This article describes the process required to recover a Cisco WS-X4232-L3 Catalyst 4000 module due to a missing or corrupted system IOS image.
The Cisco WS-X4232-L3 Layer 3 module runs Cisco IOS software. It is equiped with bootflash, usually 16MB in size. If the IOS software on the bootflash is either missing or is corrupt, the module will fail to load properly and you will be stuck in ROMMON mode.
This procedure involves the loading of a new software image via the console port using the xmodem feature found in ROMMON. The best terminal emulation software to use for this procedure is Microsoft Hyperterminal (found in most Microsoft OSs).
1. Launch Hyperterminal and connect to the console port on the WS-X4232-L3 module using 9600,8,N,1 as your connection settings.
2. While in ROMMON mode type the following:
xmodem -y -s38400
3. Note, if the console port is attached to a modem, both the
console port and the modem must be operating at the same baud
rate. Use console speed 38400 bps for download [confirm]
4. Press Enter to confirm and immediately disconnect your session using the disconnect icon on the Hyperterminal toolbar.
5. Click on File -> Properties and then Click CONFIGURE.
6. Change the baud rate to 38400 and click ok.
7. Reconnect using the connect icon on the Hyperterminal toolbar.
8. Initiate the file transfer by clicking on Transfer -> Send File.
9. Choose Ymodem and select the IOS image to transfer.
10. Once the image has been transfered (while take a while at 38400), the system will ask you to press Y to confirm the switch back to 9600. At this point, DO NOT hit the Y key.
11. Disconnect the session using the Disconnect icon in Hyperterminal.
12. Click on File -> Properties and then CONFIGURE.
13. Change the baud rate to 9600 and click ok.
14. Connect using the connect icon on the Hyperterminal toolbar.
15. Hit the Y key to continue. At this point the system should load the IOS image as normal.
Once the IOS software has loaded you will want to copy the image to bootflash.
1. Assign an IP Address on the Gigabit interface (or Fast Ethernet)
router# conf terminal
router(config)# int gig 1
router(config-if)# ip address 172.16.38.235 255.255.0.0
router(config-if)# no shutdown
router(config-if)# exit
router(config)# exit
2. Copy IOS image to flash.
router# format bootflash
Format operation may take a while. Continue? [confirm]
Format operation will destroy all data in "bootflash:".
Continue? [confirm]
Formatting sector 1
Format of bootflash: complete
router# copy tftp flash
Address or name of remote host []? 172.16.38.25
Source filename []? cat4232-in-mz.120-25.W5.27b.bin
Destination filename [flash]? bootflash:cat4232-in-mz.120-25.W5.27b.bin
Accessing tftp://172.16.38.25/cat4232-in-mz.120-25.W5.27b.bin...
00:10:04: %IP-4-DUPADDR: Duplicate address 172.16.38.236 on GigabitEthernet2, sourced by 0004.c1f2.e240
Loading cat4232-in-mz.120-25.W5.27b.bin from 172.16.38.25 (via GigabitEthernet2
3. Set the system boot variable to boot from the new image.
router# config terminal
router(config)# boot sys flash bootflash:cat4232-in-mz.120-25.W5.27b.bin
4. Write configuration to memory and reload.
router# write mem
router# reload
