GNS3 - List of Working IOS image [NOT FOR DOWNLOAD]

I am surprised no one came up with this idea yet. I did a search, but I am unable to find a list of Cisco IOS version that is known to work in GNS3 without issues. I am hoping this thread will become a sticky or someone can accomplish the similar objective for us. If anyone found an older thread like this, please let make that a sticky. I would appreciate it.

There is no way I am suggesting that this thread will be used for posting links to sites that give out IOS illegally. Those posts shall be removed immediately if attempted to do so. You will not find an IOS image here. So do not bother wasting your time asking here. The goal of this thread is to keep a list of good known working IOS and nothing more.

Please post the versions of the IOS image that reports to be working or have issues, so we can avoid the hassles of finding the right IOS.

Also, if you can, please post the version that you use for specific purpose such as SDM, layer-3 switching, IPv6, and so forth. So that we can accomplish the same objective. It would be awesome if you can also include the Platform, Model, and the Default RAM size. Thank you. I will post some here later. Mod, I hope this thread is appropriate, but if not, we would like to know before you remove it.

Find more posts tagged with

Save $250 on 2025 certification boot camps from Infosec!

Book now with code EOY2025

Button

Comments

hiddenknight821

If you want to check which Platform and Models will guarantee to work with the IOS you have, you can verify by using the handy Cisco Feature Navigator tool. From there, select the Image Name radio button.

If you already have a platform/model that you prefer to use but not sure which IOS to use, select the Platform radio button. Once you find the IOS image version you want to use, go back to the previous steps mentioned in the first paragraph, so that you can verify the platform/model it will work on. To return to the page, you can either click the link above or click the Search By Software tab.

Please note that you can see the DRAM and Minimum Flash memory requirements, which would be very helpful when configuring under the IOS Images and Hypervisors setting in GNS3. Apparently you will not find the Minimum Flash option there since the IOS is already stored on your hard drive.

For the decompression, I would strongly encourage you to use the tool GNS3 provided. I am aware some said they were able to use other decompression utilities such as WinRAR, but proceed at your own risk if you don't want to go this route. Go to GNS3's download page and click the Cisco image unpacker 0.1 binary for Windows link (for Windows users) or Cisco image unpacker 0.1 source code (for Linux users). You should read the README.txt file in the folder for instruction. It is very self-explanatory, and you should have no trouble.

For BASE CONFIG setting:

If you are wondering how it works, here's the link. Some of you guys might find it handy to have logging-sync command done for you at bootup, so you don't have to deal with the feedback while typing.

Zartanasaurus

Never had a problem with any image I've tried. Didn't know there were compatibility issues.

hiddenknight821

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Never had a problem with any image I've tried. Didn't know there were compatibility issues.

Did you have any luck emulating layer-3 switching on a router without following the tutorial? There are people who still can't figure out how to use SDM, and they probably didn't use the correct version to begin with.

UPDATE: To provide a perfect example, I just had trouble with a particular image that I entail later.

hiddenknight821

DO NOT WORK:

[c2600-adventerprisek9-mz.124-2.T.bin] I used a 2621XM model with 256MB of DRAM. I was unable to keep the IDLE PC value down, and when I tried to console to the router, it was constantly spooling saying, "Unexpected exception to CPUVector 700" with a bunch of other hexs. By the way, I'm using Ubuntu 11.04 if you must know.

WORKING:

[c7200-advsecurityk9-mz.124-4.T.bin] I was able to run it and stabilize the IDLE PC value, but I haven't used the SDM with it, but will test it later.

[c3640-jk9o3s-mz.124-16a.bin] I was able to emulate a layer-3 switch with this image, and it was sweet. DRAM is 128 MB. If you are interested, you should follow the tutorial from blindhog.net. You can get away with GNS3 alone if you are studying for CCNA.

Disclaimer:
By the way, please refute any images listed here by any mean if you have the same image that works for you. Criticisms are welcome here as long as it's conducted in a respectful, professional manner. No one here is perfect.