SX4.bin

----snap----

Does this mean that if image one doesn?t boot i can still boot from disk0: ?

Once again, thank your for your helpfull information.

Kind regards,

Chris

[ankbhasi · Accepted solution]

Hi Chris,

Yeah you got it right now.

Regards,

Ankur

*Please rate the post if it helps

[syntaxmonster]

Thank you so much.

Chris