Question regards Boot variable.

[Murug.Kumar]

Hi All,

I have doubt on configuring Boot variable for different devices like L2 switch,L3 device .

I noted that in some switch it is simple boot system flash: <IOS.name>  ,on another device it is configured as 

boot system bootflash:<IOS.name>  .or Boot system flash bootflash:<IOS.name> .

My question why it differs ?  How to find the correct boot variable configuration for different devices.

Thanks in advance.

[Leo Laohoo]

"classic" IOS routers and switches use "flash:" as their "storage ID".
Routers and switches that run IOS-XE use "bootflash:". 

TAC has created a Bug ID when people don't use the "bootflash:" and the router goes into ROMMON:  CSCvg37458

[Giuseppe Larosa]

Hello @Murug.Kumar ,

you can use dir /all to list all the available filesystems on the device.

What is really important is that the IOS file must be in the location specified in the command so to verify a command like

boot system bootflash:><IOS-name>.bin

you can check with

dir bootflash:><IOS-name>.bin on the normal prompt if the file is found your command is correct.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

[Murug.Kumar]

Hi Giuseppe ,
Thanks for the reply.

Below output is one little confusing me.
I have checked that dir /all - it shows only bootflash

Why it didn't configured as boot system bootflash: <IOS>.bin but it used as boot system flash bootflash: <IOS>.bin


ASR1001#sh bootvar
BOOT variable = bootflash:asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.07a.S.154-3.S7a-ext.SPA.bin,1;
CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x2102

Standby not ready to show bootvar

#####################################################


ASR1001#sh running-config | include boot
boot-start-marker
------> boot system flash bootflash:asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.07a.S.154-3.S7a-ext.SPA.bin <------
boot-end-marker
no ip bootp server
license boot level adventerprise

###########################################################

ASR1001#dir /all
Directory of bootflash:/

11 drwx 16384 Mar 17 2015 15:46:50 +00:00 lost+found
450689 drwx 4096 Jul 19 2017 07:44:11 +00:00 .prst_sync
12 -rw- 489740544 Mar 17 2015 15:47:58 +00:00 asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.02.S.154-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin
724321 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:48:58 +00:00 .installer
756513 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:58:35 +00:00 core
643841 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:58:36 +00:00 .rollback_timer
13 -rw- 0 Mar 17 2015 15:58:43 +00:00 tracelogs.838
659937 drwx 12288 May 5 2020 08:14:13 +00:00 tracelogs
14 -rw- 12304 Apr 1 2015 08:30:04 +00:00 ASR1001.txt
15 -rw- 976461 Jan 11 2016 15:19:11 +00:00 tech-jan11
16 -rw- 490124292 Jul 10 2017 22:51:41 +00:00 asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.07a.S.154-3.S7a-ext.SPA.bin
17 -rw- 1604 Jul 11 2017 04:31:50 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20170711_043148.log
18 -rw- 30 May 2 2020 21:34:00 +00:00 throughput_monitor_params
19 -rw- 230987 Jul 19 2017 07:35:21 +00:00 CHG_UPGRADE_PRE_CHANGE_RUN_ALL.txt
20 -rw- 1587 Jul 19 2017 07:44:15 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20170719_074413.log
21 -rw- 230809 Jul 19 2017 07:48:03 +00:00 CHG_UPGRADE_POST_CHANGE_RUN_ALL.txt
22 -rw- 982286 Aug 23 2017 01:45:17 +00:00 techsupport
23 -rw- 1587 Nov 3 2018 20:24:42 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20181103_202440.log
24 -rw- 1604 Feb 14 2019 00:05:52 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190214_000550.log
25 -rw- 1604 Feb 14 2019 00:21:01 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190214_002059.log
26 -rw- 1525 May 12 2019 00:41:37 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190512_004136.log
27 -rw- 1604 Dec 7 2019 19:43:36 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20191207_194334.log
28 -rw- 1604 May 2 2020 21:34:00 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20200502_213358.log

6741659648 bytes total (5405151232 bytes free)
ASR1001#

################################################################
ASR1001#dir flash:
Directory of flash:/

11 drwx 16384 Mar 17 2015 15:46:50 +00:00 lost+found
450689 drwx 4096 Jul 19 2017 07:44:11 +00:00 .prst_sync
12 -rw- 489740544 Mar 17 2015 15:47:58 +00:00 asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.02.S.154-3.S2-ext.SPA.bin
724321 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:48:58 +00:00 .installer
756513 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:58:35 +00:00 core
643841 drwx 4096 Mar 17 2015 15:58:36 +00:00 .rollback_timer
13 -rw- 0 Mar 17 2015 15:58:43 +00:00 tracelogs.838
659937 drwx 12288 May 5 2020 08:14:13 +00:00 tracelogs
14 -rw- 12304 Apr 1 2015 08:30:04 +00:00 ASR1001.txt
15 -rw- 976461 Jan 11 2016 15:19:11 +00:00 tech-jan11
16 -rw- 490124292 Jul 10 2017 22:51:41 +00:00 asr1001x-universalk9.03.13.07a.S.154-3.S7a-ext.SPA.bin
17 -rw- 1604 Jul 11 2017 04:31:50 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20170711_043148.log
18 -rw- 30 May 2 2020 21:34:00 +00:00 throughput_monitor_params
19 -rw- 230987 Jul 19 2017 07:35:21 +00:00 CHG_UPGRADE_PRE_CHANGE_RUN_ALL.txt
20 -rw- 1587 Jul 19 2017 07:44:15 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20170719_074413.log
21 -rw- 230809 Jul 19 2017 07:48:03 +00:00 CHG_UPGRADE_POST_CHANGE_RUN_ALL.txt
22 -rw- 982286 Aug 23 2017 01:45:17 +00:00 techsupport-aug22
23 -rw- 1587 Nov 3 2018 20:24:42 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20181103_202440.log
24 -rw- 1604 Feb 14 2019 00:05:52 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190214_000550.log
25 -rw- 1604 Feb 14 2019 00:21:01 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190214_002059.log
26 -rw- 1525 May 12 2019 00:41:37 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20190512_004136.log
27 -rw- 1604 Dec 7 2019 19:43:36 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20191207_194334.log
28 -rw- 1604 May 2 2020 21:34:00 +00:00 octeon_pci_console_dev0_20200502_213358.log

6741659648 bytes total (5405151232 bytes free)
ASR1001#

[Giuseppe Larosa · Accepted solution]

Hello @Murug.Kumar ,

yes there are some cases some platforms that allow to use this syntax for the command.

However consider the flash in the command as a keyword to say that the system will boot an image from a local file system then the file name contains the complete path bootflash:<ios-xe-file-name> and the actual filesystem name is here before the ":".

Hope to help

Giuseppe