Cant console into Catalyst 4507

[CSCO10992439]

Hello All,

I have some strange problem while trying to use the console to configure Catalyst 4507, Im using rollover cable, normal serial setting (9600-8-none-1-none). Switch has 2 supervisor engines ( Supervisor II-Plus).

The problem is that, I can see everything on the console, normal booting sequence, IOS image decompression, all messages that show normal synchronisation with the other supervisor engine. then when it reaches the part when it says Press Enter to start, I cant type anything, i still can see all the messages (like when I pull the other supervisor engine out) it gives me the message that it was pulled out, yet I cant type anything. Same thing with the second sup-engine. Unfortunately, Telnet and Aux port are not set, so they are unusable.

Can anyone help please? All suggestions are welcomed.

Thanks

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi Baher,

What application are using to console i.e, Putty, Secure CRT, MS Hyper Terminal?

Also I noticed that your config register is 0x2101.  Can you change it to 0x2102 and see if any luck?

HTH

Reza

[CSCO10992439]

Mike,

   Sure, I will check the console ports on both SUPs, as you said, you never know, and most importantly, I want to rule this out in case they are good. Is there anything specific I have to look at? I mean can I easily notice that its damaged? like bent pins and similar stuff?

Reza,

  Thanks for your reply,

I used MS Hyper Terminal and Putty. And yes, you're right, the conf reg is set on  0x2101. Is it possible that it was changed by itself? because as far as I know,  no one at my client's site is knowledgeable enough to change this. Another thing, can I change it from the user exec mode? note that I can telnet into the switch, but because there is no password being set, so user exec mode is the farthest I can get with it......

Thanks

[burleyman]

You should be able to see a pin that is out of place. I saw it right away.

Mike

[burleyman]

There could be a command under the Con0 preventing it... can you see if there is a  no exec  under Con0

Mike

[CSCO10992439]

last time I was able to login, I got a copy of sh run, but I don't have it right now, will paste it here tomorrow. I remember looking at the console line and it was something very similar to this:

line con 0

stopbits 1

line aux 0

line vty 0 4

login

  but will confirm this tomorrow

Thanks

[burleyman]

Baher,

I had a simular issue like this. I am going to assume you tried different rollover cables....correct.

My issue was a connector in the console port on the switch was bent and not making contact. I would take a flashlight and look at the connectors inside the console port and make sure they all look good. Also did you try using a different PC?

Mike

[CSCO10992439]

Hi Mike,

  Thanks for your reply.

I've tried many console cables, laptops...all with the same results. And as I modified my post above, I used the same (not working) console session and plugged it to another switch (2970) and it worked fine, plug it again to the 4507....I got nothing on the screen. Now to answer the second past of your suggestion, this switch has 2x SUP II+, and they both are acting the same, do you think its possible that both console ports are damaged? it might be, but I find it very unlikely, right?

Thank you all guys....

[burleyman]

I did think that 2 sup's being damaged would be a strech but you never know and it would not take much to check. That did turn out to be our issue. I will keep thinking.

Mike

[CSCO10992439]

Are there any other ideas guys?

Appreciate your help...

[sachinraja]

Hi

Apart from the console access through hyperterminal (after the switch is UP), are you able to see the boot sequence on console ??? if your hyperterminal works and console cable works good, you should atleast see the supervisor booting, and showing till you get the Console login ... let us know if you get this..

Raj

[CSCO10992439]

Hi Raj, yes I can see booting sequence, you can check my above posts, I have attached the boot sequence to one of my earlier posts. I can read all console messages, yet cant input any key strokes in...

[sachinraja]

Im sorry Baher. My bad.. Didnt have a look at the boot sequence.. So, which Supervisor module are you looking this on ? primary or secondary ? supervisor 1 can be secondary if during boot sup 2 took over as primary (show module will confirm this).. so, make sure you check the console output from both the supervisors.. I went through bug navigator and didnt find anything suspicious.. attaching the bug list for 12.2(25)EWA4 with regards to console issues>

Raj

[CSCO10992439]

Hi Raj, no worries. Thanks for your reply. Im on the primary SUP and its the active. below is the output of show module, that was requested by krishna earlier:

show module

Chassis Type : WS-C4507R

Power consumed by backplane : 40 Watts

Mod Ports Card Type                              Model              Serial No.

---+-----+--------------------------------------+------------------+-----------

1     2  Supervisor II+ 1000BaseX (GBIC)        WS-X4013+          JAE1005V9SX

2     2  Supervisor II+ 1000BaseX (GBIC)        WS-X4013+          JAE1004UBAS

3    24  10/100/1000BaseT (RJ45)                WS-X4424-GB-RJ45   JAE1002TSSA

4    24  10/100/1000BaseT (RJ45)                WS-X4424-GB-RJ45   JAB07080788

M MAC addresses                    Hw  Fw           Sw               Status

--+--------------------------------+---+------------+----------------+---------

1 0016.9d95.7c40 to 0016.9d95.7c41 4.1 12.2(20r)EW1 12.2(25)EWA4     Ok

2 0016.9d95.7c42 to 0016.9d95.7c43 4.1 12.2(20r)EW1 12.2(25)EWA4,    Ok

3 0015.c62c.b448 to 0015.c62c.b45f 1.7                               Ok

4 000a.f413.a0a0 to 000a.f413.a0b7 1.5                               Ok

Mod  Redundancy role     Redundancy mode     Redundancy status

----+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------

1   Active Supervisor   RPR                 Active

2   Standby Supervisor  RPR                 Standby cold

Hope this helps

[sachinraja]

Can you force redundancy to swap the connection onto the secondary supervisor module ? make sure you have ACTIVE status on module 2 when you do this.. and module 1 becomes standby... check console connectivity on module 2... with Sup II plus, you would just have a single console and single iP address available for management , so you need to check.... you can reboot the primary SUP, to make it secondary (manually),.. you can also do "redundancy reload peer" to reload the secondary supervisor (not reqd in this case)...

Raj

[CSCO10992439]

Can I do this from user exec mode? I can telnet into the switch, and can only reach user exec mode because there are no passwords being set on telnet nor console. Last time I logged in the switch, I deleted start-up config, then issued a reload, I think here the secondary Sup became the active and replicated the config back again to the primary Sup. Not sure how this works really, does primary Sup suppose to be active again once its done booting? or it will only be active when the secondary Sup becomes unavailable or rebooted?

  Also, I have tried to boot the switch with one Sup at a time (in the first module slot) yet same problem persists