Anytime Cisco releases a new IOS image for its network switch (or router), it is recommended that you upgrade it.
This article explains 7 easy steps to upgrade IOS image on a cisco switch or router.
Since you’ll be upgrading the IOS image, make sure you have physical access to the switch and you are in front of it. Use a console cable to connect to the switch.
Please note that the steps given below will be similar to both switches and routers. However this examples shows how to upgrade ios image on a cisco catalyst switch.
1. Verify Current IOS Version
After you login, go to enable mode, by entering the enable password. This example uses two cisco catalyst 3750 switches configured in stack mode as shown below. So, while upgrading you should upgrade the image on both the flash cards.
# show switch
Switch/Stack Mac Address : 0012.abcd.1234
H/W Current
Switch# Role Mac Address Priority Version State
----------------------------------------------------------
*1 Master 0012.abcd.1234 10 0 Ready
2 Member 0012.abcd.2345 1 0 Ready
If you have only one cisco catalyst switch (non stack mode), follow all the steps mentioned in this document, but you’ll be doing it only on one flash card.
First, verify the content of the flash cards, using “dir flash1:” command.
# dir flash1: c3750-ipbasek9-mz.122-35.SE5.bin # dir flash2: c3750-ipbasek9-mz.122-35.SE5.bin
As you see above, both the flash cards contains the current IOS image file, which is version “122.35.SE5”
Verify what version of IOS image your switch is currently running. Most likely this will be same as the current IOS image file that you see in your flash card. As you see below, it is using “12.3(35)SE5”
# show ver
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
* 1 24 WS-C3750G-24T 12.2(35)SE5 C3750-IPBASEK9-M
2 24 WS-C3750G-24T 12.2(35)SE5 C3750-IPBASEK9-M
2. Download Latest IOS Image from Cisco Website
Download the latest IOS image for your cisco website
Go to cisco.com -> IOS Software -> Select your Siwtch (for example: Cisco Catalyst Switch 3750G-24T) -> Click on “Download IP BASE” -> Select the latest version that you want to download (for example: 12-2.55.SE1).
While you are on this download page, copy/paste the MD5 given to your system. After we download the IOS image and move it to the switch, we’ll verify the MD5 checksum before installing the image.
3. Delete Old IOS Software Image from Flash
Since we’ll be downloading the new ISO image and moving it to the flash card, we need some space. So, delete the current old image from the flash card.
# delete /f /r flash1:c3750-ipbase-mz.122.35-35.SE5 # delete /f /r flash2:c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5 # dir flash1: # dir flash2:
In the above delete command, /f stands for force, and /r stands for recurssive.
On a side note, you should be using some software to monitor your switch status. If you are not doing it install Nagios, and monitor your switches.
4. Copy the IOS image to Cisco Switch
To transfer the IOS image from your laptop to Cisco Switch, you should run a TFTPserver on your laptop (or on the system where you’ve downloaded the IOS image).
If you are running a TFTPserver on your laptop, and connected to the switch using a console cable, assign a ip-address to your laptop, and put your laptop on the same network as the switch.
Copy the ISO image to the flash as shown below using the “copy command”. This will ask you to enter the address of the remote host (which is your laptop in this case), and the source filename that needs to be transferred (which is the ISO image you downloaded from cisco website).
# copy tftp flash1 >Address or name of remote host? 192.168.1.10 >source filename? c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin >Destination filename? c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
Once you’ve copied it, make sure the file is there on the flash card.
# dir flash1: c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
Just to make sure nothing went wrong during the copy, do a MD5 check-sum on this, and compare with the MD5 that you noted down from cisco website while downloading the IOS image. To create MD5 checksum of a file in Cisco catalyst switch, use the “verify” command as shown below.
# verify /md5 flash1:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
If you are running two switches in stack configuration, do the same on the second flash card.
# copy tftp flash2: # dir flash2: # verify /md5 flash2:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
5. Modify Switch Boot path-list
Now it is time to tell switch cisco to use the new ISO image to boot from. Before changing the boot information, verify the current configuration, and change it using the “boot system” command as shown below.
# show boot # config t # boot system switch all flash:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
6. Save Config and Restart the Switch
Verify the current boot information, save the current configuration, and reboot the cisco switch as shown below.
# show boot # write mem # reload
7. Final Verification after IOS Upgrade
Finally verify the current IOS version of the switch, after the upgrade, it should display the new version as shown below.
# show ver
Switch Ports Model SW Version SW Image
------ ----- ----- ---------- ----------
* 1 24 WS-C3750G-24T 12.2(55)SE1 C3750-IPBASEK9-M
2 24 WS-C3750G-24T 12.2(55)SE1 C3750-IPBASEK9-M
Make sure to verify your interface and vlan status, to make sure everything is running properly without any issues.
My name is Ramesh Natarajan. I will be posting instruction guides, how-to, troubleshooting tips and tricks on Linux, database, hardware, security and web. My focus is to write articles that will either teach you or help you resolve a problem. Read more about
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For step 4: If you downloaded a .tar file instead of .bin, you can extract it on the fly. Use the following command in enable mode:
archive tar /xtract tftp:///flash:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.tar flash:
Be aware that in this case the boot command will be:
boot system switch all flash:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1/flash:c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.bin
BTW the .tar contains the files needed by the http-server.
Thanks
I think the engine messed up my archive command. It was:
archive tar /xtract tftp://IP_address/c3750-ipbasek9-mz-122-55.SE1.tar flash:
Here’s how I upgrade the IOS on my 3750 series switches at work, via TFTP:
wr mem
archive download-sw /safe /allow-feature-upgrade /reload tftp:ip_address/ios_image.tar
it will download/verify/redownload if need be, also will wait to delete the old image off the flash once the new image is verified non-corrupt (assuming there is room on the flash to hold a 2nd image, otherwise it will tell you there is not enough room)
also if you’re running a stack, if you upgrade the stack master, it should auto-upgrade the rest of the stack, since it will notice a version mismatch (same as if you introduce a virgin switch into a existing/new stack, it will auto-flash the new member)
Hi Ramesh,
Thank you for your steps.
I am trying to upgrade Cisco IOS on my 3750. I notice that there is a ‘html’ directory under ‘c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5’:
—————-
Switch#dir
Directory of flash:/c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5/
6 -rwx 7175078 Mar 1 1993 00:05:41 +00:00 c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5.bin
7 drwx 4224 Mar 1 1993 00:06:04 +00:00 html
508 -rwx 598 Mar 1 1993 00:06:42 +00:00 info
————-
The ‘html’ directory seems for HTTP access:
—–
Switch#dir
Directory of flash:/c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5/html/
8 -rwx 7084 Mar 1 1993 00:05:42 +00:00 toolbar.js
9 -rwx 23783 Mar 1 1993 00:05:42 +00:00 framework.js
10 -rwx 1749 Mar 1 1993 00:05:42 +00:00 appsui.js
11 -rwx 47300 Mar 1 1993 00:05:42 +00:00 sorttable.js
12 -rwx 577 Mar 1 1993 00:05:42 +00:00 title.js
13 -rwx 20829 Mar 1 1993 00:05:43 +00:00 sitewide.js
14 -rwx 62 Mar 1 1993 00:05:43 +00:00 more.txt
15 -rwx 65479 Mar 1 1993 00:05:44 +00:00 fpv.js
16 -rwx 9353 Mar 1 1993 00:05:44 +00:00 combo.js
17 -rwx 13563 Mar 1 1993 00:05:44 +00:00 forms.js
18 -rwx 39650 Mar 1 1993 00:05:44 +00:00 graph.js
19 -rwx 21674 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 stylesheet.css
20 -rwx 865 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 helpframework.js
21 -rwx 1616 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 layers.js
22 -rwx 425 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 reloadstatus.htm
23 -rwx 1654 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 menu.css
24 -rwx 12179 Mar 1 1993 00:05:45 +00:00 setup_report.htm
—–
As the flash in my Cisco3750 has insufficient place for the new Cisco IOS, can i simply delete ‘c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5.bin’ in ‘ c3750-ipbase-mz.122-35.SE5/’ directory? Then tftp the new Cisco IOS over?
Thank you
David
How to update latest iOS
David, you can erase first and upload after, but it is recommended to use a UPS.
Recovery Procedure
Thanks man, i fu**** up my switch with the wrong IOS image 3750X (my fault) and the switch was not able to boot. so if anyone doing a force upgrade with the above method and found that switch or router is not booting up please follow the recovery procedure here:
1. the original image must be present in the flash unless it is specifically deleted
2. try to find the original OS directory in the flash –
after the switch reboot, it will go to the roman mod and shows
Switch: mode
now type switch: dir flash:
you will see all the directories in the flash with the new and old IOS directories
usually it is the same name as the bin file, and the .bin file is residing within that directories
if you find the old IOS directory then copy the name of dir and type the command below
boot flash:/.bin for example
boot flash:c3750-ipservices-mz.122-25.SEB1/c3750-ipservices-mz.122-25.SEB1.bin
hit enter
that’s all
your system should be back to normal
after reload finish
hit the command
switch# write mem
so it will keep in memory which is the boot file in future
i found the help from
1. of-course this page
2. https://supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2105637
3. http://www.fryguy.net/2011/08/15/cisco-3750-stack-member-recover/#more-1984
Hi Ramesh,
I am trying to load downgrade version of IOS on Cisco 3750G-48TS-S. I am not able to do that. Infact i loaded 12.2(25) but its not working and whats i am finding there have to reload by previous version Boot Rom with IOS. Is that possible to load down garde version of the both Boot as well as IOS on Cisco 3750G-48TS-S?
Thanking You.
Bharat
very well structured… liked !
Thanks a lot. Really helpful.
Never could establish a connection. What am I missing?
Hi. does WS-C3560V2-24TS-S (ios ver: 12.2(35)SE5) supports ospf? Or should I upgrade it from 35 to 55. Does OSPF applicable only on IP Services ios images and not IP Base?
Thanks and really appreciate it.
Hi,
I have upgraded Cisco 3750X-24T-L from c3750e-universalk9-mz.122-53.SE2.bin to
c3750e-universalk9-mz.150-2.SE6.bin.
After Reload Switch took 40min to come up.
Because the Version of IOS i am upgrading included Microcode Update.
and only for the first time switch does below
Front-end Microcode IMG MGR: Preparing to program device microcode…
Front-end Microcode IMG MGR: Preparing to program device[0]…594412 bytes.
Front-end Microcode IMG MGR: Programming device 0…rwRrrrrrrwsssssssssss
sssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssss
ssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspsssssssssssssssss
sspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssssssssssssspssssssssss
sssssssss
this thing goes on unto 30min and switch automatically reboots.
I am not able to verify IOS in 2nd flash of stack member. Actullay in stak it has to give verification of ios in all flashes..any clue on this?
SBKRS01#show switch
Current
Switch# Role Mac Address Priority State
——————————————————–
*1 Master 0017.9410.0700 1 Ready
2 Member 0018.b9fc.9380 1 Ready
SBKRS01#verify ?
/md5 Compute an md5 signature for a file
flash1: File to be verified
flash: File to be verified
++++++++++++++++++++++++>flash2 missing
nvram: File to be verified
Thanks you are a life savior
Thank you so much for such a clear a simple instructions.
For step 5 if you are using an older IOS the commands do not work. Here is a sample command output of what did on a 12.1 IOS taken from Cisco
http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/switches/catalyst-2950-series-switches/41542-191.html
2950#conf t
2950(config)#boot system flash:c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-13.EA1.bin
2950(config)#end
2950#
2950#sh boot
BOOT path-list: flash:c2950-i6q4l2-mz.121-13.EA1.bin
!— output suppressed —
!— The boot system statement does not show up in the configuration.
!— Issue the show boot command to verify whether the new image
!— boots on the next reload of the switch.
Issue the wr mem command to save your changes and reload the switch. Here is a sample command output:
2950#wr mem
Building configuration…
[OK]
2950#reload
Proceed with reload? [confirm]
Thanks so much for your clear and helpful instructions!
Thank you very much big time!
Hi,
Please I need help to upgrade my Catalyst 3750G 12S-S to the latest IOS. I have downloaded the upgrade file but have not been able to installed using tftp. I followed the instruction as shown above but I keep getting the following error message “Error opening tftp://10.0.0.2/c3750-ipbasek9-mz.122-55.SE10.bin (Socket error)”. Please what shall I do to get the switch upgraded?
Thank you.
we want the step by step of uploading when Router image is being deleted