Flash error: mismatched CHIP SIZES?!?!?

CriscoSystems · ‎08-14-2009

OK, regarding that ol' 2501 that I couldn't load IOS 12.2 or higher unto; due to TFTP checksum errors. I've bandied the two 8MB Flash SIMMs about until I ascertained that one of them was causing problems (wouldn't even load IOS 12.0(8) (got checksum error even then), then I set it aside and installed the other SIMM in Slot 0; IOS 12.0(8) loaded fine).

I had a third, as-yet-unused 8MB SIMM lying around, and I DO want to have 16MB Flash so I can load 12.3 and do IPv6 routing, so I installed that third SIMM in Slot 1. Now at boot-up I get this message:

System Bootstrap, Version 4.14(9.1), SOFTWARE

2500 processor with 4096 Kbytes of main memory

% Mismatched chip sizes (size1=0x200000, size2=0x100000)

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

What's with them 'smatched chip sizes? Did I just buy a batch of zotzed SIMM's, or what? ($11.99 each on the eBay; but is that really so below-market considering the age of the 2500 series by now?)

I tell you I'm nearly scared to try anything else; for all I know I'll go back to the land of unrelenting checksum errors....

Joe Clarke · ‎08-14-2009

This typically points to a bad SIMM (assuming the second chip really is an 8 MB SIMM). The device has detected one SIMM (2 in this case) at the wrong size. I'd say have them RMA'd, but in this case, perhaps another trip to eBay might score you some better chips.

Joe Clarke · ‎08-14-2009

I did some looking, and $11.99 for 8 MB of flash mem for a 2500 looks like a good price. The best I could find was $16.99.