Cisco IOS: Boot Image vs. Desktop Image

[smith.tom]

What is the difference between a boot image and a desktop image? When should one be used instead of the other?

[Prashanth Krishnappa]

Boot image is subset of IOS. If you have a router running boot image, you can do basic router functions. To have full capabilities of a router you'll need regular IOS image as well. You can find more about boot image on CCO at

http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/130/rommon_boot_image.html

[bsivasub]

boot image is used for diaster recovery (you can tftp an image when the main image is not present) and as helper image for the main image. it does not do routing. it not a image you can do anything for your traffic. you need any of the other regular images (there are more than just the desktop) for normal router operation