Cisco 7970 won’t pull firmware, DHCP Request every 20 Seconds

[Pinguin3003]

Hello,

i have a IP Phone 7970 which won’t even attempt to pull the Firmware from the TFTP Server after a Hard Reset (3491672850*#).

I am using TFTPD32 by Phillipe Jounin as DHCP and TFTP Server.

Under the „Log“ tab I can see that it sends a DHCP Request ca. every 20 seconds. Other than that nothing happens.

Wireshark shows the DHCP Request, the Response and a CDP Request containing the MAC Address and „TERM70_LOAD“

Best Regards

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Pinguin3003 wrote:

So the Screen shows nothing after powering the Device up.

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I really need/want to see this screen.  A lot of people defines a DARK screen as "blank" screen.  A lot of people say a white screen with a Cisco logo is a "blank" screen.  I want to see this "blank" screen for myself. 

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@Pinguin3003 wrote:

You can’t just request a List of the Files available on a TFTP Server, Right?

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Phone gets an IP address via DHCP.  Under DHCP, there is Option 150 which tells the phone where the TFTP server is.  This TFTP server must, at a minimum, have the SEPmacaddress.cnf.xml file.  Without this file, the phone will not know what to do.  Not even know what firmware file to use.  

The screenshot of the contents of the TFTP root directory shows SIP firmware 6.0(2)SR1 and these are ancient.  I never knew (and never seen one) 7970 could run this (very) old version.

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@Pinguin3003 wrote:

I performed a Hard Reset (3491672850*#)

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OmfG.  That's not a "hard reset".  That is a full-blown FLASH RE-FORMAT.   

Leave the phone alone for a few HOURS.  

Do not kill the power of the phone.  Do not touch anything.  Leave the phone alone.  This process will take about an hour (or two).  

[Sergio Quezada]

Is Auto registration configured and enabled?

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/voice_ip_comm/cucm/admin/12_5_1/systemConfig/cucm_b_system-configuration-guide-1251/cucm_b_system-configuration-guide-1251_chapter_01000110.html

[Pinguin3003 · Accepted solution]

So, after Hours of experimenting I took a spare SSD, threw it into an old notebook that I had laying around (Toshiba Satellite A210-1AA), installed a Fresh Copy of Windows XP Home on it, together with the LAN Driver, the Display Driver and Service Pack 2. Then I downloaded TFTPD32 Version 3.50, got into the Network Settings and changed them to:

IP-Address: 192.168.10.100

Mask: 255.255.255.0

Default-Gateway: 192.168.10.100

(see attatched screenshot)

I setup DHCP in TFTPD32 the following way:

IP Pool Starting Address: 192.168.10.1

Size of Pool: 5

Boot File: <empty>

WINS/DNS Server: 192.168.10.100

Default Router: 192.168.10.100

Mask: 255.255.255.0

Domain Name: <empty>

Additional Option: 150 | <empty>

(see attatched screenshot)

On the TFTP Tab I only set the Base Directory, nothing else.

I did not tick "Bind XXX to this address", I just selected them manually.

In the Folder I had the Firmware Version "TERM70.7-0-2-0S.loads". I used this version because I knew that Phones with the Old "BIOS" (which is showing the old "Cisco Systems" Logo instead of the new "Cisco" logo on startup) cannot take Firmware Version 8.5 or so without first upgrading to the 8.2 Firmware and I wanted a Firmware that is definitely supported.

After powering the Device up, holding the "#" Key down and entering the Reset Combination (3491672850*#) it began loading the Firmware. I let it sit for about 30 Minutes, after I came back I was greeted by the Default Wallpaper and the Phone trying to get the SEPMAC File. Using the SEPMAC File, I upgraded the Firmware first to 8.2, then to 8.5, and from there to the latest, 9.2.1. The Phone is now up and running and working as it should.

I think it didn't work because the Newer Versions of TFTPD32 are responding to the DHCPDISCOVER faster than the older versions, or the DHCPOFFER of the newer versions conains some Information that the Phone cannot understand, therefore it sends a DHCPDISCOVER again.