Scenario
Make: Cisco Switches
Model: Cisco 2960 Series
Mode: Command Line Interface [CLI]
Description: In this article, we will discuss how to resolve the issue if the Cisco 2960 switch stack or one member of the switch stack is failing to upgrade to new firmware or IOS.
Problem
Sometimes the Cisco Switch Stack or one member of Switch stack failed to upgrade to a new IOS version or firmware. In this article, we will discuss how to resolve the issue if the switch is failing to upgrade to a new IOS or firmware. Here we have a switch stack having 4 members and one member of the switch stack is failing to upgrade to the new firmware. Here we are upgrading firmware from version 150-2a.EX5 to version 152-7.E3 and one switch is failing to boot with new firmware.
edledge-switch#sh version
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
1 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
* 2 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
3 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
4 0 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.0(2a)EX5 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
edledge-switch#sh switch
Switch/Stack Mac Address : f0b2.eeee.eeee
Switch# Role Mac Address Priority H/W Version Current State
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Member f8a5.xxxx.xxxx 14 4 Ready
* 2 Master f0b2.yyyy.yyyy 15 4 Ready
3 Member f8a5.zzzz.zzzz 12 4 Ready
4 Member f0b2.aaaa.aaaa 13 4 Version Mismatch
Solution
In this case, the fourth switch of the Cisco Switch Stack is failing to upgrade to the new Firmware or IOS. Sometimes 2 or 3 switches of Cisco Switch Stack failed to upgrade to the new Firmware or IOS. The solution is same for all the members of the switch stack which is failing. Follow the step to resolve the issue of upgrade failure
Step1: Stack Removal
Remove the switch(s) from the stack which is (are) failing to upgrade to the new firmware.
Step2: Console
Take console access of the switch which is failing to upgrade. If more than one switch is failing to upgrade then perform the steps on each switch one by one.
Step3: Check Flash
Access the flash file of the switch and ensure the new firmware file exists in the flash. See the output as shown below for the 4th switch of the Cisco Switch Stack.
edledge-switch#sh flash
Directory of flash:/
2 -rwx 57080 Jan 16 2018 17:56:18 +05:30 config.text.renamed
3 -rwx 16986 Mar 7 2016 22:04:40 +05:30 express_setup.debug
4 -rwx 1916 Jan 16 2018 17:56:19 +05:30 private-config.text.renamed
5 -rwx 1396 Jul 1 2021 12:56:00 +05:30 vlan.dat
6 -rwx 1636 Dec 8 2016 18:57:27 +05:30 vlan.dat.renamed
7 drwx 512 Jun 4 2015 18:47:41 +05:30 c2960x-universalk9-mz.150-2a.EX5
646 drwx 512 Jun 4 2015 18:47:42 +05:30 dc_profile_dir
648 -rwx 79350 Jan 25 2021 13:27:04 +05:30 config.text.backup
649 -rwx 5310 Jan 25 2021 13:27:04 +05:30 private-config.text.backup
650 -rwx 7232 Aug 14 2021 12:20:04 +05:30 private-config.text
651 -rwx 18233984 Jun 14 2020 17:31:19 +05:30 c2960x-universalk9-mz.150-2a.EX5.bin
652 -rwx 26714112 Aug 11 2021 16:11:03 +05:30 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
654 drwx 512 Apr 18 2018 09:21:53 +05:30 crashinfo_ext
1322 -rwx 3096 Aug 14 2021 19:21:37 +05:30 multiple-fs
656 -rwx 80376 Aug 14 2021 12:20:02 +05:30 config.text
657 drwx 512 Jun 13 2020 21:22:13 +05:30 c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-2.E5
122185728 bytes total (25973760 bytes free)
Step4: Check Boot System
Check the image which is set in the current boot system.
edledge-switch#sh boot
BOOT path-list : c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Config file : flash:/config.text
Private Config file : flash:/private-config.text
Enable Break : yes
Manual Boot : no
HELPER path-list :
Auto upgrade : yes
Auto upgrade path :
NVRAM/Config file
buffer size: 524288
Timeout for Config
Download: 0 seconds
Config Download
via DHCP: disabled (next boot: disabled)
Step5: Change System Boot
Change the system boot and set it to “no boot system” as shown below
edledge-switch#conf t
edledge-switch(config)#
edledge-switch(config)#no boot system
edledge-switch(config)#
edledge-switch(config)#exit
edledge-switch#
Step6: Set New Image
Set the boot system with the new image using the flash as shown below.
edledge-switch#conf t
edledge-switch(config)#boot system flash:/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
edledge-switch(config)#exit
edledge-switch#
Step7: Boot Confirmation
Check system boot to ensure the new file is set up as a boot file as shown below.
edledge-switch#sh boot
BOOT path-list : flash:/c2960x-universalk9-mz.152-7.E3.bin
Config file : flash:/config.text
Private Config file : flash:/private-config.text
Enable Break : yes
Manual Boot : no
HELPER path-list :
Auto upgrade : yes
Auto upgrade path :
NVRAM/Config file
buffer size: 524288
Timeout for Config
Download: 0 seconds
Config Download
via DHCP: disabled (next boot: disabled)
Step8: Save & Reload
Save the config. and then reload the switch.
edledge-switch#wr
Building configuration...
[OK]
edledge-switch#reload
Proceed with reload? [confirm] [Enter]
Step9: Check Version
Check the Firmware Version after the switch reloads to ensure the switch has booted up on new firmware.
edledge-switch#sh version
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
4 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
Step10: Connect Stack
Connect the switch back to the stack which was disconnected earlier.
Step11: Confirm the Version
Check the version of the switch after connecting to the stack.
edledge-switch#sh version
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
1 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
* 2 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
3 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
4 54 WS-C2960X-48FPD-L 15.2(7)E3 C2960X-UNIVERSALK9-M
edledge-switch#sh switch
Switch/Stack Mac Address : f0b2.eeee.eeee
Switch# Role Mac Address Priority H/W Version Current State
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Member f8a5.xxxx.xxxx 14 4 Ready
* 2 Master f0b2.yyyy.yyyy 15 4 Ready
3 Member f8a5.zzzz.zzzz 12 4 Ready
4 Member f0b2.aaaa.aaaa 13 4 Ready
The issue should be all resolved now.
Do not forget to refer to the article if you are looking to configure Radius authentication on Cisco or Dell Switches. Also, Radius can be configured as failover on Cisco & Dell switches.
Source: Cisco, Knowledge Base, Internet
EA00072