Solved: copy ios via xmodem.

Anthony O'Reilly · ‎09-23-2009

Hi,

I have a 2811 router with an IOS version of c2800nm-advipservicesk9-mz.124-15.T7.bin under my desk. It is not on the network. It have 256MB RAM and 64MB Flash with 10MB of free space.

I need to upgrade the IOS on the router to c2800nm-advipservicesk9-mz.124-24.T1 as prep work before I roll this out to all our offices.

I console onto the router and deleted the IOS in flash. Then changed the registery to 0x0 to go to ROMMON mode and copied the IOS via xmodem to the router. This took 24hrs and when the copy was completed it reloaded how the IOS has compiled and the router is back with its original config.

When I do a sh flash on the router, the IOS is not there.

I don't want to reload the router as it will be very noisy under my desk and will annoy everyone if it cannot find the IOS on bootup.

What would you do?

Thanks

Anthony.

rtjensen4 · ‎09-23-2009

If you really must use XMODEM, you can speed up the console port from 9600bps to somewhere around 115200 or higher, but I've found if you go much above 115200, the XMODEM transfer takes quite a few errors.

I believe the command to do this is somthing similar to:

set baud

Once you enter the command, you will be disconnected from the console session. Just create a new console connection with higher speed set, and you should be good. It will take significantly less than 24h if you do it that way :P

View solution in original post

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎09-23-2009

It appears to me you do have the IOS loaded in flash, just without a normal file name.

I.e.:

sh flash

-#- --length-- -----date/time------ path

1 57694284 Nov 25 1903 16:32:44 -

2 17275 Sep 23 2009 08:02:16 running-config

I'm unaware of a method to rename flash files, and it looks like the router is still running the older IOS. So, you might just format flash, write the config, and load the IOS you want using TFTP or FTP. Probably good to reset the config register to a normal value.

PS:

BTW, XMODEM IOS loads, if required, can often be done much, much faster if console speed reset to max supported by both devices and using the best file transfer protocol (often XMODEM-1k) supported by both devices.

bberry · ‎09-23-2009

Why not temporarily connect the router and a PC with say a 4-port hub and hardcoded IP address. Can then use TFTP or FTP from the PC to the rotuer for the new IOS?

Brent

rtjensen4 · ‎09-23-2009

If you really must use XMODEM, you can speed up the console port from 9600bps to somewhere around 115200 or higher, but I've found if you go much above 115200, the XMODEM transfer takes quite a few errors.

I believe the command to do this is somthing similar to:

set baud

Once you enter the command, you will be disconnected from the console session. Just create a new console connection with higher speed set, and you should be good. It will take significantly less than 24h if you do it that way :P

Leo Laohoo · ‎09-23-2009

1. Why not use tftpdnld while on ROMmon?

2. Why not use the USB flash to temporarily store and boot your IOS?

How to Download a Software Image to a Cisco 2600 via TFTP Using the tftpdnld ROMMON Command

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps259/products_tech_note09186a008015bf9e.shtml