Trying to upgrade from 6.3 to 8.0(4) in a more radical way

joerggrau · ‎07-02-2009

I am trying to upgrade one of my PIX 515E (128 MB of memory/16 MB flash) from 6.3(4) to 8.0(4), without going through the progression (6.3 to 7.0, 7.0 t0 7.3, 7.3 to 8.0). My plan is to simply load the 8.0 image into flash, erase the config and then config it from scratch.

However, every time I copy tftp flash I get the following message:

Received 7538688 bytes

Flash filesystem recreated.

Erasing current image

Insufficient flash space available for this request:

Size info: request:7458872 current:1966136 delta:5492736 free:2883584

Image not installed

Can anyone suggest a way to do this? I tired to clear the flash (clear flashfs) but that didn't do anything either.

Thanks

branfarm1 · ‎07-02-2009

I don't know that you can go straight from 6.3(4) to 8.0(4). I know that when you first move from Version 6 to version 7, there are some special procedures you have to perform. I think you have to do the upgrade from ROMMON mode too.

I could be wrong though. In the Upgrade doc it specifically says you have to have at least 7.2 before you can install 8.0(4):

Version 8.0(4) requires the following:

â€¢The minimum software version required before upgrading to PIX Version 8.0(4) is PIX Version 7.2. If you are running a PIX version earlier than Version 6.2, you must first upgrade to PIX Version 6.2 or PIX Version 6.3 before you can upgrade to PIX Version 7.2.

Good luck!

Kureli Sankar · ‎07-02-2009

branfarm1 is correct.

Here are the links: Release note for PIX 8.0.4 (minimum to go to 8.0.4 is 7.2.4)

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/pix/pix80/release/notes/pixrn804.html#wp214879

Here is the link for PIX 7.2

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/pix/pix72/release/notes/pixrn724.html#wp43582

(minimum to go to 7.2 is 7.0)

Here is the link for PIX 7.0

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/pix/pix70/release/notes/pix_70rn.html#wp103177

So, you need to go from 6.3 to 7.0 to 7.2 to 8.0.4

procedure to go from 6.3 to 7.0 is here:

This is monitor mode upgrade

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/customer/products/hw/vpndevc/ps2030/products_tech_note09186a00804708d8.shtml

Good luck.

joerggrau · ‎07-02-2009

If I do not want my config saved or converted do i still have to follow the upgrade path? Does this have to do with the way the flash is formatted? Is there no way to format the flash in the correct 8.x format and then load the 8.x image in directly?

I am just trying to avoid a lengthy upgrade path if there is a quicker way.

thanks

branfarm1 · ‎07-02-2009

As I remember, the upgrade isn't that lengthy. In fact, all you should have to do is install 7.2, reboot, then install 8.0(4). It should take 30 mins or so. If you want to erase the config just do a 'write erase' before you reboot.

Kureli Sankar · ‎07-02-2009

6.3 to 7.x is a major change where we re-format the flash to it will read past 8 MBs. You definitely have to follow the monitor mode upgrade.

Once done you can tftp 8.0.4 imabe and change your boot image to point to that code if you don't have to save any configs.

joerggrau · ‎07-02-2009

I appreciate the responses. One last question. According to the doc only the 515 needs to be updated in monitor mode, the 515E does not. Is that true? Or does the monitor mode reformat the flash?

Thanks

branfarm1 · ‎07-02-2009

I'm not sure on that one -- someone else will have to provide a better answer. When I upgraded my 515E I did it through ROMMON mode, so I did the whole reflash thing.

Kureli Sankar · ‎07-02-2009

In this link below:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/security/asa/asa70/pix_upgrade/upgrade/guide/pixupgrd.html#wp1790859

search for this "(This may take 3 minutes on a PIX 525 to as much as 10 minutes on a PIX 515E.)"

PIX 515 and 515E are the same except 515E has a diff. processor.

You do need to upgrade 515E in monitor mode.