topic Re: No files in flash memory in Switches, Hubs, and Modems

No files in flash memory

grenzo — Wed, 27 May 2020 20:35:37 GMT

Hi,

i have an A5120 ( JE067A ) switch and i have no files in flash memory,

How can i fix it?

Thanks

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Wed, 27 May 2020 21:19:45 GMT

Hello!

You can use bootrom menu and upload the files to the flash. You can download the latest version from here - https://h10145.www1.hpe.com/downloads/SoftwareReleases.aspx?ProductNumber=JE067A then use TFTP or Xmodem to upload BIN file to the flash, set it as Primary image and boot from it. In release notes find section "Appendix B Upgrading software ", it has instructions for various upgrade types. I suggest you to use "TFTP download through an Ethernet port " as the fastest option.

However, if you see absolutely no files on flash, chances are the flash gone bad and the whole switch needs to be replaced. In this case I suggest you to contact Support line and open a case for replacement.

Hope this helps!

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 04:41:59 GMT

ok,

I did this :

1. Download application file to flash
2. Select application file to boot
3. Display all files in flash
4. Delete file from flash
5. Restore to factory default configuration
6. Enter bootrom upgrade menu
7. Skip current configuration file
8. Reserved
9. Set switch startup mode
0. Reboot
Ctrl+F: Format File System
Ctrl+D: Enter Debugging Mode
Ctrl+T: Enter Board Test Environment

Enter your choice(0-9): 1

1. Set TFTP protocol parameter
2. Set FTP protocol parameter
3. Set XMODEM protocol parameter
0. Return to boot menu

Enter your choice(0-3):

Enter your choice(0-3): 1
Load File name :OD44P <-- this appears and cannot be deleted

Thanks,
what can I do ?

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Thu, 28 May 2020 06:05:29 GMT

Depending on the terminal software you use, backspace can be mapped to Crtl+H, try that instead of Backspace key.

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 06:43:23 GMT

Ok, but :

if I write other characters I can delete them with CTRL+H, but :OD44P does not delete .
Is the switch broken? Can I do a hardware reset?

Thanks

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 06:45:09 GMT

I forgot, use Putty

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Thu, 28 May 2020 07:00:36 GMT

Ok, I see now. So, that "OD44P" is just the last filename you or somebody else used for TFTP download. If you just hit Enter, it will be used again, if you want to change it - just type the new filename, the old one will be just ignored.

Enter your choice(0-9): 1

1. Set TFTP protocol parameter
2. Set FTP protocol parameter
3. Set XMODEM protocol parameter
0. Return to boot menu

Enter your choice(0-3): 1
Load File name :test111.bin test.bin
Switch IP address :192.178.1.1

In this example 'test111.bin' is the last filename used, 'test.bin' was my input and it was accepted and used for the download.

Hope this helps!

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 13:35:00 GMT

no it offers me IP addresses for Switch IP Address and Server IP Address that I can't change.
How do I know the IP address it has?
Maybe it's all stuck. Is there a hardware reset?

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Thu, 28 May 2020 14:05:56 GMT

No, it is not stuck. And you cannot reset Bootrom simply because it does not have any settings.

As I described already, just ignore the addresses it gives you in "Server IP address" and "Local IP address". Same as with that filename - these addresses are last used addresses. Simply type addresses you want and do not try to delete those after the colon sign.

Example:

Enter your choice(0-8): 1

1. Set TFTP protocol parameters
2. Set FTP protocol parameters
3. Set XMODEM protocol parameters
0. Return to boot menu

Enter your choice(0-3): 1

Load File Name :5130HI-CMW710-R1121.ipe
:
Server IP Address :192.168.0.100 23.12.12.12

The RED one is the last used, it appears after the prompt and CANNOT be deleted.
The GREEN one is my input.

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 19:01:27 GMT

Ok, but how do I know the Local IP address that the switch has now?

Thanks for your patience

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Thu, 28 May 2020 19:59:42 GMT

because the address of Local IP must be in the same subnet as Sever IP, right?

Thanks

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Fri, 29 May 2020 08:38:31 GMT

Patience is my second name, but I hope you will try to read the instructions provided before rushing to upgrading the switch, because every letter matters there and it is very easy to mess up things.

I think we need to go back to the release notes located here https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00061838en_us and check again the section 'TFTP download through an Ethernet port'.
The section depicts a scenario when your laptop is connected over the console cable and you have separate TFTP server connected over the Ethernet cable to the switch. However, I can offer you a slight modification that will look a little bit differently from the physical point of view, but will be absolutely the same logical setup.

Let's follow my guide now.

1. Get a laptop with Ethernet port
2. Get a Ethernet cable
3. Get a console cable for the switch
4. Download TFTPD32 or TFTPD64 software (I assume you run Windows on your laptop) from here - http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html
5. Download 5120.EI-4210G-4510G_5.20.R2222P11 software from here https://h10145.www1.hpe.com/downloads/SoftwareReleases.aspx?ProductNumber=JE067A and unpack it to a temporary directory. You will need two files:
- A5120EI-BTM-621.btm
- A5120EI-CMW520-R2222P11.bin
6. Connect the console cable to your laptop and to the console port of the switch, open up Putty and ensure you have a connection (see the output and can type)
7. Connect the Ethernet cable from step 2 one end to the first port of your switch and another port to the Ethernet port of your laptop.
8. Set the IP address on the Ethernet NIC of your laptop to 10.0.0.1 mask 255.255.255.0
9. Start TFTPD32 software, go to Settings, ensure TFTP Server is enabled and the Base directory points to the directory where you unpacked .BIN and .BTM files on Step 5. Press OK and in the Server Interface field select the NIC with IP 10.0.0.1
10. Reboot the switch, enter the Extended Bootrom
11. Follow the instructions from the release notes I have mentioned in the beginning of this message, in particular Step 3 of the 'Upgrading Boot ROM' section. Use following information during the TFTP download:
Load File Name: A5120EI-BTM-621.btm
Switch IP address: 10.0.0.2
Server IP address: 10.0.0.1

12. After successful download and Bootrom update followed by the switch reboot, proceed with 'Upgrading system software' section. Use same IP addresses as in Step 11, but this time use 'A5120EI-CMW520-R2222P11.bin' as the filename to download and set it to 'Main' after the download completes. All as per instructions in the release notes.
13. Reboot the switch and this time it should boot up normally

Hope this helps!

P.S. If TFTP connection doesn't work, check IP addressing first and, second either allow incoming TFTP connections in Windows Firewall or disable the Firewall completely for the time of the upgrade.

Re: No files in flash memory

grenzo — Fri, 29 May 2020 11:31:10 GMT

it worked!
Thank you very much!
now it looks like this:

Board checking......................LS51LTSUBA
SDRAM fast selftest........................OK!
Flash fast selftest........................OK!
CPLD selftest..............................OK!
Switch chip selftest.......................OK!
PHY selftest...............................OK!
Please check leds....................FINISHED!

Startup configuration file does not exist.
It will take a long time to get configuration file, please wait...
Press CTRL_C to break

Retrieving configuration file failed!

User interface aux0 is available.

Press ENTER to get started.

it's right?

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Fri, 29 May 2020 12:01:20 GMT

Absolutely! Looks great. Don't be afraid about "Retrieving configuration file failed!" message, the startup.cfg is not on the flash, so it is normal. Now just press Enter a couple of times to enter the CLI, reconfigure the switch, then save the configuration with "save safely force" command and after the next reboot this 'Retrieving configuration file failed!" message will be gone.

Hope this helps!

Please, do not forget to mark the question as answered!

Re: No files in flash memory

parnassus — Sun, 07 Jun 2020 23:23:24 GMT

Hi @Ivan_B I was really missing this:

@Ivan_B wrote: Patience is my second name...

You were great. Truly. You really have an abnormal patience threshold, exactly like the abnormal expectations of some posters (it seems that reading the documentation isn't cool anymore these days, isn't it?). Anyway, as always...good job!

Re: No files in flash memory

Ivan_B — Mon, 08 Jun 2020 08:35:00 GMT

Thank you, @parnassus ! A decade spent in Support departments of several major networking vendors is a good training indeed, LOL!