Solved: USB Flash boot - Page 3

blackladyJR · ‎04-03-2009

Hi, I have 1841, 2800 and 3800 routers and need to do IOS upgrade to all of them. Existing routers do not have enough flash to hold 2 IOS images.

Question: if the router has 12.4.13r ROM IOS, will I be able to boot the ISR router via Cisco brand USB? That means in case something goes wrong while I am uploading new IOS to the router via WAN and something wrong, now router in ROMMON mode. If a local site person has a Cisco USB with an IOS in it, can he just stick it to the router and reboot the router and router will go out of rommon and go into normal mode? After it is working, then I can put the running IOS onto the exisitng CF card so now I can remove the USB and the CF card has a good IOS and reboot the router again.

I am just trying to find a safe way to upgrade the site when they don't have big enough flash to hold 2 IOS at the same time. The local person is not technical so asking him to setup tftp server and put the IOS in the computer and so I can do tftpdnld while in rommon mode to grab the IOS from his tftp will be difficult to have the local person to set it up.

If ISR can boot off of the IOS in USB only, then I assume the requiremetn is the ROM IOS needs to be 12.4.13r. Then what is a safe way to upgrade the ROM IOS to this then? I never upgrade ROM IOS before so don't know what kind of problem I may run into and whether it's higher risk to upgrade this than upgrading the regular ios? If it is, then all my routers won't have this ROM IOS version, so that means I can't use USB to boot then? Will that means I am down to tftp server option? ( I heard xmodem won't work as it will time out before the ios can load via the slow dialup link into the router to rescue it from rommon mode).

thanks.

blackladyJR · ‎04-22-2009

Hi Leo,

yes I have formatted the USB from the router, not from pc. then from show file system or show version, both indicates it recognize the USB such as it shows 128M of size and indicate it's USB.

I then copy the file from CF to USB via the router. I also did the verify command on the IOS to ensure it's good in USB.

Leo Laohoo · ‎04-23-2009

So when you insert the USB to the router, did it show up in the "sh logs"?

When the USB has been inserted and you do the "dir usbflash0:", what was the result?

blackladyJR · ‎04-23-2009

when I insert the USB, it says "USBflash1 is added"...something like that.

then I do show version and it shows up. It also shows up in show file systems and I can do show usbflash1: to see the file there and do verify command as well.

I have returned the two USB back to vendor so I can't try for the dir usbflash1 command.

But for all the commands I can do and it certainly recognize the USB to copy file back and forth. I have also upgraded the rommom from T to T6 latest for 2811 but still won't boot from USB when I remove the CF card and added the boot system usbflash:

Just need to find another usb that will work....

rbill1967 · ‎08-17-2012

I am kind of stuck at the same point, and I have tried the commands of usbflash. It keeps telling me "bad device name", and I am stuck in rommon mode. I am attempting to bring this 2821 back to life and can't get anything copied to it. I even did a direct crossover cable from laptop and router. I did the tftpdnld and it terminated because it timed out.

Any suggestions?

Leo Laohoo · ‎08-17-2012

I am kind of stuck at the same point, and I have tried the commands of usbflash.  It keeps telling me "bad device name",

Your syntax is incorrect. It should be "dir usbflash:". You forgot the ":". Hence, the response of "bad device name".

NOTE: Good grief. I thought this thread would've long dead.

johnlloyd_13 · ‎08-20-2013

hey leo,

interesting thread. sorry for bringing up this "dead" thread again, but i ended up performing a tftpdnld on my 1841.

could you help me check what i'm doing wrong here? i want to copy the IOS from USB to CF but when i tried swapping the 32 MB CF with a 64 MB one, it only hanged even if i put the boot command.

i've used a generic usb drive and an orig Cisco CF. thanks pre!

Router>show version

Cisco IOS Software, 1841 Software (C1841-IPBASE-M), Version 12.4(12a), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc3)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Compiled Thu 22-Feb-07 15:10 by prod_rel_team

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.4(13r)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1) <<< ROMMON IOS

Router#

*Aug 20 07:37:10.647: %USB_HOST_STACK-6-USB_DEVICE_CONNECTED: A Full speed USB device has been inserted in port 0.

*Aug 20 07:37:11.291: %USBFLASH-5-CHANGE: usbflash0 has been inserted!

Router#format ?

flash: Filesystem to be formatted

usbflash0: Filesystem to be formatted

Router#format usbflash0:

Format operation may take a while. Continue? [confirm]

Format operation will destroy all data in "usbflash0:". Continue? [confirm]

Format: Drive communication & 1st Sector Write OK...

Format: All system sectors written. OK...

Format: Total data sectors in formatted partition: 3947999

Format: Total data bytes in formatted partition: 2021375488

Format: Operation completed successfully.

Router#

*Aug 20 07:39:49.603: %USB_HOST_STACK-6-USB_DEVICE_DISCONNECTED: A USB device has been removed from port 0.

*Aug 20 07:39:49.707: %USBFLASH-5-CHANGE: usbflash0 has been removed! // COPY IOS TO USB IN PC

Router#

*Aug 20 07:44:47.167: %USB_HOST_STACK-6-USB_DEVICE_CONNECTED: A Full speed USB device has been inserted in port 0.

*Aug 20 07:44:47.807: %USBFLASH-5-CHANGE: usbflash0 has been inserted!

Router#dir usbflash0:

Directory of usbflash0:/

1 ---- 0 Aug 20 2013 07:39:20 +00:00 SYSTEM

2 -rw- 40529832 Jul 14 2013 10:08:04 +00:00 c1841-adventerprisek9-mz.124-24.T2.bin

2021359616 bytes total (1972666368 bytes free)

Router#verify usbflash0:c1841-adventerprisek9-mz.124-24.T2.bin

%Filesystem does not support verify operations

Verifying file integrity of usbflash0:c1841-adventerprisek9-mz.124-

24.T2.bin.........................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................Done!

Embedded Hash MD5 : D4265070CE2266CB3C7F459A49C1EFAA

Computed Hash MD5 : D4265070CE2266CB3C7F459A49C1EFAA

CCO Hash MD5 : B7C09EB264EA1D50E0E8254DB8DFF429

Signature Verified

Router#

*Aug 20 07:48:28.951: %FILESYS-5-CF: External CompactFlash removed // SWAPPED 32 MB TO 64 MB CF

System Bootstrap, Version 12.4(13r)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

PLD version 0x10

GIO ASIC version 0x127 // HANGED

----

Router(config)#boot system usbflash0:c1841-adventerprisek9-mz.124-24.T2.bin

Router(config)#do wr

Router(config)#^Z

Router#

*Aug 20 10:55:02.051: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console

Router#

*Aug 20 10:55:48.631: %FILESYS-5-CF: External CompactFlash removed

Router#

*Aug 20 10:56:17.411: %USB_HOST_STACK-6-USB_DEVICE_CONNECTED: A Full speed USB device has been inserted in port 0.

*Aug 20 10:56:18.055: %USBFLASH-5-CHANGE: usbflash0 has been inserted!

Router#reload

Proceed with reload? [confirm]

*Aug 20 10:56:44.747: %SYS-5-RELOAD: Reload requested by console. Reload Reason: Reload Command.

System Bootstrap, Version 12.4(13r)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

PLD version 0x10

GIO ASIC version 0x127 <<< HANGED, DOESN'T BOOT FROM USB

kishoremothukuri · ‎10-14-2020

Step1:

switch: boot usbflash0:c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin

Loading "usbflash0:c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin"...@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Step2:

After that please check whether IOS file is there in flash: or not

Switch#dir
Directory of flash:/

5 -rwx 2835 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 config.text
2 -rwx 1916 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 private-config.text
3 -rwx 3096 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 multiple-fs

if IOS not there follow step3.

If IOS is there follow Step4.

Step3:

If IOS is not there , we have to copy IOS from USB to flash.
Switch#copy usbflash0: flash:
Source filename []? c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin
Destination filename [c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin]?
Copy in progress...CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
20354176 bytes copied in 60.088 secs (338739 bytes/sec)

Switch#dir
Directory of flash:/

5 -rwx 2835 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 config.text
2 -rwx 1916 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 private-config.text
3 -rwx 3096 Mar 30 2011 01:29:37 +00:00 multiple-fs
4 -rwx 20354176 Mar 30 2011 01:33:36 +00:00 c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin

Step4:

Then set the Boot variable

Switch(config)#boot system flash:c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE1.bin

Switch#reload
Proceed with reload? [confirm]y

reload