Cisco catalyst 2960 booting garbage, help on restore IOS

[phgoh1982]

Dear All,

This is my first time on terminal access of Cisco Catalyst 2960 (2960TC-L), normally would use the web configuration for most task.

Now the switch has an issue with the web interface and when I try to access through terminal, I was greeted with garbage upon the booting of the switch, I searched for the terminal boot process and it wasn't what I was expected for my switch. I was a bit dumbfound now of how can I recover the firmware to its default stage, now that I cannot even boot through its terminal console.

Any help is highly appreciated. Thank you for your time.

[petenixon]

Are you sure that the baud rate is correct for your connection? Please console to the switch using the following parameters and then re-test:

Baud rate: 9600
Flow-control: none
 

[phgoh1982]

Hi, Thank you very much for your kind reply. 

I'm sure that I'm using the correct baud rate and also set the Flow-control to 'none'.

Please have a look at the image attached, it's how it looks like when it start booting the switch.

Also I did try to flash the IOS but the Putty session still display unreadable characters, makes me wonder if the switch's hardware is already faulty?

Please enlighten me. 

[petenixon]

Can you describe the circumstances that lead to this issue? IOS upgrade, power failure etc.. Do the LED's on the switch give any indication?

Just to clarify, the full configuration for your console connection are as follows:

Speed (baud): 9600
Data bits: 8
Stop bits: 1
Parity: None
Flow control: None

[phgoh1982]

Hi,

I just verified with my colleague of whom have done quite a few bits before I took over his task.

His reply was he actually did an IOS flash before, though I'm not sure how he did it, but according to him, it was actually a success and the web interface still works for few times before it become like this.

As I tried another time to goes into root mode (or Admin mode??) for the switch, the steps as I performed below:

1. Refer to cisco-2960-putting-setting.jpg for the settings. I press Open and it does display the console Window, no issue there.
2. I hold the "mode" button on the switch and turn on the switch power, and after few seconds the screen display as such (refer to cisco-2960-putty-output2.jpg), the SYST L.E.D. did flash with following pattern: Green (blink ~15 times) then Orange-Green (repeat blink twice) then Green (stable light), for this I was expecting it to goes off after few seconds but it didn't, I wait about a minute before I let go the "mode" button.
3. After I let go the "mode" button, it goes to the screen (refer cisco-2960-putty-output3.jpg), and the SYST still blinking, possibly infinitely... with the console output screen stays like that... and whatever I entered display weird/garbage characters instead, I can't do anything on it.

Each tries display different weird characters, as the SYST still blinking infinitely.

I'm unsure if I'm giving enough details for online troubleshooting, I'll try my best to give as per instructed.

Thank you for your time.

[nspasov]

Were you able to sort this out? I am having the same issue with an older switch. I suspect hardware failure but wanted to see if you had found a resolution. Thanks in advance!

[Leo Laohoo]

Neno, 

Refer to THIS.

[nspasov]

Fantastic! Thank you Leo!

Of course my switch had a second issue where it was booting to ROMMON every time "reaload" was issued. Took me a little research but found the "set" commands that I never knew existed. The "MANUAL_BOOT" attribute was set to "yes" Here is the link for reference for those like me:

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=958691

[Leo Laohoo]

Took me a little research but found the "set" commands that I never knew existed. The "MANUAL_BOOT" attribute was set to "yes" Here is the link for reference for those like me:

Is this a company-owned appliance?  The reason why I'm asking is because there's been a number of threads about people purchasing Cisco gear from "grey" markets (like e-Bay) running into "configuration settings" problems.  It seems like a number of sellers likes to inflict pain to their buyers and purposely configure boot strings to do stupid stuff (like wrong console port baud rate settings, auto-boot turned off, password-recovery disabled, config-registry set to stupid and incorrect values).

[nspasov]

This is all lab gear that I am trying to revive for a project. I work for a large Cisco re-seller so no grey market stuff around us :)