Issue with cisco switch 3850, I set boot variable but it does not set

[thisisnewyork2025]

I have a Cisco switch c3850. I have recently updated its IOS. Now, I cannot set next variable boot so that the switch automatically boot from packages.conf in the next restart. I did set boot variable using this command "boot system flash:packages.conf" but it does not work. This is the output of show boot command after I set that "

Switch 1
---------------------------
Current Boot Variables:
BOOT variable = flash:packages.conf;

Boot Variables on next reload:
BOOT variable does not exist
Manual Boot = no
Enable Break = no
Boot Mode = DEVICE
iPXE Timeout = 0

"

Also, when it goes to rommon mode, it shows this output indicating not being able to boot to switch IOS "Interface GE 0 link down***ERROR: PHY link is down The "IP_ADDR" environment variable is not set. file name too long The system is unable to boot automatically. The BOOT environment variable needs to be set to a bootable image" 

[julian.bendix]

The Switch needs to be in INSTALL Mode to properly boot from packages.conf ..

What does "show version | i Mode" show?

Maybe try re-creating the packages.conf flie like this (switch will reload):
install add file flash:<filename> activate commit

[thisisnewyork2025]

Switch is actually in INSTALL mode, and issued the "install add file flash:.bin activate commit" command twice and none worked. Any other way????

[julian.bendix]

Can you show me the outputs of "show install summ" and "show romvar" ..?

[thisisnewyork2025]

THIS IS THE OUTPUT OF SHOW ROMVAR

Switch#
*Dec 21 22:51:03.197: %PLATFORM_FEP-1-FRU_PS_ACCESS: Switch 1: power supply B is not responding
Switch#sh romvar
ROMMON variables:
!="b^@^S47C:B2sNC^^B;:C#^N:b^@"b^@^Y0>E=0C^F[C^A@)C B;WK^\C0E^SM1_?LC^D6C5pC=C'C6 /B#B=rWNb3C)yB0b^@^]E8b^@B5B$C^[C(C^R$=b^@^\^^B
B?mfC^CC^F[C.zBC^]^@^]qC^O+B^]heC^EC^EC8C>C#v2mWC^Q>B0C=C=K^Fb^@ <b^@/B'=C E rC8B^A.Ry_jB1B >Mhb^B,rCC!XB*P*/C4C1'8(KC^OB2B"C,B>5,C^XB?C^XB&UhC^X"
!,="C^[B^Pb^B,C*;B7B9b^@^^(eO^@9>C/C)C.b^@C^NK^FwB&C^RC^VC2^Ab^@^]$x7C^SlC^_BC^^@mC&B^PC^[C^KC+C#B:<B9E8C6C^^e\C7C^LC^NC8GnvB^Pb^@&B^OB TJC^]3B-gC^BNb^B,B;dC^SYB5b^@ C^^0B^]B.C^Z#Kob^@^\{V"
!F#="5@C^@PB4C^\_C^PB^PC^S9C^OACHB6B:F=KUC(B=C7sC6B:C^CB,E=Fb^@^XE!E^RC^E(E*b^@^Tb^@^]1C#B<Q)cC
C^QdC^BC3.b^@^Z-BC$&b^@^\C^[B1C^EC(C^TB8~AqQB*C>P|+E^S@Bb^@^^4)qB-B5C1C1C Bb^@&BUI0\C^]b^B,B^OC^NB^O!C^Z8.C4E 4DC7"
!X="\{C^Yb^D"B?b^@^SC7C CNMB5C^YC^Pb^@"C'TE^R&B21oC^VB'19B-b^@^^!C+EB^AsC?C b^@^^mkm )B%~C7*B^@.C-E!gaS"
!q="B qC^OC=pB(~<C^PC19B>B?LId?C^RaC^VR$C^AB37C2B%B=C^QC^SB"b^@^SC^U"cXbC^_#C8&B4C^_C,B'C5B7K^\K^FB;HB- C^]C^Xb^@^^B< C+@B3B+ZCTtb^@"B=B!C^R~E B!b^D"C^[B+C^[C^B
B:B&h.yC=C^RC^F0C0DB9C C^EC!6E>^\b^@0C: mB,C%C~RE!<B)\b^D"b^@0AB6B2B?(,C^FC^BlK^FdcC^Q{C$C^AlKB<K^FC)+B0}F^RC^XC^[C^Zb^B8gaC^DoCC=B36C^\C^S&=C"C^SB?C'C>C0>?VU^RC^]C*B/C8B C#B?iRC6B*&LC>B&b^@dE B2 B=B^OB19B;B^OB2Zhz&@Uf^PYC 9"
!s="C'W]^"C)HC B"C>C%B fb&C+B^AjCSC^QB*C^\C^R?C^Vb9b^@^SC;hC^TC-C^RBb^@^]lI^TnzB.C.HE^SMC=b^@ E8eR>B*C-C^Rqb^@^^5\mC^NC7QC^KC^VRC?|C^["
!v="FC^B@B9C C7C^YC:C^ZCK^\E^SC0C^UC,Y8RC,B<E^Rb^@:C<C^N"
#="C-GE8B4C?C-hB+Jb^@&F^RC7nC#jb^@^SC"C
^C^@C^]}C!B-B"
#<="F^R"
#Rl="C1b^D"5`C*E C^NCC3, zC>B$b^@!#C^]LC2b^@C;E b^@&B'rB+"
#[[="nC;C!*B<E |B=h.b^@B
/CAG$OtB:$B%sC%+B?&B^]aB7CC&Cb^B,^B,!"
$="C^^.QiC^XA"b^@0CgvC^E=CK^FWB)mC^F^B0f65SB0XqC8KC^Sb^@0B^PB->C:E!C^E:ZC<.b^@^ZC^VB^PmEB5b^@^YQC^OCC.V<C-$B4[rDC/C-B)C^YB#B5BB>wZb^@^]B?H(E B%Eb^@9B+.b^@&_C^BB^PB7JC
K^FE!b^D"C2"B$4C&3JB<C^NB>B73B"TC^UWC^Ub^B,KzC^U b^@b^@"8f[b^@^\6bC;C^K^@!C^NxC>eE?C
C^]!BB5C3_?;B5Vb^B,b^@^X[Cbb^@^TC-mC^FB8ClB~ nB(8C^C>B4C#3>"6dB1ewC-B(B$B=$b^Y~C^CK^FC& X=C^EB-aBB0C*E^S:C)C66LCC^W1bob^@!CC>C1^PE8C1v?C'B4INK^\C^XKC^Pl6'K^\C2B>B/ -UC
*1C3OC E!C=%9B{C2JB=$A!-B/b8C^PB^Pb^@^ZC^FmE>Bx6ob^@0zC^_{z}{C)K^FB/(s"
$D="B"C^RB7qPC^^C^CC1B /%>C^Wwb^@^TC^LC;B6C#i"
$P="V~C%b^@^SE^RB9$B
#C^C:F^Rb&zB5EB6B>C)B2YC&2C(fJB2B^]C^UrE^S'CC^FC%C)?b=q&b^B,~ADC'B79B%b^@^Zb^@^]C^[B(C+sCC^XYi~C^_MYSE S^T<6B!'`B^AE=B?b^@ CC>b^@^];B%b^@^YC(YC^Qb^@^\lR>C#Mb^@0C^Eb^@u9/B^AC$C<B4;KC^T+CB3B3>B 4zB^]2jc.C'b^@0C^DB6b^@^SiB^O!B*b^@"YZkC^OC.b^@"e"
$Wm="(C^FSEO>C^YbrIE^SC^AC&B6C#QzS|C?xEC^[>B%lGob^@&C^EC^R]C^BE^SC^WMJT(zB.C(wCC)JME^RC^FC3@ICC^L2C^ZB0B<4C^Ub^@ +C^]B5#|C^[C&C^YB%S!"C=B6C^AB%B#C*uB41bK^\C+,$B<DCB$P|zDb^@&B4C',Hb^B,)-E!B//C3OC^QC5OCC2"
$w="b^@CB-C^Kb^@ B=B.)C/B1B^OC^CB)zC^\n^@^^C+NP,wnC^VC^Kh>i|F^RhB0)C^\^U+B#j-CxX0b^@ xC:vB
B$B,C,^SC b^@^^,b^@^]tt^Q1b^@^\0C^ZGC^Sb^@^^Ub^@*C.B?B.C^WK^\|YfB/C
PC7C3B2p^@9BC^Z"^@^ZB:.oWhC#QB4+@LC^W C^CAC#rC&P;B!;5C^DB)Bp{b:CC B#b^@^^E=EC(C/8F^RtC^^ChC9BB7E=C+C^P/C^FTC^_C0C8C"t<.'C;C^KE!b^@"r=#b#C^SC^_oC;BC$~b^@:Pb^D"iB5vE=0EQ#B;6B9C7^PC'(b^@0C^QC9E!iCC5C,-B6IC;uC=B0-CnC^Zb^@&C^FC^B)C%Tl"(nB4B^AB$KB7b^BFC0rC
gfE>C^@CB<(C6& sB
C>}CE E^RB(C?nC^DCU?B
!C1NC^TB5lB<B;B5WB5B8CCK^F+C^W/b^B,B-BC&l(B1&QB/(TB#^]B$C*C^CC;C11C^\C**b^@^TE(C^[B:+B(C^UC0B%b^@^TE>b^@^SC;C7B<0~B">CB<b^@!C^F5& C*XBC*B*B "
BAUD=9600
"
,=""

[Leo Laohoo]

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

I suspect someone has configured the switch to bypass the config and boot into ROMMON.

[thisisnewyork2025]

THIS IS THE OUTPUT OF SHOW ROMVAR 

Switch#
*Dec 21 22:51:03.197: %PLATFORM_FEP-1-FRU_PS_ACCESS: Switch 1: power supply B is not responding
Switch#sh romvar
ROMMON variables:
!="b^@^S47C:B2sNC^^B;:C#^N:b^@"b^@^Y0>E=0C^F[C^A@)C B;WK^\C0E^SM1_?LC^D6C5pC=C'C6 /B#B=rWNb3C)yB0b^@^]E8b^@B5B$C^[C(C^R$=b^@^\^^B
B?mfC^CC^F[C.zBC^]^@^]qC^O+B^]heC^EC^EC8C>C#v2mWC^Q>B0C=C=K^Fb^@ <b^@/B'=C E rC8B^A.Ry_jB1B >Mhb^B,rCC!XB*P*/C4C1'8(KC^OB2B"C,B>5,C^XB?C^XB&UhC^X"
!,="C^[B^Pb^B,C*;B7B9b^@^^(eO^@9>C/C)C.b^@C^NK^FwB&C^RC^VC2^Ab^@^]$x7C^SlC^_BC^^@mC&B^PC^[C^KC+C#B:<B9E8C6C^^e\C7C^LC^NC8GnvB^Pb^@&B^OB TJC^]3B-gC^BNb^B,B;dC^SYB5b^@ C^^0B^]B.C^Z#Kob^@^\{V"
!F#="5@C^@PB4C^\_C^PB^PC^S9C^OACHB6B:F=KUC(B=C7sC6B:C^CB,E=Fb^@^XE!E^RC^E(E*b^@^Tb^@^]1C#B<Q)cC
C^QdC^BC3.b^@^Z-BC$&b^@^\C^[B1C^EC(C^TB8~AqQB*C>P|+E^S@Bb^@^^4)qB-B5C1C1C Bb^@&BUI0\C^]b^B,B^OC^NB^O!C^Z8.C4E 4DC7"
!X="\{C^Yb^D"B?b^@^SC7C CNMB5C^YC^Pb^@"C'TE^R&B21oC^VB'19B-b^@^^!C+EB^AsC?C b^@^^mkm )B%~C7*B^@.C-E!gaS"
!q="B qC^OC=pB(~<C^PC19B>B?LId?C^RaC^VR$C^AB37C2B%B=C^QC^SB"b^@^SC^U"cXbC^_#C8&B4C^_C,B'C5B7K^\K^FB;HB- C^]C^Xb^@^^B< C+@B3B+ZCTtb^@"B=B!C^R~E B!b^D"C^[B+C^[C^B
B:B&h.yC=C^RC^F0C0DB9C C^EC!6E>^\b^@0C: mB,C%C~RE!<B)\b^D"b^@0AB6B2B?(,C^FC^BlK^FdcC^Q{C$C^AlKB<K^FC)+B0}F^RC^XC^[C^Zb^B8gaC^DoCC=B36C^\C^S&=C"C^SB?C'C>C0>?VU^RC^]C*B/C8B C#B?iRC6B*&LC>B&b^@dE B2 B=B^OB19B;B^OB2Zhz&@Uf^PYC 9"
!s="C'W]^"C)HC B"C>C%B fb&C+B^AjCSC^QB*C^\C^R?C^Vb9b^@^SC;hC^TC-C^RBb^@^]lI^TnzB.C.HE^SMC=b^@ E8eR>B*C-C^Rqb^@^^5\mC^NC7QC^KC^VRC?|C^["
!v="FC^B@B9C C7C^YC:C^ZCK^\E^SC0C^UC,Y8RC,B<E^Rb^@:C<C^N"
#="C-GE8B4C?C-hB+Jb^@&F^RC7nC#jb^@^SC"C
^C^@C^]}C!B-B"
#<="F^R"
#Rl="C1b^D"5`C*E C^NCC3, zC>B$b^@!#C^]LC2b^@C;E b^@&B'rB+"
#[[="nC;C!*B<E |B=h.b^@B
/CAG$OtB:$B%sC%+B?&B^]aB7CC&Cb^B,^B,!"
$="C^^.QiC^XA"b^@0CgvC^E=CK^FWB)mC^F^B0f65SB0XqC8KC^Sb^@0B^PB->C:E!C^E:ZC<.b^@^ZC^VB^PmEB5b^@^YQC^OCC.V<C-$B4[rDC/C-B)C^YB#B5BB>wZb^@^]B?H(E B%Eb^@9B+.b^@&_C^BB^PB7JC
K^FE!b^D"C2"B$4C&3JB<C^NB>B73B"TC^UWC^Ub^B,KzC^U b^@b^@"8f[b^@^\6bC;C^K^@!C^NxC>eE?C
C^]!BB5C3_?;B5Vb^B,b^@^X[Cbb^@^TC-mC^FB8ClB~ nB(8C^C>B4C#3>"6dB1ewC-B(B$B=$b^Y~C^CK^FC& X=C^EB-aBB0C*E^S:C)C66LCC^W1bob^@!CC>C1^PE8C1v?C'B4INK^\C^XKC^Pl6'K^\C2B>B/ -UC
*1C3OC E!C=%9B{C2JB=$A!-B/b8C^PB^Pb^@^ZC^FmE>Bx6ob^@0zC^_{z}{C)K^FB/(s"
$D="B"C^RB7qPC^^C^CC1B /%>C^Wwb^@^TC^LC;B6C#i"
$P="V~C%b^@^SE^RB9$B
#C^C:F^Rb&zB5EB6B>C)B2YC&2C(fJB2B^]C^UrE^S'CC^FC%C)?b=q&b^B,~ADC'B79B%b^@^Zb^@^]C^[B(C+sCC^XYi~C^_MYSE S^T<6B!'`B^AE=B?b^@ CC>b^@^];B%b^@^YC(YC^Qb^@^\lR>C#Mb^@0C^Eb^@u9/B^AC$C<B4;KC^T+CB3B3>B 4zB^]2jc.C'b^@0C^DB6b^@^SiB^O!B*b^@"YZkC^OC.b^@"e"
$Wm="(C^FSEO>C^YbrIE^SC^AC&B6C#QzS|C?xEC^[>B%lGob^@&C^EC^R]C^BE^SC^WMJT(zB.C(wCC)JME^RC^FC3@ICC^L2C^ZB0B<4C^Ub^@ +C^]B5#|C^[C&C^YB%S!"C=B6C^AB%B#C*uB41bK^\C+,$B<DCB$P|zDb^@&B4C',Hb^B,)-E!B//C3OC^QC5OCC2"
$w="b^@CB-C^Kb^@ B=B.)C/B1B^OC^CB)zC^\n^@^^C+NP,wnC^VC^Kh>i|F^RhB0)C^\^U+B#j-CxX0b^@ xC:vB
B$B,C,^SC b^@^^,b^@^]tt^Q1b^@^\0C^ZGC^Sb^@^^Ub^@*C.B?B.C^WK^\|YfB/C
PC7C3B2p^@9BC^Z"^@^ZB:.oWhC#QB4+@LC^W C^CAC#rC&P;B!;5C^DB)Bp{b:CC B#b^@^^E=EC(C/8F^RtC^^ChC9BB7E=C+C^P/C^FTC^_C0C8C"t<.'C;C^KE!b^@"r=#b#C^SC^_oC;BC$~b^@:Pb^D"iB5vE=0EQ#B;6B9C7^PC'(b^@0C^QC9E!iCC5C,-B6IC;uC=B0-CnC^Zb^@&C^FC^B)C%Tl"(nB4B^AB$KB7b^BFC0rC
gfE>C^@CB<(C6& sB
C>}CE E^RB(C?nC^DCU?B
!C1NC^TB5lB<B;B5WB5B8CCK^F+C^W/b^B,B-BC&l(B1&QB/(TB#^]B$C*C^CC;C11C^\C**b^@^TE(C^[B:+B(C^UC0B%b^@^TE>b^@^SC;C7B<0~B">CB<b^@!C^F5& C*XBC*B*B "
BAUD=9600
"
,=""