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How To Resolve Rommon Issue On Routers

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Md.Mazid Ali
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26 views3 pages

How To Resolve Rommon Issue On Routers

Uploaded by

Md.Mazid Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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HOW TO RESOLVE ROMMON ISSUE ON ROUTERS (BOTH AG1 AND CSS)

 Introduction

Router stuck in Rommon mode is a common field problem encountered by all field engineers. A brief
background of this issue will help understand what is this issue is and how best it could be resolved in
minimum time.

Rommon Mode is a limited access method which is entered during failures, to diagnose and
troubleshoot IOS problems. Do not confuse Rommon mode with user executive mode which has a
similar prompt (Router>), whereas the Rommon mode prompt is Rommon>. It is precisely because the
diagnostic mode commands, like Rommon, are stored in non-IOS packages on a router that they are
available even when for instance the IOS is corrupted.

The most common issue that causes the router to boot with Rommon mode is a corrupt IOS and or
other files in flash. Therefore the corrupt IOS image on flash memory has to be deleted (after a verified
image has been copied on the flash). This way on startup the router boots it finds a valid image (we will
explain what a valid image is), and boots correctly. With this background let us discuss the specific
process to diagnose and troubleshoot the Rommon issue.

 Initial Steps

If the router is stuck in Rommon mode, the first setting that should be checked is the value of the
configuration register.

The first four bits of the configuration register comprise the boot field. The value of the boot field
defines the source of a default Cisco IOS® software image that will be used to run the router. If the value
of the boot field is 0 (configuration register value of XXX0), on startup the system enters and remains in
the ROM monitor mode (rommon>), awaiting a user command to boot the system manually. For more
information on the software configuration register bit meanings, see Configuring the Software
Configuration Register.

If your router keeps entering the Rommon mode each time the system is restarted, it is probably due to
the setting of the configuration register. To verify the configured value of the configuration register, use
the confreg command.

 Note: A flash drive (pen drive) with a valid IOS is essential to troubleshoot Rommon issue
 ASR 903 Router or AG1 Router or PAR

1. Insert the flash drive (pen drive) in the USB port on the active RSP Card with Mem written below
the slot.
2. Rommon 1> dir usb0:
This command will show all the files in the flash drive.
Find the file named: asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.s.154-1.s1-std.bin

 Warning: This file name is the same as the IOS file on the router except for one difference. Here
the letter ‘s’ in the name is in small caps. This is important. When we copy this file from flash
drive (pen drive) to the router flash we do not want to keep both files with the same name and
router may give an error. However do not change any other part of the name of the IOS.
 Note: If the file you have on your pen drive has a capital S in its name then change it to small ‘s’.
asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.S.154-1.S1-std.bin should be changed to :
asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.s.154-1.s1-std.bin

3. Rommon 2> boot usb0: asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.s.154-1.s1-std.bin. This causes the


router to boot from the flash drive instead of the corrupt image on router flash memory.
4. After the router boots correctly:
Router > en
Router # sh flash:
Here you will see the corrupt file on the router flash ie.
asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.S.154-1.S1-std.
5. Router # copy usb0: asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.S.154-1.S1-std.bin flash:
6. Router # delete flash: asr903rsp1-universalk9_npe.03.11.01.S.154-1.S1-std.
7. Router# reload

 Note: The corrupt image will not be deleted until router is reloaded.
 ASR 901 Router or CSS Router

1. Insert the flash drive (pen drive) in the USB port on the active RSP Card with Mem written below
the slot.
2. Rommon 1> dir usbflash0:
This command will show all the files in the flash drive.
Find the file named: asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.S1.bin
 Warning: This file name is the same as the IOS file on the router except for one difference. Here
the letter ‘s’ in the name is in small caps. This is important. When we copy this file from flash
drive (pen drive) to the router flash we do not want to keep both files with the same name and
router may give an error. However do not change any other part of the name of the IOS.
 Note: If the file you have on your pen drive has a capital S in its name then change it to small ‘s’.
asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.S1.bin should be changed to :
asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.s1.bin
3. Rommon 2> boot usbflash0: asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.s1.bin. This causes the router to boot
from the flash drive instead of the corrupt image on router flash memory.
4. After the router boots correctly:
Router > en
Router # sh flash:
Here you will see the corrupt file on the router flash ie.
asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.S1.bin
5. Router # copy usbflash0: asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.s1.bin flash:
6. Router # delete flash: asr901-universalk9-mz.154-1.S1.bin.
7. Router# reload

 Note: The corrupt image will not be deleted until router is reloaded.

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