AIM-CUE hangs before bootloader - faulty compact flash

daniel.ralph · ‎01-18-2009

I have an AIM-CUE in a 2600XM, when I telnet or access via session command, the AIM-CUE hangs before the bootloader prompt. So I can't type *** and config to download cue-installer from TFTP.

Is the CF Card faulty?

Is it possible to reset the AIM-CUE to go to bootloader without trying to update flash?

What partitions are needed on the CF card for a clean install?

The CF card is the official 1GB Cisco card with 2001888 sectors.

The AIM-CUE is in a lab router so starting with a new CF card is a possibility.

BR2-RTR#sho ver

Cisco IOS Software, C2600 Software (C2600-IPVOICE_IVS-M), Version 12.4(9)T, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport

Compiled Sat 17-Jun-06 02:46 by prod_rel_team

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(7r) [cmong 7r], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

BR2-RTR uptime is 34 minutes

System returned to ROM by power-on

System restarted at 19:41:43 GMT Sun Jan 18 2009

System image file is "flash:c2600-ipvoice_ivs-mz.124-9.T.bin"

Cisco 2611XM (MPC860P) processor (revision 1.0) with 125451K/5621K bytes of memory.

Processor board ID JAD07130QEC

M860 processor: part number 5, mask 2

2 FastEthernet interfaces

1 Serial interface

1 terminal line

1 Channelized E1/PRI port

1 cisco service engine(s)

32K bytes of NVRAM.

32768K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)

Configuration register is 0x2102

Initializing memory. Please wait. ... 256 MB SDRAM detected

BIOS Version: Cisco SE-AIM 01.02

BIOS Build date: 08/14/03

System Now Booting ...[BOOT-ASM]

7

Updating flash with bootloader configuration

1.2.3.4.

Error in writing: 0xfffb0031, 0x000000ff

Error in writing: 0xfffb0032, 0x000000ff

Error in writing: 0xfffb0033, 0x000000ff

Nicholas Matthews · ‎01-18-2009

Hi Daniel,

It looks like CUE is in an unrecoverable state. I'm not sure the exact formatting required on the CF, but you can start by seeing what you can do with the CF. If you have a good CUE, I would look for a utility that will copy the information from one CF to another bit by bit.

Generally, this would probably be RMA'd, but if you don't have support you may require a certain extra level of creativity.

hth,

nick

daniel.ralph · ‎01-19-2009

Thanks for your response. I'd agree with your thoughts on the CF card needing to be rebuilt, assuming the CUE card itself is ok. I understand the CUE card loads a RAM based Linux kernel from the 8mb cue-installer file (via TFTP) - once I can get back to the *** bootloader prompt.

I have a copy of the HP USB disk tool which can perform a bit-by-bit backup/restore and I'll try this and see what outcome is. I'm not hopeful! Do the 1GB CF cards on ebay work?

Nicholas Matthews · ‎01-19-2009

The Cisco CF cards are the only officially supported CF cards, but I would fully expect for another brand to work.

hth,

nick

daniel.ralph · ‎01-29-2009

I used Unix DD to copy a UC500 compact flash to an AIM-CUE CF - trying to at least get to bootloader *** prompt.

Unfortunately this made no difference to the "broken" aim-cue hanging at "updating flash with bootloader configuration"

I tried an empty 1GB cisco CF card too and no luck.

If only there was a way to reset the AIM-CUE daughterboard by shorting a jumper.

For info, the CF card has 2 partitions

/dev/sdb2 5008+ 83 Linux

/dev/sdb1 995904 83 Linux

/dev/sdb1 looks to be a unix install with /proc, /home, bin folders.

I've been unable to see inside /dev/sdb2.

dmesg | tail

ReiserFS: sdb1: found reiserfs format "3.6" with standard journal

ReiserFS: sdb1: journal params: device sdb1, size 8192, journal first block 18

daniel.ralph · ‎01-20-2009

typing "p" or "s" or "***" after the "system now booting" does nothing.

A colleague pointed me at the link below.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/voice_ip_comm/unity_exp/rel3_2/release/notes/rncue32.html

the boot loader currently used might be corrupt. If the primary bootloader is currently being used, boot the system using secondary boot loader and vice-versa. Press "p" to boot the system using primary boot loader and press "s" to boot the system using the secondary boot loader when the message "System Now Booting" shows during the reboot process.

daniel.ralph · ‎10-03-2009

FIXED.

Leaving the router on and letting the AIM-CUE endlessly retsart for 36 hours eventually made the card come up in a state that could have the CUE image loaded.