Solved: Memory Terminology Confusion on Sup720

kevin.hu · ‎04-15-2008

Hi all,

Yesterday I did an IOS upgrade on Sup720. I pointed the bootvar to the Sup-bootflash and Sup720 went into Rmon mode. Once I pointed the bootvar to the Sup-bootdisk, it worked.

After doing some research, it seems like Sup-bootflash and Sup-bootdisk referenced the same internal 512MB Compact Flash. Show sup-bootflash and show sup-bootdisk confirm this theory.

So the question is, why can't I point the bootvar to Sup-bootflash?

The old IOS is 12.2(18)SXF12 and the new IOS is 12.2(33)SXH2.

Thanks for you help!

lamav · ‎04-15-2008

Jason:

This isn't your thread, but I'll answer your question anyway. :-)

sup-bootflash: This is the flash installed on the Supervisor's switch processor and is readable at initial boot and when the IOS code is loaded.

bootflash: This is the route processor's flash and is installed on the MSFC daughter card on the supervisor 720 module. It is not readable at initial boot and is only accessible after the Supervisor has initially booted.

HTH

Kevin:

There is no physical or qualitative difference between the sup-bootflash: and sup-bootdisk: in a Sup-720. It is the onboard flash memory for the switch processor.

The difference lies in the way the bootstrap program, which resides in the switch processor's ROM (SP ROMMON), is coded to recognize the system's storage entity.

As I stated in my last post, and as you, too, suspected, the 8.4(2) version of SP ROMMON refers to the onboard flash for the switch processor as sup-bootdisk:

HTH

Victor

View solution in original post

andrew.butterworth · ‎04-15-2008

What ROMMON versions are you running on the Sup & the MSFC. I recently upgraded some Sup720's that had the older 64MB FLASH modules on the Supervisor and these needed a ROMMON upgrade to recognise the 512MB Compact FLASH adapter module that replaced the 64MB FLASH. When the ROMMON version was correct the FLASH was referenced by 'sup-bootdisk'.

Andy

lamav · ‎04-15-2008

Kevin/Andy:

Just to add a bit to Andy's comments...

Depending on how your system bootstring is configured, your switch might stay in ROMMON after the supervisor installation and reboot. To boot the system from the CompactFash adapter, you have to enter the boot bootdisk: command.

Once you install the CF adapter, you must define the Cisco IOS bootstring as boot system flash sup-bootdisk:[image name].

With SP ROMMON Release 8.4(2), the bootstring has to be defined as sup-bootdisk:. SP ROMMON releases later than 8.4(2) only accept the bootstring defined as sup-bootflash:.

So, I have a hunch that Kevin is running SP ROMMON version 8.4(2).

HTH

Victor

Jason Fraioli · ‎04-15-2008

I have an Cisco pdf for upgrading/converting from CatOS to IOS. It mentions nothing about sup-bootflash:, only bootflash:. What is the difference between the two?

kevin.hu · ‎04-15-2008

Guys,

I was not upgrading CatOS to IOS. The upgrade was from one IOS version to another IOS version. No conversion here.

Also, the CF is already in there. The IOS has no problem recognize the internal CF.

It might be the ROMMON version can't recognize the boot string I put in "boot system flash sup-bootflash:"

When I did show rom-monitor slot 5 sp, the output stated that it is invalid.

kevin.hu · ‎04-15-2008

Victor,

What's the difference between sup-bootflash and sup-bootdisk? When you do the show sup-bootflash and show sup-bootdisk on Sup720, the output is identical. Therefore I assume that they are the same terminology for the same CF memory.

mohammedmahmoud · ‎04-15-2008

HI Kevin,

As a general rule, the word flash (or slot) refers to the old linear flash cards, while the word disk refers to the modern ATA compact flash disk, on a Sup720 with the appropriate ROMMON version the internal compact flash adapter notation for the file system is changed from sup-bootflash: to sup-bootdisk:.

BR,

Mohammed Mahmoud.

lamav · ‎04-15-2008

Jason:

This isn't your thread, but I'll answer your question anyway. :-)

sup-bootflash: This is the flash installed on the Supervisor's switch processor and is readable at initial boot and when the IOS code is loaded.

bootflash: This is the route processor's flash and is installed on the MSFC daughter card on the supervisor 720 module. It is not readable at initial boot and is only accessible after the Supervisor has initially booted.

HTH

Kevin:

There is no physical or qualitative difference between the sup-bootflash: and sup-bootdisk: in a Sup-720. It is the onboard flash memory for the switch processor.

The difference lies in the way the bootstrap program, which resides in the switch processor's ROM (SP ROMMON), is coded to recognize the system's storage entity.

As I stated in my last post, and as you, too, suspected, the 8.4(2) version of SP ROMMON refers to the onboard flash for the switch processor as sup-bootdisk:

HTH

Victor