router gets stuck while booting

[omal]

Hi

I have a problem in booting a particular 2500 series router. This is in a lab therefore I don't know of any IP addresses if configured. The problem is I can connect via console port and see it is booting up. But I can't even Ctrl + Break and break the boot process and go to ROMMON mode. Even if I press those keys, it keeps booting. Then it finishes booting and says 'Press Return to get started' or something, but no point in pressing any keys because nothing is working. After that message it says some interfaces are up and some are down. And stop giving me messages.

Now after that point if I want to restart, all I have to do is, turning it off and turning it back on. Not a single command that I type is getting typed on the screen. Not even 'sh run' or 'reload' or anything. Basically when I type a command, it is like as if I have not plugged the key board to the pc and trying to type something.

If the problem is in IOS image how can I upload a fresh IOS without an IP connection to it (the router).

Someone please let me know what to do for this. I suspect either the IOS is damaged or registry entry which should be 0x2102 normally, has been changed and therefore it doesn't boot properly. But still my doubt is how come that I can't give a single command even from the console port.

Thank you!

Omal.

[rlcarr]

Have you verfied your terminal settings are correct by connecting to another router?

Have you verfied your cable is correct, try connecting to another router.

Have you tried connecting to your AUX port, it can also double as a console port.

My guess would be the console port itself is bad.

Ron

[omal]

Hi Ron

Thanks a lot for your reply.

Yes I tried connecting to another router. When it isn't working I unplug it from that console port and plug it into another router's console port. Then it works.

I'm sorry I really don't know how to connect via AUX port still, therefore I didn't try that.

Even I had that doubt, of console port being bad, but I have configured the same router from the same console port before. That's why I am little confused as to how come all of a sudden it becomes bad. Anyway this router is in a training centre. Therefore other students also come and configure it.

One of my friends said to remove Flash card and setting the registry key to 0x2042 and putting back the Flash card and booting. And then to upload a new IOS.

I have one more thing also to clarify Ron. Can I download the IOS from let's say a 2503 router and upload to this, which is 2507, I believe?

Thanks a lot for your time.

Omal.

[deilert]

try different console speeds the conf reg may be set to a different console speed

[omal]

I think I tried that as well. But as I can't remember exactly whether I tried it or not I will try it again.

Thanks a lot.

I really appreciate this.

Omal

[rlcarr]

By default your AUX port should behave similar to your console. So just try moving your cable over and see if it works.

Yes, the 2500 IOS is general, same image is used for the different models. The IOS for a 2503 is the same IOS as the 2507.

Ron

[omal]

Thanks a lot Ron. i will try doing that as well then.

I have one more doubt about the IOS. The IOS that we have right now (I can't remember the version, as now I am at home and the router is at office) doesn't have IGRP. When you type

Router(config)#router ?

then you can see IGRP also amoung the protocols that you can enable. But I can't enable IGRP. But I can enable EIGRP without a problem. There was a person and he said that this is the new IOS and in the new IOS you don't get IGRP. If I need IGRP I will have to put and older version.

Ron, is that true?

If that is true how/from where can a get an older version of the IOS?

Thanks a lot again.

Omal

[ruwhite]

What version of code? IGRP is being removed from the code, but I'm not certain if images without IGRP are shipping yet.

:-)

Russ

[ziutek]

I've accidentally limited my console access by putting in the "no exec" command instead of the "no exec-timeout" command. This will completely shut you out via the console. I did this on 7 routers one day via a script.:)

I then had quite a few problems breaking the startup sequence (I use mainly macs, and many of the terminal emulators have poorly implemented break sequences). I have found that if you set the terminal program to use 300 baud, hit enter a few times as the machine boots, then quickly switch the baud rate to 9600, the 300 bps should have broken the startup sequence. Then use "o/r 0x2142", and restart, TWICE. The first restart won't implement the conf reg, but the second should work like a charm.

You should then be able to do whatever you like with the box, including a wr erase/reload (just remember to change the confreg back).

Good luck,

Joe

[omal]

Hi Joe

I am still trying what you've said, but still it didn't work. But I have a strong feeling what must have happened was what you have said above. Can you please tell me what is the 'Emulation' setting that you used. Is it auto detect, TTY, ANSI, VT 100 etc etc.

Best regards

Omal

[ziutek]

I was using VT100 emulation, but it should probably work with any emulation.

Like I said, start with 300 baud, hit return three or four times and then quickly switch to 9600. You might also try other speeds after you've done the thing with the 300 baud rate.

Good luck,

Joe

[omal]

Hi Russ,

The following is what I get in the router. See I don't have IGRP there.

r3(config)#router ?

bgp Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)

eigrp Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)

isis ISO IS-IS

iso-igrp IGRP for OSI networks

mobile Mobile routes

odr On Demand stub Routes

ospf Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

rip Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

The version is:

IOS (tm) 2500 Software (C2500-IS-L), Version 12.2(15)T8

Could you please let me know if I cannot have IGRP in this version at all?

Thanks!

-:)

Omal

[ruwhite]

Nope, there's no IGRP in this verison of IOS. You'll have to switch to EIGRP or some other protocol.

:-)

Russ.W

[omal]

Hi Russ

Ok. Thank you very much for that. I'm still trying to solve my main problem. What I am trying is what's said by ziutek - Mar 28, 2004, 12:27pm PST in this conversation.

I am pretty much sure that he is right on that, especially these routers that we use are in a training centre and it's students who use them.

Thanks a lot again for your answer as well.

Best regards

Omal.

[ziutek]

There's alos one more thing you can try. Openup the boxes, take out the flash, and then try a restart. This should cause the machine to go immediately into rommon mode. Change the config reg, o/r 0x2142, continue, dhut doen the box, put the memory back in, make usre you remember which flash went into which slot. You may have to boot the box twice to get the config reg to take.

Good luck,

Joe