Upgrade and Install Cisco IOS Software Image

Introduction

This document describes how to upgrade your Cisco IOS^® software image on Cisco Legacy Routers.

Prerequisites

Requirements

Cisco recommends that you have knowledge of these topics:

• Knowledge of Cisco Command Line Interface (CLI)
• Knowledge of Basic IP Networking

See the Background Information section for specifics on these topics.

Components Used

The information in this document is based on Cisco IOS Software Release 12 or later.

The information in this document was created from the devices in a specific lab environment. All of the devices used in this document started with a cleared (default) configuration. If your network is live, ensure that you understand the potential impact of any command.

Conventions

For more information on document conventions, see the Cisco Technical Tips Conventions.

Background Information

This document discusses the procedure for upgrading your Cisco IOS software image on Cisco legacy routers. The Cisco IOS software filenames can vary based upon the type of product used.

Install a File Transfer Software

A Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server, a Remote Copy Protocol (RCP) server, or a File Transfer Protocol Server (FTP) application must be installed on a TCP/IP-ready workstation or PC. Once the application is installed, a minimal level of configuration must be performed. Use these steps:

1. Configure the TFTP application to operate as a TFTP server as opposed to a TFTP client .

2. Specify the outbound file directory. This is the directory in which the Cisco IOS Software images are stored. Most TFTP applications provide a set-up routine to assist in these configuration tasks.

   Note: A number of TFTP or RCP applications are available from independent software vendors or as shareware from public sources on the Internet.

   Note: Most TFTP applications cannot transfer files larger than 16MB in size. If the Cisco IOS software you install is larger than 16MB, you must use an FTP or RCP server.

Download the Cisco IOS Software Image

1. Download the Cisco IOS software image into your workstation or PC from the Cisco Software Download.

Note: Verify that the Cisco IOS Software image that you download supports both your hardware and the required software features. Ensure that your router has enough Dynamic RAM (DRAM) and Flash for the Cisco IOS software image before you download the software version you have selected. You can find the minimum recommended DRAM and Flash requirements in the release notes for each specific Cisco IOS software version, as well as in the Cisco Technical Support & Downloads. For additional information on how to select the right software version and feature set, see Compare Features to Select the Best Software Release.

Software Installation and Upgrade Procedures

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Establish a Console or Remote Session to the Router

This process can be done with a direct console connection or an SSH (Secure Shell) connection to the device. A direct console connection can be preferred over an SSH connection because most disaster recovery procedures require you to be physically present, and the SSH connection gets lost during the reboot phase of the software installation. The console connection is made with a rolled cable (Cisco console cable), and connects the console port of the router. If you choose the console connection, open your preferred terminal software on the PC, and use the next settings:

Speed 9600 bits per second
8 databits
0 parity bits
1 stop bit
No Flow Control

Note: If you get any garbage characters in the hyperterminal, this means you have not set the hyperterminal properties properly, or the configuration register of the router is set to a non-standard value for which the console connection speed is higher than 9600 bps. Check the value of the configuration register with the show version command (shown in the last line of the output) and ensure it is set to 0x2102 or 0x102. It is necessary to reload the router for a configuration register change to take effect. Once you are sure the console speed is set to 9600 bps on the router side, you must check the hyperterminal properties as previous.

Step 2: Verify that the TFTP Server has IP Connectivity to the Router

Before you can copy the new Cisco IOS image from your FTP/TFTP server to the router, both devices need to have IP reachability. Add or verify the basic IP addresses and connectivity settings on the router, confirm the router can reach the FTP/TFTP server through the network, ping the router to verify that a network connection exists between them.

Step 3: Format the PCMCIA Card (Optional)

Early Cisco routers, such as 3600 or 7500 series, used PCMCIA card as flash memory cards. 

Note: This step applies only to legacy Cisco devices that supported PCMCIA Filesystem. It is retained for reference and is not required for current platforms.

Note: In order to boot from a Cisco IOS software file located on a PCMCIA Flash card or Flash Disk, the Flash card or disk must have been formatted in the target platform.

Caution: The formatting procedure erases all information on the Flash memory card. To prevent the loss of images and configuration files that can be stored on a Flash memory card, copy the images and files to a TFTP server before you format the card:

Do these steps:

1. Insert the Flash memory card into the available PCMCIA slot (slot0:  or slot1: )

2. Format the Flash memory card with the format command as shown next:

Router#format slot0:
Format operation can take a while. Continue? [confirm]y
Format operation can destroy all data in "slot0:".  Continue? 
[confirm]y
Formatting sector 160.....
Format of slot0: complete

Note: ATA PCMCIA Flash disks use different command syntax when you refer to the PCMCIA slot. Substitute the command syntax disk0: or disk1:  if you use an ATA PCMCIA Flash disk instead of slot0: or slot1: which refers to Linear PCMCIA Flash memory cards. More information on the command syntax differences between ATA PCMCIA Flash disks and Linear PCMCIA Flash memory cards can be found in the PCMCIA Filesystem Compatibility Matrix and Filesystem Information.

Step 4: Verify Free Space on the Flash Memory Card

At this point, you need to verify that you have enough space in the Flash memory card to copy the new image. If there is not enough free space, you need to delete some files to make enough space. In some situations, if the image is very large, you need to delete the current image on the Flash memory card.

To determine the amount of free space, and to show files currently loaded in slot0:, issue the dir <directory> command:

Router#dir slot0:
Directory of slot0:/
 
  1  -rw- 12531084  Jan 02 2000 00:00:20  rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin

20578304 bytes total (8047092 bytes free)

Note: Do not reload or power-cycle the router if there is not a valid image on the Flash card; this causes the router to go into ROMmon mode.

Step 5: Copy the New Image into the Flash Memory Card Through the TFTP Server

1. Now that you have IP connectivity and can ping between the computer that acts as the FTP/TFTP server and the router, copy the image from the server into the flash memory. Use the copy <copy from file syste> <copy to file system> command:

Router#copy tftp: slot0:

If necessary, you cancopy an imagefrom one device to another.

2. When prompted, enter the IP address of the FTP/TFTP server, as in the next example:

Address or name of remote host []? 172.17.247.195

3. When prompted, enter the filename of the Cisco IOS Software image to be installed, as in the next example:

Source filename []? rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin

4. Specify the destination filename, this is the name the new software image can have when it is loaded onto the router. The image can be named anything, but common practice is to enter the same image filename.

Router#copy tftp slot0:
Address or name of remote host []? 172.17.247.195
Source filename []? rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin
Destination filename []?rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin
Accessing tftp://10.1.1.1/rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin...
Loading rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin from 10.1.1.1 (via Ethernet10/5): !!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 12531084/25061376 bytes]
12531084 bytes copied in 641.540 secs (19549 bytes/sec)
Router#

After you have successfully transferred the file, you must verify that the file is in the selected directory. Issue the dir <directory> command to show files currently located in the desired directory:

Router#dir slot0:
Directory of slot0:/
 
  1  -rw-    12519472   Jan 02 2000 00:00:20  rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin
  2  -rw-    12531084   Jan 02 2000 00:00:20  rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin

Verify that the name and the file size are correct, you can use the verify /md5 <file> command to get a MD5 hash on an image and compare that hash to what is on Cisco Technical Support & Downloads.

Note: Only registered Cisco users can access internal tools and information.

Step 6: Set Boot Statements to Load New Image on Startup

After you copy the image to the device, you need to tell the router which image to load at bootup.

Check Current Boot Statements

At this point, the new image is stored in slot0:. You now need to configure the router to boot from this new image. By default, the router boots the first valid image it finds in Flash. The search order is disk0:, disk1:, slot0:, slot1:, and finally bootflash:.

This default behavior applies when there are no boot commands in the configuration, or when the existing boot statement is invalid. There are two ways to determine the current boot parameter settings:

Option 1: Check to see if you have any boot commands defined in your configuration by issuing the show running-config command. In the example below, the boot statement is set to boot system flash slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin:

Router#show running-config
!
version 12.2
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
no service single-slot-reload-enable
!
hostname Router
!
boot system flash slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin
!
ip subnet-zero

Option 2: Issue the show bootvar command.

Router#show bootvar
BOOT variable = slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin,12;
CONFIG_FILE variable =
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x102
Router#

The previous output also shows that the boot variable is slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin. If you have boot system command entries in your configuration, you need to remove them from the configuration.

Remove Previous Boot Statements

To remove the commands, enter into configuration mode. From there, you can negate the commands when you enter no in front of each boot statement. The next example illustrates the removal of an current boot statement:

Router#configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z. 
Router(config)#no boot system flash slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin
Router(config)#^Z 
Router#

The statement boot system flash slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.121-13.bin is removed from the configuration. Verify that the command has been removed by issuing the show running-config or show bootvar command.

Set New Boot Statements

Now, set the router to boot from the new image, issue the boot system {flash:[partition-number:]filename | slot0:[partition-number:]filename | slot1:[partition-number:]filename | bootflash:[partition-number:]filename command to set the boot system parameter:

Router#configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z. 
Router(config)#boot system flash slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin
Router(config)#^Z
Router#write mem 
3d01h: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty0 
Building configuration... 
Router#

On platforms equipped with ATA PCMCIA Flash disks, the command syntax would be:

boot system [device]:{imagename}

For example:

Router(config)#boot system disk0:rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin

Be sure to verify that you use config-register 0x2102 by issuing the show bootvar or show version command. If it is set up differently, you can change it by issuing the next command in configuration mode:

Router#configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z. 
Router(config)#config-register 0x2102 
Router(config)#^Z
Router#write mem

Verify the boot parameters by issuing the show bootvar command:

Router#show bootvar
BOOT variable = slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin,12;
CONFIG_FILE variable =
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x102 (can be 0x2102 at next reload) 
Router#

After you change the config-register, the change takes place at the next reload, as shown previously.

Step 7: Reboot the Router to Load New Image

For the router to run the new Cisco IOS software image, you need to reload the router. Make sure you have saved the configuration by issuing the copy run start or write memory command.

Router#write memory 
3d01h: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by vty0 (127.0.0.11) 
Building configuration... 
Router#reload

Step 8: Verify the Upgrade

After the router comes up, ensure that you currently run the new version of code and that the configuration register is set to 0x2102, by issuing the show version command:

Router#show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software 
Cisco IOS (tm) RSP Software (RSP-JSV-M), Version 12.2(6), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc3)
Copyright (c) 1986-2002 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed 30-Jan-02 19:58 by kellythw
Image text-base: 0x60010958, data-base: 0x6148A000

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 11.1(8)CA1, EARLY DEPLOYMENT RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
BOOTLDR: RSP Software (RSP-BOOT-M), Version 12.2(6), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)

Router uptime is 0 minutes
System returned to ROM by reload at 00:05:37 PST Sat Jan 1 2000
System image file is "slot0:rsp-jsv-mz.122-6.bin" 

!-- you have booted the correct image


cisco RSP4 (R5000) processor with 131072K/2072K bytes of memory.
R5000 CPU at 200Mhz, Implementation 35, Rev 2.1, 512KB L2 Cache
Last reset from power-on
G.703/E1 software, Version 1.0.
G.703/JT2 software, Version 1.0.
Channelized E1, Version 1.0.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).
Bridging software.
TN3270 Emulation software.
Primary Rate ISDN software, Version 1.1.
Chassis Interface.
1 EIP controller (6 Ethernet).
1 AIP controller (1 ATM).
2 TRIP controllers (8 Token Ring).
2 MIP controllers (2 T1) (2 E1).
6 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
8 Token Ring/IEEE 802.5 interface(s)
48 Serial network interface(s)
1 ATM network interface(s)
2 Channelized E1/PRI port(s)
2 Channelized T1/PRI port(s)
123K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.

20480K bytes of Flash PCMCIA card at slot 0 (Sector size 128K).
16384K bytes of Flash PCMCIA card at slot 1 (Sector size 128K).
8192K bytes of Flash internal SIMM (Sector size 256K).
No slave installed in slot 6.
Configuration register is 0x2102 

Related Information

• Configure Cable Requirements for Console and AUX Ports
• Apply Correct Terminal Emulator Settings for Console Connections
• Copy a System Image to Another Device
• Cisco Technical Support & Downloads