Bricked AIR-CT2504

[werner.hoelzl]

Hello,

10 days ago I received my AIR-CT2504 and upgraded it directly after using the Wizard for initial setup from 7.4.100.0 to 7.4.100.60. Since I had some issues with 7925G clients and two crashes while using the GUI I wanted to downgrade to 7.2. The first attempt using the GUI failed. I got the message Writing new RTOS to flash disk. but the WLC crashed. After a reboot I tried to downgrade via CLI. I got the same message and the WLC crashed again. After another reboot the WLC didn't come up again. I also can't access it via console port. During reboot not a single message is displayed. I checked the console connection from my Macbook to a 1921 router and there it worked. So this must be a problem on the WLC.

Since I had already two crashes in 10 days using the GUI I'm wondering if this is a general instability with the 7.4.100.60 release or if there is a hardware defect on my 2504.

Is there anything I can do to restore funcationality myself? Since I'm using this device at home I've no access to TAC to have the device replaced by Cisco. I've informed my dealer to have it replaced but I'm still waiting for an answer.

Here are the lost messages saved on the syslog server:

2013-07-10	22:05:11	err	ds1	local0	ds1	*TransferTask: Jul 10 22:05:11.685:  #OSAPI-3-FILE_WRITENOCLOSE_FAILED: osapi_file.c:596 Failed to write 512 bytes  (FileDesc:75). file write no close failed.
2013-07-10	22:05:11	err	ds1	local0	ds1	-Traceback: 0x10aeb940 0x10bc8fe0 0x10027c7c 0x10025fbc  0x1001dabc 0x10029a54 0x10b03b28 0x120176b0 0x1207805c
2013-07-10	22:05:11	err	ds1	local0	ds1	*TransferTask: Jul 10 22:05:11.685: #TFTP-3-FILE_WRITE_FAIL:  tftp_client.c:512 Error while writing 512 bytes to file. Tftp error.
2013-07-10	22:00:51	err	ds1	local0	ds1	*fp_main_task: Jul 10 22:00:50.492: #CNFGR-3-INV_COMP_ID:  cnfgr.c:2894 Invalid Component Id : Unrecognized (94) in  cfgConfiguratorInit.
2013-07-10	22:00:51	err	ds1	local0	ds1	*nim_t: Jul 10 22:00:50.635: #SIM-3-PORT_UP: sim.c:11118  Physical port 1 is up!.
2013-07-10	16:21:57	err	ds1	local0	ds1	*SISF BT Process: Jul 10 16:21:56.957: #SISF-3-INTERNAL:  sisf_shim_utils.c:316 Internal error, Bogus queue ref count
2013-07-10	16:21:57	err	ds1	local0	ds1	-Traceback: 0x1100d554 0x10fcf304 0x1159ec6c 0x115a720c  0x1100a080 0x10b03b28 0x120176b0 0x1207805c

Regards,

Werner

[Amjad Abdullah]

Hello Werner,

What I can tell that you need it to be replaced. It is obvious a hardware issue if you are not able to console to the box.

If some cisco guys here see your discussion they may provide some more info about the situation. But for now, you have to wait until your device is replaced.

Sorry for not being able to help further.

Regards,

Amjad

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[Scott Fella · Accepted solution]

I have not had any issues with 2504's and upgrading and downgrading. I would make sure your console works with an access point first as you should still see the WLC boot and then fail or at least hit the menu. If te system light in the front is solid red, then you will have to get it replaced.

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[werner.hoelzl]

The SYS led is changing betwee amber and green, the ALM led is amber. Console connection to APs works but not to the WLC.

I took at look onto the flash disk:

disk1s1: System_header.txt

disk1s2: cavium_main.bak, linux_bak.img, linux_pri.img, upgrade.log

     upgrade.log:     mv: cannot rename '/mnt/images/cavium_main.pri': No such file or directory

                            mv: cannot rename '/mnt/images/ap.pri': No such file or directory

disk1s3: some folders, certs, keys, et etera

Would it be possible to restore functionality by copying a clean image onto the flash disk (which I don't have)?

Edit: Maybe I know why the downgrade failed. Yesterday I've also upgraded my Synology NAS. When I tried to convert my 1142 to autonomous mode today to get my WLAN working again it failed every time using the TFTP server on the NAS. Using the TFTP server on the Macbook instead worked fine on the first try. I belive the NAS closed the TFTP connection and the file was not loaded completely.

[Scott Fella]

Interesting.... Even if you had a corrupt image, you should be able to hit the boot menu in which you can reboot from the backup (if you didn't remove the backup).

Since you don't see anything, just RMA it and be done with it:)

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[werner.hoelzl]

Hello again,

A few weeks ago I received a new AIR-CT2504 and upgraded from 7.0 to 7.4.100.60. The WLC worked fine. Today I wanted to upgrade to 7.4.110.0 and during upgrade the WLC crashed again while writing the RTOS. I was able to boot again.

In the boot menu I found Primary: 7.4.110.0 which was not bootable and Backup 7.4.100.60 which was bootable.

After that I created an image on a new flash disk with DD because I didn't want to destroy the original flash disk with another attempt. I was able to boot into 7.4.100.60 with the copy and after reseting the configuration I tried to upgrade to 7.5.102.0 this time. Same result. The WLC crashed and is not available any more. Even with the original flash disk I can't enter the boot menu via console. Seems that something direct on the WLC was destroyed during the upgrade attempt.

Is this a bug in 7.4.100.60? Should I have performed the upgrade using 7.0? Did anybody make the same experience?

Seems that I have no other chances as to return the device to my supplier.

[Scott Fella]

I have never seen an upgrade crash unless I accidentally powered off the unit while it was upgrading. Like I mentioned, you should be able to upgrade and downgrade with no issues at all.

Did you verify the md5 hash before uploading?

How are you upgrading... Not through the boot menu I hope?

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[werner.hoelzl]

I checked the md5 hash of both versions (7.4 and 7.5). Both are correct. I upgraded using the web interface. I did it the same way when I installed 7.4.100.60 a few weeks ago.

I was using the TFTP-server built in OS X that worked fine for converting my access points from autonomous to LW and back.

[Scott Fella]

Well something went wrong then. I have upgraded my 2504 from v7.4.100.60 to v7.5 down to v7.4 MR1 and back to v7.5 with no issues. There is no issue with any of the code versions being upgraded or downgraded. You might just want to open a TAC case and see what they say.

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[werner.hoelzl]

Since I have no service contract with Cisco or a partner opening a TAC case is not possible for me.

[Scott Fella]

When you upgrade, you don't loose your secondary image unless you overwrite that. If you boot up and hit esc to get to the boot menu, you should be able to boot on the other image. If you have no good image, you are out of luck as you need TAC's help to recover the image.

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