How to recover flash: drive

[connieyung]

My 2960 + switch missing a flash: drive 

I think Someone put a S1(config)#format flash: in global config mode.

If I go to rommon mode and do a Switch: format flash: will it recover the flash drive?flash: drive missing, LAN Switching

[Richard Burts]

Perhaps I am not understanding correctly what you are asking. What I think I am understanding is that someone has formatted flash on this 2960 switch. I am not clear whether you are saying that flash is missing, flash is corrupted, or flash is empty. Can you clarify?

Can you post the output you get when you attempt to look into flash?

It might also be helpful if you would connect to the console port, power cycle the switch, and post all of the console output during the booting process.

[connieyung]

Thanks for the reply.
The problem with the switch is the flash drive is missing.
I have connect the console port and run
#sh flash: or #dir flash:
It will come back with invalid input.
#sh file system will not show any flash drive.

Currently the switch is still functioning with an ip address on the vlan1,
I could reach via a PC.
But I cannot recover the flash drive.
I am afraid if I power cycle it, it will go to ROMMON mode, because the
flash drive is not there.
Not sure what to do next.

[Leo Laohoo]

Post the complete output to the following commands: 

• sh version
• dir

[connieyung]

Sorry for the late reply.

Here is the sh version:

Cisco IOS Software, C2960 Software (C2960-LANBASEK9-M), Version 12.2(55)SE12, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support:  
Copyright (c) 1986-2017 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Thu 28-Sep-17 02:53 by prod_rel_team
Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x01900000

ROM: Bootstrap program is C2960 boot loader
BOOTLDR: C2960 Boot Loader (C2960-HBOOT-M) Version 15.0(2r)EZ1, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

S1 uptime is 2 days, 16 hours, 43 minutes
System returned to ROM by power-on
System image file is "flash:/c2960-lanbasek9-mz.122-55.SE12.bin"


This product contains cryptographic features and is subject to United
States and local country laws governing import, export, transfer and
use. Delivery of Cisco cryptographic products does not imply
third-party authority to import, export, distribute or use encryption.
Importers, exporters, distributors and users are responsible for
compliance with U.S. and local country laws. By using this product you
agree to comply with applicable laws and regulations. If you are unable
to comply with U.S. and local laws, return this product immediately.

A summary of U.S. laws governing Cisco cryptographic products may be found at:
 

If you require further assistance please contact us by sending email to
 .

cisco WS-C2960-24TC-L (PowerPC405) processor (revision J0) with 65536K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID FOC2522L83T
Last reset from power-on
1 Virtual Ethernet interface
24 FastEthernet interfaces
2 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
The password-recovery mechanism is enabled.

64K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.
Base ethernet MAC Address       : 34:73:2D:D5:7B:00
Motherboard assembly number     : 73-15620-01
Power supply part number        : 341-0097-03
Motherboard serial number       : FOC25213WT7
Power supply serial number      : ART251930EG
Model revision number           : J0
Motherboard revision number     : B0
Model number                    : WS-C2960+24TC-L
System serial number            : FOC2522L83T
Top Assembly Part Number        : 800-40261-02
Top Assembly Revision Number    : F0
Version ID                      : V02
CLEI Code Number                : CMMKV00ARB
Hardware Board Revision Number  : 0x0B


Switch Ports Model              SW Version            SW Image                
------ ----- -----              ----------            ----------              
*    1 26    WS-C2960-24TC-L    12.2(55)SE12          C2960-LANBASEK9-M        


Configuration register is 0xF

File attached is the dir output

[connieyung]

S1#dir
%Error parsing (Bad file number)

S1#dir ?
/all List all files
/recursive List files recursively
all-filesystems List files on all filesystems
cns: Directory or file name
null: Directory or file name
nvram: Directory or file name
system: Directory or file name
tar: Directory or file name
tmpsys: Directory or file name
xmodem: Directory or file name
ymodem: Directory or file name
Unknown file system <cr>

S1#sh format ?
built-in Use the built-in spec file
cli fully expanded CLI to display
nvram: Spec file location
validate validate the spec file
Unknown file system | Output modifiers
<cr>

S1#sh format nvram: ?
cli fully expanded CLI to display
validate validate the spec file
| Output modifiersnv
<cr>

S1#sh format nvram:
%error opening nvram:

S1#sh format validate
The following problem was detected in built-in bad format in the spec file

S1#sh file systems
File Systems:

Size(b) Free(b) Type Flags Prefixes
- - opaque rw system:
- - opaque rw tmpsys:
65536 57996 nvram rw nvram:
- - opaque ro xmodem:
- - opaque ro ymodem:
- - opaque rw null:
- - opaque ro tar:
- - network rw tftp:
- - network rw rcp:
- - network rw http:
- - network rw ftp:
- - network rw scp:
- - network rw https:
- - opaque ro cns:

[Leo Laohoo]

Post the complete output to the command "sh version".

[connieyung]

Sorry. I think I did post the show version this morning. check above.

[connieyung]

Sorry for all these extras.

[connieyung]

I did more show commands earlier.

Hope this help.

[connieyung]

I think someone overwrite the IOS with a bad version.

[connieyung]

Not sure what else can I do before power cycle it and hope ROMMON will show.

Because Flash: drive is not there, looks like a lot of things will not work.

[Richard Burts]

I am still not clear about the real nature of the problem here. There are suggestions that flash is missing. In an earlier post we saw this output

S1#sh file systems
File Systems:

Size(b) Free(b) Type Flags Prefixes
- - opaque rw system:
- - opaque rw tmpsys:
65536 57996 nvram rw nvram:

Is what the original poster calls flash what this output calls nvram? In that case it is not missing.

There are suggestions that perhaps flash has been formatted (and questions about whether to format it again). If it has been formatted then it will be empty. And an important part of recovery will be to get a good image file into flash. Does the original poster have an available good image for this switch (or can get one)?

Could we see the output of dir nvram

[connieyung]

The original file system has a flash: drive that contain IOS in it.

That is how the switch boot up with.

But when I look at it now the flash: drive is missing.

That is also affecting when I do S1#dir the command does not work.

When I do S1#dir ?

Unknown file system | Output modifiers

show at the last line

Also when I run S1# sh nvram:

It also come back with an error, saying that some file in flash: not found

Basically I cannot save my running config to startup config.

However, I can still save to my tftp: server and that is it.

And I cannot run the command S1# copy tftp://ios.... flash:

because there is no flash drive. 

My question is:

Is there any other way I could do without power cycle it to recover the flash: drive.

Or should I power cycle the switch so that hopefully it will go to ROMMON mode and I can maybe format the flash: or do something to the drive and recover this way.

I am not sure how to recover the flash: drive.

Thanks ahead for the help.

[marce1000]

 - Try fsck flash:

 M.