WLC 5508 Failure to upgrade code

[pallipton]

Hi,

I'm trying to upgrade a WLC 5508 and I'm getting the following errors:

TFTP Code transfer starting.

TFTP receive complete... extracting components.

Failure while validating the signature!

TFTP Failure while storing in flash!

The image is good and for the right model.  Does anyone have any ideas?

[sean.pedersen]

Good point...I checked our two unit's serial numbers. They are pretty far apart. One is FCW14* and the other is FCW15* - the FCW14* S/N is the one with the problem.

[Leo Laohoo]

You guys are looking at the wrong "end" of the S/N.  Let me explain:

Use my Serial number:  FOC1132W0DC

FOC = the factory code

11 = YEAR of manufacturer (15 = 2011, 14 = 2010, 13 = 2009, 12 = 2008, 11 = 2007, etc.)

32 = calendar week of the year the appliance was manufacturer

Last 4 character signifies the batch number.  This is what everyone should be looking at.

[rhub]

Hi Peter,

I just received 2 brandnew 5508 and have exactly the same problem. I tried to upgrade from 7.0.98.218 to 7.0.116.0; i did it via FTP and TFTP with exaclty the same bad result.

I really appreciate any hints or do I have to RMA the device ?

Thanks very much

Roman 

[Kayle Miller]

Roman,

     look a Leolaohoo's post and let us know where your controllers fall into that info.  I'd still love to get my hands on one of these controllers or at the very least get a webex into on of them to look at this...

[rhub]

Hello Kayle

both of my controllers are brandnew according to their serial-#: and Leolaohoo's post.

Controller_1 : FCW1522L021

Controller_2 : FCW1522L022

Facts:

=====

1. Both are running code 7.0.98.218

2. Upgrade to 7.0.116.0 (AIR-CT5500-K9-7-0-116-0.aes) failed

    Just to be sure, I also tried code AIR-CT5500-LDPE-K9-7-0-116-0.aes, which also failed on both

3. No firewall or antivirus is active on my workstation

4. Upgrade was tried via Service-Port as well as management-interface

5. Upgrade was tried via FTP as well as TFTP

6. Short after file-transfer has been finished I get the corresponding message and even short after that I receive the message "Failure while validating the signature"

7. Doing a "show logging", I get the message that the downloaded file seems to be corrupted (screenshot below), but checking the filesize gives me exactly the same size as on the CCO before downloading

[Leo Laohoo]

Stick the IOS into a valid USB (<8Gb, FAT16) and try the transfer that way.

[rhub]

I will try it but to be honest I don't believe it will work since I really don't see a difference (except the filetransfer protocol itself) - the code-image is the same, the hardware as well and ..... is this a documented upgrade-procedure ? I did not find anything within the release notes or any other docs.

[sean.pedersen]

I wanted to try a USB transfer myself, but for the life of me could not find any information on how to do it. Of course the OS is different on wireless controllers, so it wasn't as simple as "copy xxx xxx" and the transfer commands didn't have an option for USB, only FTP or TFTP.

As for an update on our issue, we recieved a new controller from 2011, manufacturered 8 weeks before our other working controller and it updated without problems. The problem controller was manufacturered in 2010. I figure at that point the batch number is pretty much irrelevant.

Interestingly enough, our functional units are older by manufacturing date than rhub's.

[Leo Laohoo]

I figure at that point the batch number is pretty much irrelevant.

It is.  Read a post by one of the Cisco Wireless TAC mentioning about a batch of faulty 5508 that could NOT be upgraded due to some issues the way the original was copied into the on-board CF.

Message was edited by: Leo Laohoo

[RICHARD DUNN]

My issue was fixed with the 2nd replacement that I recieved. The first 2 5508s were 4 serial numbers and flat out refused to upgrade, even using all of the suggested methods. The one I just recieved had ver 7.0.98.0 and I was able to upgrade to 7.0.116 in a matter of minutes using the same file that was supposedly corrupted. Bottom line is if it's not under Smartnet get Smartnet and let Cisco deal with it. I wasted 4 hours in travel time and a couple of days troubleshooting these boxes.

[rhub]

Many thanks for all of your posts. I really get the impression, that it would be best to RMA the 2 boxes. One more thing I faced, is that even when doing factory resets, parts of the config still are are alive and not wiped.

I try to do a factory reset tonight and try to upgrade via the boot-menu then. Maybe it makes a difference.

[rhub]

I tried to upgrade via all the suggested methods but without any success. I also tried different FTP/TFTP clients,

the result is still the same.

So I'm stuck in the middle of nowhere

[Leo Laohoo]

RMA the WLC.  There's a batch of 5508 that could not be firmware-upgraded.  I'm suspecting yours is one of them.

[rhub]

Thanks for your post. I initialized the RMA-process 2 days ago.

[KyleWoodhouse]

Hi, We just opened two of these units that were brand new and one of them has this issue.  I was wondering a few things: 

1. Has anyone found a Bug ID or field notice for this issue?  I dont see one for either. 

2. Has anyone seen if there is an internal CF card instead of onboard flash and maybe remove it, format it in a card reader or another unit, then use option 6 on bootup to manually upload an image?

There is a license associated to this unit so id rather fix it then RMA it but maybe ill have to. 

Thanks,