Router Memory Woes

qwerty_face

Hi all,

My router memory upgrade kit for the 2600XM series routers arrived in the post today.

Being a newbie, I have some console output that, if you don't mind, I would like you to confirm for me.

My 2621XM before upgrade:

System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(7r) [cmong 7r], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1) 
Copyright (c) 2002 by cisco Systems, Inc. 
C2600 platform with 65536 Kbytes of main memory 
 
program load complete, entry point: 0x80008000, size: 0xb8d40c 
Self decompressing the image : ################################################################################################################################################################################################################################ [OK] 
 
Smart Init is enabled 
smart init is sizing iomem 
  ID            MEMORY_REQ                 TYPE 
00036D          0X0010A400 C2621XM Dual Fast Ethernet 
                0X000F3BB0 public buffer pools 
                0X00211000 public particle pools 
TOTAL:          0X0040EFB0 
 
If any of the above Memory Requirements are 
"UNKNOWN", you may be using an unsupported 
configuration or there is a software problem and 
system operation may be compromised. 
Rounded IOMEM up to: 5Mb. 
Using 7 percent iomem. [5Mb/64Mb] 
 
              Restricted Rights Legend 
 
Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is 
subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph 
(c) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted 
Rights clause at FAR sec. 52.227-19 and subparagraph 
(c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer 
Software clause at DFARS sec. 252.227-7013. 
 
           cisco Systems, Inc. 
 
 
Router>sh flash 
 
System flash directory: 
File  Length   Name/status 
  1   12113192  c2600-js-mz.122-34.bin 
[12113256 bytes used, 21441172 available, 33554428 total] 
32768K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write) 
           170 West Tasman Drive 
           San Jose, California 95134-1706 
 
 
 
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software 
IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-JS-M), Version 12.2(34), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1) 
Copyright (c) 1986-2006 by cisco Systems, Inc. 
Compiled Wed 01-Mar-06 20:31 by pwade 
Image text-base: 0x8000808C, data-base: 0x814718E4 
 
cisco 2621XM (MPC860P) processor (revision 0x100) with 60416K/5120K bytes of memory. 
Processor board ID JAD0626CE0W (1368775805) 
M860 processor: part number 5, mask 2 
Bridging software. 
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0. 
SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp). 
TN3270 Emulation software. 
2 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s) 
1 Serial network interface(s) 
2 Serial(sync/async) network interface(s) 
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory. 
32768K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)

2621XM after upgrade:

[B][COLOR=DarkOrchid]System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(8r) [/COLOR][/B][cmong 8r], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1) 
Copyright (c) 2003 by cisco Systems, Inc. 
C2600 platform with[B][COLOR=DarkOrchid] 196608 Kbytes of main memory [/COLOR][/B]
  
....

[COLOR=DarkOrchid][B]Using 3 percent iomem. [5Mb/128Mb] [/B][/COLOR]
 
....
 
cisco 2621XM (MPC860P) processor (revision 0x100)[B][COLOR=SeaGreen]with 125952K/5120K bytes of memory. [/COLOR][/B]
Processor board ID JAD0626CE0W (1368775805) 
M860 processor: part number 5, mask 2 
Bridging software. 
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0. 
SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp). 
TN3270 Emulation software. 
2 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s) 
1 Serial network interface(s) 
2 Serial(sync/async) network interface(s) 
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory. 
[B][COLOR=DarkOrchid]49152K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write) [/COLOR][/B]

I will spare posting the same outputs for my other two routers, but for my clarification I am supposed to be looking at the information which I have highlighted in PURPLE aren't I for determining the memory installed? What does that which I have highlighted in GREEN represent?

Also, why does the router still say it is only utilising 128MB in the 'iomem' line when I have 192MB installed (1x64MB + 1x128MB) ? I think I was reading something on freeccnaworkbook.com that said the 2600XM series routers do not use more than 128MB?

And by the way which is it best to max out - the FLASH or DRAM (I am aiming to install the 12.4(T) IOS).

Cheers,
QF.

tiersten

qwerty_face wrote: »

System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(8r) [cmong 8r], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 2003 by cisco Systems, Inc.
C2600 platform with 196608 Kbytes of main memory

This is the upgraded boot ROM and shows you what the boot ROM determines is your memory which is 192MB.

qwerty_face wrote: »

Using 3 percent iomem. [5Mb/128Mb]

You don't care about this value unless somebody has previously forced it in your configuration. If so then you set to back to the default where IOS will automatically decide the correct value. IOMEM is packet buffers and generally you don't mess with them unless you've been told to or know what they do and why you need to change it. For a lab you won't ever change it.

qwerty_face wrote: »

cisco 2621XM (MPC860P) processor (revision 0x100)with 125952K/5120K bytes of memory.

This is what IOS sees as available memory which is 128MB. The two numbers need to be added together.

qwerty_face wrote: »

49152K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)

You've got 48MB flash. This is the maximum for your router as it has 16MB integrated into the motherboard and a 32MB flash SIMM.

You're only seeing 128MB because you forgot that I told you before that only late versions of 12.3T and above supported greater than 128MB memory. Reread your other threads again.

qwerty_face wrote: »

IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-JS-M), Version 12.2(34), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

See above.

mgeorge

I really need to update that page to be a little bit more clear shouldn't I?

First off you need the correct bootrom "12.2(8r)" and an IOS image that fully supports the 256MB RAM enhancement.

When 12.2(8r) was first introduced it only provided the "future-ability" to use 256MB RAM. At that given time the IOS images were still limited to 128MB RAM, however the benefit from using 256MB RAM and the 12.2(8r) bootrom is that the bootrom would extract the image into address space not addressed by IOS.

Traditionally when the images got larger on the 2600XM platform the processor addressable memory space shrunk as the images are decompressed and loaded into memory upon boot (unlike the 2500 series which are ran directly from flash) This gave a major performance boost in routing platforms.

Ultimately using 256MB ram on a 2600XM platform gave you an additional 50-60MB or so as the decompressed image did not reside in ios processor addressable memory. If you do a show memory on a 2600XM with 256MB ram running 12.3T you'll see that the process should have 128MB available to use. IOS versions released after October of 2004 had the ability to address the full 256MB ram minus the decompressed image.

In a nut shell you need to upgrade your IOS image to 12.4 or preferably 12.4T (which requires 256MB ram)

ZeroHunter

I got the Flash Ram that I ordered in today, my 2611XM's both had 32Meg Flash, so I ordered the 32Meg Sticks to upgrade the Flash to 48Megs.

I am using the Xmodem command to upgrade/reload the iOS, one of the big things I learned about that today: Dont let the laptop go to sleep while its doing the upgrade! Doh!

Man this is a slow process.

_______________________________
Z3r0

miller811

ZeroHunter wrote: »

I got the Flash Ram that I ordered in today, my 2611XM's both had 32Meg Flash, so I ordered the 32Meg Sticks to upgrade the Flash to 48Megs.

I am using the Xmodem command to upgrade/reload the iOS, one of the big things I learned about that today: Dont let the laptop go to sleep while its doing the upgrade! Doh!

Man this is a slow process.

_______________________________
Z3r0

what speed are you running xmodem at?

tiersten

ZeroHunter wrote: »

I got the Flash Ram that I ordered in today, my 2611XM's both had 32Meg Flash, so I ordered the 32Meg Sticks to upgrade the Flash to 48Megs.

I am using the Xmodem command to upgrade/reload the iOS, one of the big things I learned about that today: Dont let the laptop go to sleep while its doing the upgrade! Doh!

2600XMs support TFTP upload from ROMMON so you don't need to do XMODEM unless you're just trying it out...

ZeroHunter

tiersten wrote: »

2600XMs support TFTP upload from ROMMON so you don't need to do XMODEM unless you're just trying it out...

Yeah I saw that but I could not figure it all out, Xmodem I was able to figure out. Plus this way I get to try it out.

I am running the Baud at 115200, but it still takes a while.

Question though, any idea why every .bin I have fails the Checksum?

______________________________
Z3r0

tiersten

ZeroHunter wrote: »

Yeah I saw that but I could not figure it all out, Xmodem I was able to figure out. Plus this way I get to try it out.

Read this. You should still do one XMODEM transfer though just so you know whats going on.

ZeroHunter wrote: »

Question though, any idea why every .bin I have fails the Checksum?

You're transferring it too fast and corrupting it most probably.

ZeroHunter

tiersten wrote: »

Read this. You should still do one XMODEM transfer though just so you know whats going on.


You're transferring it too fast and corrupting it most probably.

Oh, I am going to get to try them all:

Xmodem
TFTP
and Router to Router

__________________________________
Z3r0

As I have 4 units to do, they are all getting the upgrade, this is what a home lab is all about, learn by trying!

tiersten

ZeroHunter wrote: »

Oh, I am going to get to try them all:

Xmodem
TFTP
and Router to Router

__________________________________
Z3r0

As I have 4 units to do, they are all getting the upgrade, this is what a home lab is all about, learn by trying!

Excellent. That is the right attitude and you'll go far with it

ZeroHunter

Well I have now Flashed using the Xmodem & TFTP_DNLD commands, but I have a question. I am flashing a 2611XM w/ 48Meg Flash & 256Meg DRAM and with both methods I could not get the Router to take the:

c2600-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T7

image the only image I could get it to take with both methods was:

c2611-is-mz.123-17a

with Xmodem it would load the image and then give me some sort of failure message when done loading(I know that's vague I just don't remember the error message) and with the TFTP method and PumpKIN I got a 'block size to large error'.

Yet I was able to flash both of my 2611XM's one with each method with the 12.3 image with no problems. Any ideas?

tiersten

ZeroHunter wrote: »

c2600-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T7

How big is this file?

How much free flash space does your router show? Did you format it when you changed the flash SIMM?

ZeroHunter

tiersten wrote: »

How big is this file?

How much free flash space does your router show? Did you format it when you changed the flash SIMM?

I know I did not format it, I did not know I needed to, but now I am going to have to go see how to do that.

Slowhand

ZeroHunter wrote: »

Well I have now Flashed using the Xmodem & TFTP_DNLD commands, but I have a question. I am flashing a 2611XM w/ 48Meg Flash & 256Meg DRAM and with both methods I could not get the Router to take the:

c2600-adventerprisek9-mz.124-15.T7

From the sounds of it, the 12.4 image is probably corrupt. According to the Cisco Feature Navigator, your router should run that image just fine with 128MB or RAM and 48MB of Flash memory. If you can get it from the source again and start fresh that'd be your best bet. You could also try loading the image in a GNS3 router and see if it works there, to ensure that it's not your router that's acting up.