upgrde 2960XR switches issue

[NetExprt]

Dears,

I am trying to upgrade switches model 2960XR (in stack) and followed the standard steps (upload the new image ,confirmed integrity ,changed the boot system and reload)

waht happened is that after reload that one switch from the stack downdraded to pervous image and other switches kept same current version so it gived vesion mismatch for switch2.

how to solve this issue withiut removing switch 2 from stack ?

Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
* 1  52  WS-C2960XR-48FPD-I   15.2(4)E6 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
2     0  WS-C2960XR-48FPS-I     15.2(2)E6 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
3   52  WS-C2960XR-48FPD-I     15.2(4)E6 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
4   52  WS-C2960XR-48FPD-I     15.2(4)E6 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M  

K-INTRA-ACC-6F-SW1#sh swi stack-p

Switch # Port 1 Port 2
-------- ------ ------
1 Ok Ok
2 Ok Ok
3 Ok Ok

4 Ok Ok

K-INTRA-ACC-6F-SW1#sh boot
BOOT path-list : flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-4.E6.bin

-------------------  missing switch 2
Switch 3
-------------------
BOOT path-list : flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-4.E6.bin

-------------------
Switch 4
-------------------
BOOT path-list : flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-4.E6.bin

#dir flash:
Directory of flash: (sw3 and 4 is same as sw1)

2 -rwx 34740 Dec 20 2018 18:03:53 +03:00 config.text.backup
3 -rwx 24667136 Dec 20 2018 16:12:25 +03:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-4.E6.bin
4 -rwx 1156 Apr 9 2021 03:09:11 +03:00 vlan.dat
5 -rwx 142335 Apr 9 2021 00:02:01 +03:00 config.text
6 -rwx 3096 Apr 9 2021 03:09:29 +03:00 multiple-fs
7 -rwx 5661 Dec 20 2018 18:03:53 +03:00 private-config.text.backup
8 -rwx 26767360 Apr 6 2021 12:49:49 +03:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E4.bin
9 -rwx 5780 Apr 9 2021 00:02:03 +03:00 private-config.text
10 drwx 512 Feb 15 2002 22:56:29 +03:00 dc_profile_dir

122185728 bytes total (69944832 bytes free)
#dir flash2: for sw2
Directory of flash2:/

2 -rwx 142335 Apr 8 2021 20:39:10 +03:00 config.text
3 -rwx 5780 Apr 8 2021 20:39:12 +03:00 private-config.text
4 drwx 512 Jan 2 2000 08:52:42 +03:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-2.E6
669 -rwx 141830 Feb 24 2021 22:11:34 +03:00 config.text.backup
670 -rwx 5780 Feb 24 2021 22:11:37 +03:00 private-config.text.backup
671 -rwx 1156 Jul 4 2020 15:13:48 +03:00 vlan.dat
672 -rwx 4120 Dec 20 2018 21:36:15 +03:00 multiple-fs
673 -rwx 24667136 Dec 20 2018 21:09:03 +03:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-4.E6.bin
674 -rwx 26767360 Apr 6 2021 13:29:06 +03:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E4.bi

[Leo Laohoo]

People like to "re-invent the wheel" and make things difficult for themselves. 

In situations exactly like this, people just "copy" the BIN file across and often make mistakes when setting the boot variable string.  

There is an easy way to do an upgrade to a switch by just using ONE COMMAND:  

archive download-sw [/image] tftp://<TFTP IP ADDRESS>/IOS_FILENAME.tar

Run that command and the script will do everything for you: 

• Unpack the IOS files correctly into the correct subdirectory
• Distribute the IOS files to every switch member
• Change the boot variable string
• Run a quick MD5 check to ensure the BIN file is not corrupt
• The "/image" option means "unpack the BIN file ONLY" (and do not unpack the HTML files)

[NetExprt]

This command works only for .tar images however we need to upgrade using .bin to minimize the risk and also it is recommended image .

I know this way but I need to solve current issue without breaking the stack if possible 

[Leo Laohoo]

---

@NetExprt wrote:

we need to upgrade using .bin to minimize the risk

---

Your call.  

I have been regularly (yearly- to twice a year) upgrading our fleet of Catalyst switches since 2010 and I have never, ever, SEEN nor CRASH a stack while uploading the IOS files to the stack.  

Just to put things in a perspective, I upgrade north of 800 stacks of switches (and I do not use any "automation").

Post the complete output to the following command: 

remote command 2 sh version

[NetExprt]

the output is 

Remote switch 2 is not ready/present

my point is we decided to use same switch image(.bin) i.e since switches is running .bin so we used .bin 

[NetExprt · Accepted solution]

Issue resolved by removing the switch from stack and upgrading it individually to match same other switches image then rejoin the stack.