SD Card for 4500X

[dodecatec]

I have a 4500X series switch which came from the vendor with no operating system image on it.

I have a 16GB SD card from an old camera, which I formatted and put a universal image on.

However, rommon doesn't see the SD card.

So, thinking maybe it was a file system problem (FAT32 vs FAT16), I re-partitioned the SD card with a 1GB FAT16 partition and put the image on there.  The switch still does not detect the card.

What gives? Why can't my switch use my SD card and how the heck can I boot this switch?

[Reza Sharifi]

There is a USB port on the switch. 

try using that

HTH

[dodecatec]

Unfortunately, it doesn't like any one of the 7 USB sticks I have (all Sandisk branded).

I've got the thing booted, after doing a TFTP boot, and I'll just tftp the image into bootflash now.

[Leo Laohoo]

Unfortunately, it doesn't like any one of the 7 USB sticks I have (all Sandisk branded).

Not all brands and not all sizes of the same brand are compatible.   For example, 8 Gb SandDisk might work but 16 Gb might not.  

[Leo Laohoo]

I have a 16GB SD card from an old camera, which I formatted and put a universal image on.

Cisco is very (very!) pedantic about standards.  The SD might work with the camera but it ain't a guarantee it will ever work with Cisco appliances if the media doesn't follow the agreed standard.  

However, rommon doesn't see the SD card.

It should be "disk0:".

Like what Reza said, USB works.  I've tried it.  

[dodecatec]

After getting it booted, via TFTP boot, I inserted the SD card I tried to use before. It's a 16GB PNY-branded card.

The switch immediately detected it, so I formatted it in the switch. I was able to copy an IOS image to it and the switch can see that image once it's booted. However, pre-boot, it can't see it.

So, I copied that image to bootflash and now the switch is happy.

But I still can't boot from the SD card. It only recognizes it after booting. Seems rommon doesn't like it.

So... *shrug* No immediate problem. Just annoying, at this point.

[Leo Laohoo]

What is the ROMmon version?  

If the SD card works (as in you can copy and paste file/files in and out of the SD card) then it's a bug with ROMmon.   If this is the case, then a TAC Case should be raised so a ROMmon patch can be issued.