Difficulty upgrading IOS on 3750 switch & switch stack

[ksuchewie]

I have already opened a TAC case to try and resolve this problem, but TAC is really not being helpful in answering my questions or answering them timely.  This has been a case for 2 weeks now. 

I want to upgrade the IOS for my switch stack Current IOS on stack switches is 12.2(46)SE, which has known issues.

Stack setup:

1 - 3750-48PS - C3750-IPSERVICESK9-M

2 - 3750-48PS - C3750-IPSERVICESK9-M

3 - 3750-48PS - C3750-IPSERVICESK9-M

4 - 3750G-48PS - C3750-IPBASEK9-M

5 - 3750G-48TS - C3750-IPBASEK9-M

Coincidently on Monday (4/25) the flash on switch 1 in my stack went corrupt.  The IOS on the replacement switch that arrived today to replace the faulty switch is 12.2(35)SE5, so if I just swap the switches right now there would be a version mismatch.

So my thought was to just upgrade the new switch first...ok:

archive download-sw /overwrite /allow-feature-upgrade tftp://XXX.XX.X.XXX/c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar

Loading c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar from XXX.XX.X.XXX (via Vlan3): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[OK - 16107520 bytes]

Loading c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar from XXX.XX.X.XXX (via Vlan3): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

examining image...
extracting info (110 bytes)
extracting c3750-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE1/info (698 bytes)
extracting info (110 bytes)

Stacking Version Number: 1.45

System Type:             0x00000000
  Ios Image File Size:   0x00C55A00
  Total Image File Size: 0x00F5A200
  Minimum Dram required: 0x08000000
  Image Suffix:          ipservicesk9-122-55.SE1
  Image Directory:       c3750-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE1
  Image Name:            c3750-ipservicesk9-mz.122-55.SE1.bin
  Image Feature:         IP|LAYER_3|PLUS|SSH|3DES|MIN_DRAM_MEG=128

Error: There is insufficient space in flash: to install the required
Error: image.  Clean up some old images, and try again.

Switch1#dir
Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx         616   Mar 1 1993 00:09:53 +00:00  vlan.dat
    3  -rwx        2410   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  config.text
    4  -rwx           5   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  private-config.text
    5  drwx         192   Mar 1 1993 00:13:23 +00:00  c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5

15998976 bytes total (6367232 bytes free)

How do I upgrade the image if there isn't enough space?

Isn't the /overwite command supposed to overwrite?  Is the new image just too big for the flash?

When I have to upgrade the rest of the stack what would be the easiest way?  I've seen notes about using the boot auto-copw-sw command, but how woudl that work with the 2 switches that are different?  I've already downloaded the appropriate software for those 2 switches.  When I mentioned the different models to cisco they made it sound as the different model switches had different coding within the ios image, even though after I've downloaded them they appear exactly the same in terms of file name & size;

3750-48PS - IPservices image:  c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 15.3 MB

3750G-48PS - IP base image:  c3750-ipbacsek9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 14.5MB

3750G-48TS - IP base image:  c3750-ipbasek9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 14.5MB

I won't use the IP services image for my 3750G switches since they aren't licesned, but looking at the download files they appear the same as the 3750-48PS IP services image:

3750-48PS - IPservices image:  c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 15.3 MB

3750G-48PS - IP services image:  c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 15.3MB

3750G-48TS - IP services image:  c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar = 15.3MB

Thank you for any help you can prove to get me up & running!

[Thotsaphon Lueangwattanaphong]

Hi,

   Have you already come across the following document?

Ref: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps5023/products_configuration_example09186a00804799d7.shtml

   If nessary, you need to delete the old IOS before doing an upgrade. Just follow the document I provided.

HTH,

Toshi

[ksuchewie]

yes, that's the document I've been following.  That was TAC's solution for helping me 2 weeks ago...to send me a link.

[Antonio Knox]

Toshi is correct.  If you are reluctant to delet the old image, either back it up or download a new copy from cisco.com, but if there is no room, you pretty much should just make room.

[ksuchewie]

yes I am always reluctant to delete all the files from flash, if something goes wrong during upgrade, you get stuck in XMODEM mode for quite some time.  Considering this is my core-stack I am very reluctant to delete all flash files from all the switches.

[ksuchewie]

Another thing that confuses me:

Switch1#show flash

Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx         616   Mar 1 1993 00:09:53 +00:00  vlan.dat
    3  -rwx        2410   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  config.text
    4  -rwx           5   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  private-config.text
    5  drwx         192   Mar 1 1993 00:13:23 +00:00  c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5

15998976 bytes total (6367232 bytes free)

15998976 bytes ~~ (16 MB max) so there's no way that even if I delete all of my flash, that I can copy over the tar file ( 15.3 MB), and then extract it into the fash.  It looks like I have to extract the tar on my tftp, and then upload all the files to the flash?

[Antonio Knox]

I read over your last post and I had to change this one.

I have run many different versions in a 3750, and in normal practice, the old image is deleted first, then the new image is loaded.  I don't see any reason not to do it.

You just have to trust the procedure.

[ksuchewie]

You need to make sure you have sufficient space available in the Flash of the master switch. The master switch should have twice the amount of space of the .tar image file size. This space is needed to store the .tar file as well as to store the content of the .tar file that you extract in step 2. For example, if the .tar image size is 10 Mb, you need to have a minimum of 20 Mb of free space.

My tar is 15.7 MB.  I would need 32MB flash, but I have 16.

What if I did the following?

delete /force /recursive flash:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5

archive tar /xtract tftp://XXX.XX.X.XXX/c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar flash:

[Thotsaphon Lueangwattanaphong]

Hi Guys,

   Well, I quickly checked things for you. Cisco said that c3750-ipbacsek9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar is required Minimum Memory:  DRAM:128MB  Flash:16MB". Seems we have to believe it. You can extract .tar to get .bin by using legal software outthere.

   Okay, If we can't trust "/overwrite" command as you posted the result. Would you mind doing the following command?

Swicth1#delete /force /recursive flash:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5

### Delete the old one ###

Swicth1#dir flash:

### Check the space ###

Swithc1#copy tftp flash:

### Copy c3750-ipbacsek9-tar.122-55.SE1 from tftp to flash:

Swicth1#dir flash:

### Check the new IOS ###

Swicth1#archive tar /xtract c3750-ipbacsek9-tar.122-55.SE1 flash:

### Extract .tar file ###

If It still doesnot work, I won't believe the assuming "Minimum Memory:  DRAM:128MB  Flash:16MB"

Just try .bin instead

HTH,

Toshi

[ksuchewie]

yes, I have manually extracted the tar on my tftp (winrar), and I can see the .bin file nested in there.  I did also download the .bin files sperately form cisco when I got the .tar files.  I looked again at that cisco page and it basically says we don't need to wory about DRAM, just flash.

DRAM Memory

All models of 3750 series switches have a DRAM configuration of 128 MB. There are no minimum DRAM requirements to consider before you upgrade software on the 3750.

Flash Memory

The internal Flash memory shipped with the 3750 switches are either 16 MB or 32 MB based on the model of the Catalyst 3750 switch. Refer to the Cisco Catalyst 3750 Data Sheet for more information.

There is a limit to the number of images that you can store in Flash. Always check the size, in bytes, of the image in the Downloads - Switches (registered customers only) before you upgrade software. Issue the dir flash: command in order to compare the size of this image with the free space in Flash. Here is a sample command output:

I could just copy the .bin over, but then would the old /html directory be compatable with the new .bin?  I'm mostly curous about this so I could still use web device manager.

[Thotsaphon Lueangwattanaphong]

Hi,

What I have just told you is your hardware is fine as cisco download page says. The steps I told you is to make sure that you can use the new IOS with the new directory. Have you tried it?

HTH,

Toshi

[ksuchewie]

Switch1#delete /force /recursive flash:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5
Switch1#show flash:

Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx         616   Mar 1 1993 00:09:53 +00:00  vlan.dat
    3  -rwx        2410   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  config.text
    4  -rwx           5   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  private-config.text

15998976 bytes total (15993856 bytes free)

Switch1#copy tftp://XXX.XX.X.XX/c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar flash:
Destination filename [c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar]?
Accessing tftp://XXX.XX.X.XX/c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar...
Loading c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar from XXX.XX.X.XX (via Vlan3): !!!
%Error reading tftp://XXX.XX.X.XX/c3750-ipservicesk9-tar.122-55.SE1.tar (Transfer aborted)
Switch1#show flash

Directory of flash:/

    2  -rwx         616   Mar 1 1993 00:09:53 +00:00  vlan.dat
    3  -rwx        2410   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  config.text
    4  -rwx           5   Mar 1 1993 00:08:41 +00:00  private-config.text

15998976 bytes total (15993856 bytes free)

since my flash is now empty, might as well try the idea I had.  Just hope it doesn't reboot

[Antonio Knox]

What TFTP server are you using? Anything besides TFTPD32 gives me the same error at some point or another.  Use that before you do anything else and wind up with Xmodem fever.

[ksuchewie]

I normally use solarwinds tftp, I'll give TFTPD32 a shot if it continues to fail.

[Thotsaphon Lueangwattanaphong]

Hi,

  Please do not reboot. Have you got other TFTP server program? If not please try FTP instead.

HTH,

Toshi