Recovering Catalyst Switches from a Corrupted or Missing Image

[Aris Pipis]

Hi all,

I have wiped out the IOS of a 2950 Series Swich:

When the switch boots i get the follwoing output:

Parameter Block Filesystem (pb:) installed, fsid: 4

Loading ""...: permission denied

Error loading ""

Interrupt within 5 seconds to abort boot process.

Boot process failed...

The system is unable to boot automatically.  The BOOT

environment variable needs to be set to a bootable

image.

switch:

The "permission denied" message in my understanding implies that i cannot use a tftp server to install a new ios on the switch so i have to go through the xmodem file transfer.

However the procedure keep fails with the same message:

Begin the Xmodem or Xmodem-1K transfer now...

CCCCCBB0........................................................................

..............................................intel_28fxxx_write_bytes: flash bu

sy error

flashfs[0]: writing to flash handle 0x80c5eff0, device 0, offset 0x740000, lengt

h 0x208: Operation Failed

flashfs[0]: sector ptr: {0x37, 0x0}

flashfs[0]: filesystem marked down.  Use "fsck" to recover.

flash:c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin: I/O error

I perform the fsck flash: command and re try.  I get the same error. 

Then i tried with a different ios (c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin).  Nothing changed.

I have hit a deadlock, could you please help me on how to proceed?

Below i list some info about the switch and the IOS am trying to send:

Swicth:           WS-C2950-24

IOS:           c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

As a guide i have used the following document:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps628/products_tech_note09186a0080169696.shtml

Thank you for your time.

Aris

[glen.grant]

   That is the correct document . Just make sure you follow the directions for the 2950 model exactly. That's about all we can give you as far as recovering an image .  OItherwise you may have to contact the TAC for insight.  Those procedures have always worked the few times I have had to Xmodem a file. 

[gulbahar90]

I am using cisco Switch 3550 but router not boot proper then .i press mode button then switch come in recovery mode .

but after enter Flash_intit . switch not booting .what is problem here ..please help me

Unknown cmd: flash_init
switch: Base ethernet MAC Address: 00:09:43:f8:40:80
Xmodem file system is available.
The password-recovery mechanism is enabled.

The system has been interrupted prior to initializing the
flash filesystem. The following commands will initialize
the flash filesystem, and finish loading the operating
system software:

flash_init
boot

switch: flash_init
Initializing Flash...
flashfs[0]: 2 files, 1 directories
flashfs[0]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[0]: Total bytes: 15998976
flashfs[0]: Bytes used: 1536
flashfs[0]: Bytes available: 15997440
flashfs[0]: flashfs fsck took 12 seconds.
...done Initializing Flash.
Boot Sector Filesystem (bs:) installed, fsid: 3
¦¦

after this steps not go ahead Switch .

please help me

[sylvain.munaut]

Looks to me like it could be a HW problem with the flash ... ( intel_28fxxx_write_bytes: flash busy error )

I'd open a TAC case to confirm and if needed, replace the switch.

[smogra]

Hi,

The document you are referring to is correct. Please follow the instructions carefully to avoid any issues. Ideally, it should work.

Also, ensure following:

1. Make sure you are DIRECTLY connected to the switch via the cisco console  cable to the PCs serial port. If you are using any terminal server,  the xmodem transfer can fail.

2. The size of the image you are trying to copy is not more than the memory.

Sweta.

P.S. Please rate helpful answers.

[Leo Laohoo]

What do you get when you do a "dir flash:"?

[Aris Pipis]

Hello,

this is the output:

switch: dir flash:

Directory of flash:/

2    -rwx  507392                   c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

3    -rwx  512                      c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

7235072 bytes available (506368 bytes used)

switch: boot flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

Loading "flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin"...############################b

ad mzip file, unknown zip method

Error loading "flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin"

Interrupt within 5 seconds to abort boot process.

Boot process failed...

switch: dir flash:/

Directory of flash://

2    -rwx  507392                   c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

3    -rwx  512                      c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

7235072 bytes available (506368 bytes used)

switch: dir

List of filesystems currently registered:

               flash[0]: (read-write)

              xmodem[1]: (read-only)

                null[2]: (read-write)

                  bs[3]: (read-only)

[Aris Pipis]

It seems that it s a hardware problem as stated above by sylvain.munaut.

Unfortunate the flash is built in (I opened the switch to check whether I could remove the

Flash and try to read it with a card reader or insert a new one... in an attempt to

further isolate the problem)..

Thank you all for your time and help and if I have something new I will share it with you

[Leo Laohoo]

2    -rwx  507392                   c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

That is NOT the correct filesize of the IOS.  Nor is the EA9 either.  This is your issue.

[Aris Pipis]

Hello,

Yes you are right, the correct filesize should have been 3,059 KB.

I issued another dir flash: command and i got the following output

switch: dir flash:

Directory of flash:/

2   -rwx 0                        c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

3   -rwx 512                      c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

7740416 bytes available (1024 bytes used)

The filesize displayed above makes more sense as the sending file procedure has been interrupted almost after it started.

However, i have no idea on how to explain this inconsistency.. (regarding the filesize)

Out of curiosity i tried to delete the c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin:

switch: delete flash: c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

Are you sure you want to delete "flash:" (y/n)?y

File "flash:" not deleted -- no such file or directory

Are you sure you want to delete "c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin" (y/n)?y

File "c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin" not deleted -- permission denied

switch: dir flash:

Directory of flash:/

2   -rwx 0                        c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA14.bin

3   -rwx 512                      c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

7740416 bytes available (1024 bytes used)

switch: delete flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin

Are you sure you want to delete "flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin" (y/n)?y

intel_28fxxx_write_bytes: flash busy error

flashfs[0]: writing to flash handle 0x80c5eff0, device 0, offset 0x740000, lengt

h 0x208: Operation Failed

flashfs[0]: sector ptr: {0x37, 0x5}

flashfs[0]: filesystem marked down. Use "fsck" to recover.

File "flash:/c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-22.EA9.bin" not deleted -- I/O error

switch: fsck

usage: fsck [ -f ] [ -test ]

switch: fsck flash:

Are you sure you want to fsck "flash:" (could take some time) (y/n)?y

flashfs[0]: sector 4, block 55 checksum (0xca34 != 0xe2f0)

intel_28fxxx_write_bytes: flash busy error

flashfs[0]: writing to flash handle 0x80c5eff0, device 0, offset 0x740000, lengt

h 0x208: Operation Failed

flashfs[0]: sector ptr: {0x37, 0x4}

Filesystem "flash:" not checked -- I/O error

switch:

...

Any comments on this??

Thank you for your time!

[Leo Laohoo]

Try to format the flash using the command "format flash:".

There's nothing for you to "loose" since there really nothing in the flash.

[Aris Pipis]

Already did it!

[Leo Laohoo]

Did it work?

[Aris Pipis]

The format did work, then i re tried but again the procedure failed.

[Leo Laohoo]

If the procedure failed, can you post the command "dir flash:" and the entire bootup process please?