Reloading your IOS...

Has anyone done this before? I've got a 2610 acting very "funny" if you will. It basically boots up, passes POST, loads my configs and then "freezes" before giving me a prompt. Makes it all the way to to "press enter to get started" then just sits. This is when consoling in mind you. From the advice of a friend, I'm going to just completely reload my IOS...Has anyone done this, or could anyone offer any help on the initial issue? Thanks

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malcybood

SHatmPVC wrote:

Has anyone done this before? I've got a 2610 acting very "funny" if you will. It basically boots up, passes POST, loads my configs and then "freezes" before giving me a prompt. Makes it all the way to to "press enter to get started" then just sits. This is when consoling in mind you. From the advice of a friend, I'm going to just completely reload my IOS...Has anyone done this, or could anyone offer any help on the initial issue? Thanks

Could also be a config issue:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps359/products_tech_note09186a0080106fd7.shtml#consolenotrespond

Reboot the router and break into ROMMON by pressing break on the terminal keyboard within 60 seconds of the power-up. If the break sequence doesn't work, see Standard Break Key Sequence Combinations During Password Recovery for other key combinations. Change the configuration register to 0x2142 and then reset the router. For this, execute the confreg 0x2142 command at the rommon 1> prompt. Then type reset at the rommon 2> prompt. This causes the router to boot from Flash without loading the configuration. Type no after each setup question or press Ctrl-C to skip the initial setup procedure. Type enable at the Router> prompt. You are in enable mode, and see the Router# prompt. Now, you can save an empty configuration (all commands removed). Issue the copy running-config startup-config command. Alternatively, if you suspect that a certain command causes the problem, you can edit the configuration. To do so, issue the copy startup-config running-config command. Then type configure terminal, and make the changes. When finished, change the configuration-register back to 0x2102. For this, type config-register 0x2102. Issue the copy running-config startup-config command to commit the changes.

I would also remove any wic or ISDN expansion cards and reseat the memory to rule out a hw fault but hey, that's just me!.......failing this yeah you can reinstall the IOS but I'd make that the last thing to try and back up the config and IOS first!

malcybood

Another thing to confirm is what settings are you using for Hyperterminal and is the rollover cable known good?

Netstudent

Did you just get it used? If so, it could be trying to connect so a TACACS or AAA server.

SHatmPVC

Netstudent wrote:

Did you just get it used? If so, it could be trying to connect so a TACACS or AAA server.

I got it from Ciscokits.com, so it was whipped of all configs when I got it. Its got no modules currently installed, and just short of assigning an IP to an interface, I haven't really configed the thing at all. I'm consoling in through hyperterminal set to 9600. I'll try the things that were suggested earlier.

dtlokee

How long will it just sit? it could be autconfig trying to load a configuration from a tftp server or somthing. Try using the excape sequence (Ctrl + shift + 6) to break out of it. If you can get a prompt go to config mode and type in "no service config" and that will turn off autoinstall. save the config and reload you should be ok. If it just sits forever I would try changing the config register to 0x2142 from rommon and reloading and see if it's any different. If it were the IOS on the router it most likely would not boot due to the checksum being invalid (eg. the IOS became corrupted) but stranger things have happened.

As already suggested it could be a bad console cable where you can see the output from the router but your keystrokes are not being sent back to the router. When you first power on the router see if you can use ctrl + break to stop the boot sequence, if you can then the cable is most likely ok.

HTH

SHatmPVC

dtlokee wrote:

How long will it just sit? it could be autconfig trying to load a configuration from a tftp server or somthing. Try using the excape sequence (Ctrl + shift + 6) to break out of it. If you can get a prompt go to config mode and type in "no service config" and that will turn off autoinstall. save the config and reload you should be ok. If it just sits forever I would try changing the config register to 0x2142 from rommon and reloading and see if it's any different. If it were the IOS on the router it most likely would not boot due to the checksum being invalid (eg. the IOS became corrupted) but stranger things have happened.

As already suggested it could be a bad console cable where you can see the output from the router but your keystrokes are not being sent back to the router. When you first power on the router see if you can use ctrl + break to stop the boot sequence, if you can then the cable is most likely ok.

HTH

Thank you very much man. That was most helpful. I'm leaving work now, so I'll try this out when I get home. Thanks again!

mgeorge

Typically when routers hang at the "Press return to get started" promt, its almost always an
AAA or config issue. Commonly its an AAA issue when you purchase used routers from ebay.
Since they would use TACACS+, if the tacacs server is not avaliable, the router will not let you
do nothing to it for security purposes. (unless the administration of the previous owner specified
differently)

If its not AAA, then chances are it will be your router/switch trying to load a remote config, ios,
or vlan.dat. If these are not found then the router can be very picky at times.

Best way to learn is hands on experince

hope this helps.

SHatmPVC

mgeorge27 wrote:

Typically when routers hang at the "Press return to get started" promt, its almost always an
AAA or config issue. Commonly its an AAA issue when you purchase used routers from ebay.
Since they would use TACACS+, if the tacacs server is not avaliable, the router will not let you
do nothing to it for security purposes. (unless the administration of the previous owner specified
differently)

If its not AAA, then chances are it will be your router/switch trying to load a remote config, ios,
or vlan.dat. If these are not found then the router can be very picky at times.

Best way to learn is hands on experince hope this helps.

yeah definetly. I'm so glad i bought actual routers so I can get this kind of experience!

SHatmPVC

So i was able to get to a prompt by using the ctrl+shift+6, but then I forgot my enable password like a loser hahaha. So i had to boot the router to "rommon" and reset the password, then i cleared the configs and reloaded and now I'm good...Thanks for all you guys help.