Gns3

Hey everyone,

I have been using Packet Tracer, and I have a few 2501s that I have been practicing on. I decided to try out GNS3 as I have read great things about it.

I am following the step-by-step PDF for beginners but running into a problem.

I am using IOS 12.3.

I keep getting this error when I try to start the router:

****Warning: ghostsize is too small for device R1. Increase it with ghostsize option.

I cannot get the console window to pop-up either.

I have tried researching how to increase this ghostsize option with no
success.

Also tried following the Blindhog tutorial, but cannot find one that addresses this ghostsize issue.

Dynamips has been successfully start (tested it from the Preferences pane). Can anyone help me out? Or point me in the right direction?

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Comments

I tried changing the model of router down to a 2611XM.

This has eliminated that ghostsize error, but the console window still wont pop up.

Make sure that you have it set to the right client, and that it's pointing to it under Edit > Pref's > General

For example I have putty, and it's sitting in c:\putty\

My telnet command is set to: c:\putty\putty.exe -telnet %h %p

first question: are you running windows vista? if so, you are going to run into many problems. best bet is to load GNS3 on a XP machine. good luck!

CCIEWANNABE wrote: »

first question: are you running windows vista? if so, you are going to run into many problems. best bet is to load GNS3 on a XP machine. good luck!

I have it running on a Vista box, and I haven't had any issues... luck?

I take that back - I can't get my pix to pass traffic... but that may be me lol.

Hey

Under the Prefs Pane, I have it set to:

start telnet %h %p

(that was the default)

That is why I thought a command prompt would pop up.

I am also using XP

up2thetime wrote: »

Hey

I have it set to:

start telnet %h %p

I am also using XP

I would get putty, make a folder c:\putty\ and save it there, then change the line to c:\putty\putty.exe -telnet %h %p

jbrad95706 wrote: »

I would get putty, make a folder c:\putty\ and save it there, then change the line to c:\putty\putty.exe -telnet %h %p

I just tried that out..

Downloaded Putty and put it in C:\Program Files\Putty\

Then changed the Prefs to use: C:\Program Files\Putty\putty.exe -telnet %h %p

Nothing happens when I click Console...

up2thetime wrote: »

I just tried that out..

Downloaded Putty and put it in C:\Program Files\Putty\

Then changed the Prefs to use: C:\Program Files\Putty\putty.exe -telnet %h %p

Nothing happens when I click Console...

Silly question, did you start the router before that?

jbrad95706 wrote: »

Silly question, did you start the router before that?

I believe I did...

I right clicked the router, clicked Start..

Then I right clicked the router again, and clicked Console.

Then nothing happens.

up2thetime wrote: »

I believe I did...

I right clicked the router, clicked Start..

Then I right clicked the router again, and clicked Console.

Then nothing happens.

On the right hand side of the screen it will have the router name (R0, etc...)

Does it have a green or red light?

My IOS name is c2500-is-l-123-3a.bin

Does that matter when trying to use a 2600?

I went to Edit > IOS Images and Hypervisors.

I selected a path to the IOS.

I selected 2600 platform

I selected 2611XM

Idle PC was left blank

Default RAM: 256

I then right click the Router and click Start

Then right click again, and chose Console.

jbrad95706 wrote: »

On the right hand side of the screen it will have the router name (R0, etc...)

Does it have a green or red light?

Red Light.

I'm not sure if it will run with a 2500 bin, you may find some info on the Dynamips forums or maybe someone here knows the answer to that.

If you are getting a red light then the router is not started, and the problem is not w/the console - it may be the bin.

jbrad95706 wrote: »

I'm not sure if it will run with a 2500 img, you may find some info on the Dynamips forums or maybe someone here knows the answer to that.

If you are getting a red light then the router is not started.

No.. still a red light..

up2thetime wrote: »

No.. still a red light..

I had to setup gns3 on my laptop when I was on the road last summer, but I didn't have my cd's with me. I used an ftp search engine to grab a copy of a bin that I legally had a copy of at home/work.

I got a green light!

However, when I click Console, nothing happens...

I then tried switching back to : start telnet %h %p

This brings up a console window which scrolls lines and lines of hex (0x0080000 ect)

The scrolling doesn't stop either.

up2thetime wrote: »

I got a green light!

However, when I click Console, nothing happens...

Well, that's progress

Try using the console button on the top menu rather than the right click menu. (Looks like a TV)

If that still doesn't work I would look at the prefs again - I'm not to sure what else to look at.

I would try the forums I linked above.

jbrad95706 wrote: »

Well, that's progress

Try using the console button on the top menu rather than the right click menu. (Looks like a TV)

If that still doesn't work I would look at the prefs again - I'm not to sure what else to look at.

I would try the forums I linked above.

Thank you. I will try that.

When you use putty... should putty automatically open when you click Console?

It should. Oh, and they can be rather slow with the reply over there hehe.

jbrad95706 wrote: »

It should. Oh, and they can be rather slow with the reply over there hehe.

Thanks for all your help jbrad! Appreciate it!

Now I have to work on getting the console window to pop.

I will check out the gns3 link as well.

If you think of anything else, please let me know!

Thanks again!

up2thetime wrote: »

My IOS name is c2500-is-l-123-3a.bin

Does that matter when trying to use a 2600?

You can't run a 2500 image on a 2600/2600XM. The hardware is completely different including the processor architecture.

up2thetime wrote: »

My IOS name is c2500-is-l-123-3a.bin

IOS images are specific to the router model.

That's not an IOS image for a supported router model in Dynamips.

Thanks for all the replies.

I have made some more progress.

I now get the console window to pop after I click Console.

This is what it displays:

Connected to Dynamips VM "R0" (ID 0, type c2600) - Console Port

Self-decompressing the image:####################
########################################
########################################

Smart init is disabled. IOMEM set to: 10

Configured I/O memory percentage was too large. Using 10 percent iomem.

Then a whole bunch of gibrish begins to scroll and does not stop.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again.

networker050184

If you are using a 2600 image you have to decompress it yourself first. This restriction only applies to 2600 IOS though.

networker050184 wrote: »

If you are using a 2600 image you have to decompress it yourself first. This restriction only applies to 2600 IOS though.

How do you decompress?

networker050184 wrote: »

If you are using a 2600 image you have to decompress it yourself first. This restriction only applies to 2600 IOS though.

As networker050184 said, you have to decompress 2600 images. It is a good idea to decompress all the router images anyway since you're not lacking in "flash" space. It'll speed up booting significantly.

up2thetime wrote: »

How do you decompress?

Read the Dynamips FAQ. GNS3 is just a GUI frontend to dynamips and pemu/qemu.

Awesome. Thanks guys.

Reading through the FAQ.

Decompressed...

Still the console pops and scrolls gibberish.

Oh wow..

So it worked for 5 mins.

I decided to close it and try again, at it fails.

Still scrolls gibberish again

Here's something strange..

When I add 1 router to the topology, the console pops and scrolls nonsense..

However, when I add a 2nd router, everything works fine

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