A noobie (me) just learned something 2

[JBruyet]

Hey all, I have my CCNA book (Sybex) and I just purchased a 2600 Series router. Yesterday I configured the router, interfaces and all, but now it boots up to the rommon screen. I did some Googling and found this informative tidbit:

"What comes up after issuing that command [the copy command to startup-config] is a question asking to erase the flash memory before copying. The not so knowledgeable Cisco trainee then presses enter and there goes your IOS file..."

Ok, now I know what I did (and what not to do next time) but I'm kinda stumped. My first backup was to start-config and then I saw that it's supposed to be startup-config. Now under Flash I have a 554 byte file called start-config. I thought I could "copy" from start- to startup- but there's no copy command under rommon, and I don't have any IOS files sitting around. After you finish laughing (that's fine; one shouldn't work in IT if one doesn't have a thick skin) please advise.

Thanks,

Joe B

 

[OzzieGeorge]

About all you can do is find a new IOS file to load. Simplest way would be buy a second router and back up the IOS from that, then load it into the one you trashed! Or you could persuade someone to let you copy their's. However you are then into the realms of copyright issues!

I learned early to back up the IOSs of all my gear, just in case!

 

[imbadatthis]

what other files do you have under dir flash:

copy run start SHOULD NOT be deleting your IOS files...

google CISCO IOS and you should find a 2600 image on a torrent somewhere...


cheers,


We must go always forward, not backward
always up, not down and always twirling twirling towards infinity.

 

[Cluebird]

imbadatthis,

2600s are notorious for the feature where you mistype the copy run start command so IOS thinks you're adding a file to flash. I've had literally hundreds of these occurrences with students not paying attention and overwriting the IOS in flash with the config. Newer IOSes don't do this.

 

[imbadatthis]

cluebird,

I had no idea about that. My 2621XM has never pulled anything like that on me...

Well im glad it was you that told me aboot it, rather than Vince he seems really angry lately..


We must go always forward, not backward
always up, not down and always twirling twirling towards infinity.

 

[JBruyet]

--> OzzieGeorge, I was going to get a second router a little later but I just bought another one off eBay. Good plan.

--> ImBadAtThis, there are no other files under the Flash directory. So the command is copy run start? I'll do that and then I'll back it up to my tftp server.

--> Cluebird, I promise to be careful. Once I get a good backup I'll feel much more comfortable.

Thanks all,

Joe B

 

[Cluebird]

joe,

You will need to use the tftpdnld process to load another IOS to your Flash once you get a new IOS. Until the router has a usable IOS you'll be stuck in rommon1> so the router is useless.

There are lots of good resources noted on this board to help with your studies. CiscoGuy has posted numerous links to material.

 

[JBruyet]

Thanks Cluebird, I'll be wandering around this forum a little more often now.

Thanks,

Joe B

 

[OzzieGeorge]

You can actually shorten the command to as little as, cop ru st and it will work. There are a couple of ways to reload the IOS but the FTP method is easiest. You will need an FTP server (I use xlight as it is free and seems to be OK)

 

[JBruyet]

Thanks for the tip Ozzie. Also, do I need an ftp server or a tftp server? I have both on my network but so I'm good either way.

Thanks,

Joe B

 

[OzzieGeorge]

Sorry, my mistake TFTP

 

[iolair]

There is a free tftp server available from Solar Winds. I've used it and it works very well in a Windows scenario.

Iolair MacWalter
Network Engineer

 

[JBruyet]

--> OzzieGeorge, thanks for the clarification

--> iolair, I use several SolarWinds products, some free and some paid for. I really like SolarWinds' software products.

 

[JBruyet]

Ok, I have a functioning 2600. I successfully copied its config up to a tftp server (and I can see the config file on the server) but I'm having trouble getting the file back down to the router that had the configs erased (by me. sigh.). Here's the error I'm getting:

Command line options:
-r: do not write flash, load to DRAM only and launch image
rommon 43 > set IP_ADDRESS=192.168.2.97
usage: set
rommon 44 > set IP_SUBNET_MASK=255.255.255.0
usage: set
rommon 45 > set DEFAULT_GATEWAY=192.168.2.1
usage: set
rommon 46 > set TFTP_SERVER=192.168.2.33
usage: set
rommon 47 > set TFTP_FILE=routertwo-config
usage: set
rommon 48 > tftpdnld

Missing or illegal ip address for variable IP_ADDRESS
Illegal IP address.

When I check my "set" variables I don't see anything related to my tftp configuration. Am I doing something wrong here? I'm following the instructions here:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps259/products_tech_note09186a008015bf9e.shtml

Thanks,

Joe B

 

[Cluebird]

Remove the word 'set' from your rommon parameters.

IP_ADDRESS=192.168.2.97
IP_SUBNET_MASK=255.255.255.0
DEFAULT_GATEWAY=192.168.2.1


Everything is case sensitive in rommon when you set parameters.

 

[JBruyet]

Woohoo, we're up and running! I was blessed to see that my previously configured items are still there too! Thanks to all but especially Cluebird and OzzieGeorge.

Thanks,

Joe B

 

[NeTeek276]

Also on my C2621XM it is case sensitive in ROMMON mode. So IP_ADDRESS= has to be all caps it kept throwing some no real issue error at me when one of my students typed "erase flash" in stead of "erase start".