WS-C2960X-24PS-L in the stack, didn't boot up with new IOS

[jgeralsky]

Hello Cisco community,

I have an issue with IOS upgrade for WS-C2960X-24PS-L  in the stack.

After the reload ,  switch still boot up with the original IOS 15.2(6)E2 , not with requested IOS c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin

MD5 checksum is OK. 

Other standalone switches booted up with c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin. There were no issues.

Can you please help us to find the solution ? 

************************************************************************
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
* 1 30 WS-C2960X-24PD-L 15.2(6)E2 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
   2 30 WS-C2960X-24PS-L 15.2(6)E2 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M

!

soaas-0005#show boot
BOOT path-list : flash1:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin;flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-6.E2.bin
Config file : flash:/config.text
Private Config file : flash:/private-config.text
Enable Break : yes
Manual Boot : no
Allow Dev Key : yes
HELPER path-list :
Auto upgrade : yes
Auto upgrade path :
Boot optimization : disabled
NVRAM/Config file
buffer size: 524288
Timeout for Config
Download: 0 seconds
Config Download
via DHCP: disabled (next boot: disabled)
-------------------
Switch 2
-------------------
BOOT path-list : flash2:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin;flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-6.E2.bin
Config file : flash:/config.text
Private Config file : flash:/private-config.text
Enable Break : yes
Manual Boot : no
Allow Dev Key : yes
HELPER path-list :
Auto upgrade : no
Auto upgrade path :

!

!

soaas-0005#show flash1:

Directory of flash:/

2 -rwx 10664 Apr 15 2021 23:13:04 +02:00 vlan.dat
3 drwx 512 Sep 7 2018 09:20:32 +02:00 backup_config
5 -rwx 26246 Sep 20 2019 15:12:38 +02:00 no-pon-skedsm-as-0005.txt
6 drwx 512 Apr 16 2018 12:25:06 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-3.E3
694 -rwx 109 Apr 16 2018 10:49:41 +02:00 info
695 drwx 512 Apr 16 2018 12:25:07 +02:00 dc_profile_dir
697 -rwx 26590208 Sep 18 2019 11:38:39 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-6.E2.bin
698 -rwx 35467 Apr 15 2021 21:03:09 +02:00 config.text
699 -rwx 23031 Sep 7 2018 09:21:48 +02:00 running-config
700 -rwx 7215 Apr 15 2021 21:03:09 +02:00 private-config.text
701 -rwx 26714112 Apr 6 2021 09:41:45 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
702 -rwx 4120 Apr 15 2021 21:12:16 +02:00 multiple-fs

122185728 bytes total (38478336 bytes free)

soaas-0005#show flash2:

Directory of flash2:/

2 -rwx 16106 May 18 2018 08:55:24 +02:00 pnp-tech-discovery-summary
3 -rwx 34 May 18 2018 08:55:22 +02:00 pnp-tech-time
4 -rwx 35467 Apr 15 2021 21:03:12 +02:00 config.text
5 -rwx 7215 Apr 15 2021 21:03:13 +02:00 private-config.text
6 -rwx 2072 May 18 2018 08:55:24 +02:00 multiple-fs
7 drwx 512 May 19 2018 13:58:27 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-3.E3
695 -rwx 10664 Apr 15 2021 23:13:17 +02:00 vlan.dat
696 -rwx 1592 May 19 2018 14:03:03 +02:00 config.text.backup
697 -rwx 5 May 19 2018 14:03:03 +02:00 private-config.text.backup
698 -rwx 26590208 Sep 18 2019 12:01:21 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-6.E2.bin
699 -rwx 26714112 Apr 6 2021 11:02:47 +02:00 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin

122185728 bytes total (38720000 bytes free)

!

!

***************************************************************************************

Many thanks.

Best regards,

Jan

[marce1000]

 -                                       >Other standalone switches booted up ...

  Bit contradictory for a stack configuration, anyway did you save an operator-log of the upgrade process, perhaps something went wrong on the particular switch and or try the overall upgrade again, from the master , make sure an ascii-log of events is available for reviewing.

 M.

[jgeralsky]

We reloaded switch remotely twice, but still booted up with the original IOS.

We have only log after the reload. (in attachment)

[Seb Rupik]

Hi there,

I suspect it is due to the boot statements referencing a flash drive number (ie flash1: , flash2:), the number will have no relevance to the switch at the time it is loading the image and it will probably fail to load it each time, therefore falling back the other image listed with just 'flash:' .

I would remove the boot statements which are different on the stack members. Use the session command to move between the stack members:

conf t
!
no boot system flash1:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
!
exit
session 2
!
no boot system flash2:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
exit
session 1
!
wr mem
conf t
!
boot system switch all flash:c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
exit
!
wr mem

When you run sh boot, both switches should now just show boot paths for flash:xxxxx

cheers,

Seb.

[jgeralsky]

Hi,

I will try to use your solution and let you know the result.

Many thanks,

Jan

[Leo Laohoo]

@Seb Rupik is correct.  The boot variable string is incorrect.

Had the upgrade used the "archive download-sw" option, the system would have created the correct boot variable string but it did not because only the BIN files were copied across.