Cisco Switch C9200-48T stuck in ROMMON mode

[tomipandaziev]

Hi,

I have a cisco switch C9200-48T and it cannot boot because there is no image on the switch. I tried with several proposals to transfer image but unsuccessfully, I tried also with Xmodem but it seems that flash is read only.

Here is what inputs I have:

switch: dir
usage:
dir <path-to-directory>
supported filesystem(s):
flash: ro flash
usbflash0: rw front-panel USB 0
usbflash1: rw front-panel USB 1

switch: dir flash:

Attributes Size Name
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

switch: dir usbflash0:
media drive "usbflash0:" not present.
Error[11]: Failed to open directory!
switch: dir usbflash1:
media drive "usbflash1:" not present.
Error[11]: Failed to open directory!

switch: copy xmodem: flash:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin
Unsupported destination device/filesystem.

[M02@rt37]

Hello @tomipandaziev 

You can boot the Cisco switch from a USB storage device while in ROMMON mode.

Insert the USB storage device containing the IOS image file into one of the USB ports on the switch.
Verify that thSet the boot variable to point to the IOS image file on the USB storage device using the "set" command:
rommon 1 > set BOOT usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin

Make sure to replace "cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin" with the name of the IOS image file on your USB storage device, and use the appropriate device name (e.g., "usbflash0:") for your USB storage device.

Issue the "boot" command to boot the switch using the IOS image file on the USB storage device:
rommon 2 > boot

[ing.ripoll]

Hi,

I share the result of my switch after applying this process

Switch#
Initializing Hardware...

System Bootstrap, Version 17.5.1r [FC4], RELEASE SOFTWARE (P)
Compiled Wed 01/06/2021 17:07:29 by rel

Current ROMMON image : Primary
C9200L-24P-4G platform with 2097152 Kbytes of main memory

WARNING: Bootable URL's in BOOT variable not found or exhausted.
Please check the ROMMON configuration or boot command usage.
switch: dir usbflash0:

Attributes Size Name
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
D-HS- 0 System Volume Information
----A 473832423 cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin
----A 527146419 cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.05.SPA.bin

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

switch: set boot usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin
switch: boot usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin
boot: attempting to boot from [usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin]
boot: reading file cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin
######################################################################################################################################################
ERROR: Integrity Check Failed

ERROR: failed to boot from usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.09.05.SPA.bin (Invalid Parameter)
switch:

[Leo Laohoo]

Post the complete output to the ROMMON command of "set".

[tomipandaziev]

Hi, 

Thanks for replying, I got this when I try to execute "dev" command:

switch: dev
Error: command 'dev' not found. Use 'help' to list commands.
switch: help
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
arp Dump or Clear ARP Table
boot Load and boot an executable image
cat Display text content from a file
copy Copy a file
dir List filesystems or a directory on a filesystem path
help List command information
history Show command history
idprom Show idprom data
ping Ping use ICMP protocol to get an ICMP ECHO_RESPONSE from host
ping6 Ping use ICMP protocol to get an ICMP ECHO_RESPONSE from host
reset Reset entire system or a soft reload of the boot CPU core
set Set an environment variable value
unset Unsets an environment variable
version Show sboot version and runtime info
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Do I need to enter some other mode and how ?

[Kasun Bandara]

seems like your flash is in RO mode. check this thread to load switch rommon to configuration mode and then copy the IOS from USB or xmodem to flash. and set the boot path

https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/changeing-flash-from-read-only-to-read-write/td-p/3739978

[M02@rt37]

OK @tomipandaziev 

Copy the bin on the usb storage

Plug your usb on the front panel usb0

rommon 1 > set BOOT usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin

Replace the name's file by the correct one.

Then rommon 2> boot

[tomipandaziev]

I get this:

switch: set BOOT usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin
switch: boot
boot: attempting to boot from [usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin]
boot: reading file cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin
media drive "usbflash0:" not present.
boot: failed to load usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin

ERROR: failed to boot from usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin (Not Found)
Please wait while the system restarts.

I'm using USB(8GB) but shrink to 4GB and I have copy the bin file in it. Should I do it other way ? 

[M02@rt37]

@tomipandaziev 

Usb is not detected. When plugged "dir" command on usbflash0: and usbflash1: give you something?

What is the filesystem of your usb? FAT32? NTFS?

[tomipandaziev]

M02@rt37 @Kasun Bandara 

The usb is FAT32, and this is what I get

switch: dir usbflash0:
media drive "usbflash0:" not present.
Error[11]: Failed to open directory!
switch: dir usbflash1:
media drive "usbflash1:" not present.
Error[11]: Failed to open directory!

switch: set BOOT usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin

switch: boot
boot: attempting to boot from [usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin]
boot: reading file cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin
media drive "usbflash0:" not present.
boot: failed to load usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin

ERROR: failed to boot from usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin (Not Found)
Please wait while the system restarts.

[M02@rt37]

@tomipandaziev 

Turn off the switch

Plug the USB

Turn ON the switch ---- ROMMon mode

dir usbflash0? or 1?

[tomipandaziev]

It's the same after restarting the switch, the USB is not showing..

[M02@rt37 · Accepted solution]

@tomipandaziev 

Try reformatting the drive to the correct file system and/or trying a different USB flash drive to see if the issue persists.

[tomipandaziev]

I tried with another USB(32 GB) format it with FAT32 and now  I was able to boot it successfully 

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@tomipandaziev wrote:
The usb is FAT32

---

The USB needs to formatted in FAT16.

How many USB flash drives have you tried?  Find one that is <32 Gb and try again.

To put the firmware back into the switch, use:  "emergency-install usbflash0:cat9k_lite_iosxe.17.06.04.SPA.bin".