Solved: Bought new flash memory but getting errors, 2501 router

yumologycccp · ‎02-04-2008

I bought an 8MB flash stick and installed it alongside my original 8MB flash stick, for a grand total of 16MB.

But its not working right.

On bootup I get this:

ERR: Invalid chip id 0x80B5 (reversed = 0x1AD ) detected in System flash

% System flash query failed. Access will be RD-ONLY

router_2501#show version

16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

router_2501#sh flash

System flash directory:

File Length Name/status

1 8034456 c2500-i-l.121-21.bin

[8034520 bytes used, 8742696 available, 16777216 total]

16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

I tried to upgrade the IOS using "copy tftp flash". It was doing great and looking good until it started download past the 8MB first flash stick and began writing into the 2nd flash stick. At this point the copy failed due to read only settings on hardware! On hardware!??? What, like a dipswitch that is not set or something? I tried switching Flash sticks around, but either slot the new one is in, it won't write due to read only.

So now I'm stuck in RxBoot (version 10.2). I tried to issue the "no partition flash" command, but it's not supported until 10.3.

What is going on, why does my 2nd memory stick not function whatsoever, except at calculating the size. One would think that if the IOS can recognize then it works, but noooooo. If i try to do 'no partition flash' within a running IOS then I can't issue the erase command since the flash becomes read-only when not in rxboot mode. Where/how do i upgrade the bootstrap software, or is that not needed?

CSCO10892433 · ‎02-04-2008

Hi, yumologycccp

When I said "upgrade the bootROM", what i mean actually is replacing the old bootROM with a newer one which has the newer version.

You can find many such bootROMs on the EBAY, the following link is just one of them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-2500-Series-Boot-Rom-Upgrade-2500-BOOT-FW1-FW2_W0QQitemZ320199959387QQihZ011QQcategoryZ67292QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

and the following link is a guide on how to replace it.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/routers/access/2500/hardware/notes/BootROM.html

HTH

SSLIN

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yumologycccp · ‎02-04-2008

I now tried to put just the new RAM in. I get the same invalid chip errors,but still reports I have 8MB usable flash. If i do "erase flash" i get this kind of error:

Exception: Jump to zero at 0x537FC (PC)

Then it automatically reboots the router. English anyone?

CSCO10892433 · ‎02-04-2008

Hi, yumologycccp

What is the version of the bootROM on your router? Some old versions like 4.x or 5.x only support 8M flash maximum. If this is the case, you need to upgrade the bootROM version to 11.x or so to support 16M flash on your router.

HTH

SSLIN

yumologycccp · ‎02-04-2008

Yeah I have one of those older 5.x something ROM versions. How do I go about upgrading this?

CSCO10892433 · ‎02-04-2008

Hi, yumologycccp

When I said "upgrade the bootROM", what i mean actually is replacing the old bootROM with a newer one which has the newer version.

You can find many such bootROMs on the EBAY, the following link is just one of them:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Cisco-2500-Series-Boot-Rom-Upgrade-2500-BOOT-FW1-FW2_W0QQitemZ320199959387QQihZ011QQcategoryZ67292QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQtrksidZp1638.m118.l1247QQcmdZViewItem

and the following link is a guide on how to replace it.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/routers/access/2500/hardware/notes/BootROM.html

HTH

SSLIN

yumologycccp · ‎02-04-2008

Right on, thanks for the info.