[c-nsp] c2960g: flash gone mad ?

[Alexandre Snarskii]

Hi!

While trying to upgrade IOS on one of ours c2960g, I got strange message: 

SW088-022#verify flash:c2960-lanbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin
File system hash verification failed for file flash:c2960-lanbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin(No such file or directory).

however, MD5 verification of the same file succeeded: 

SW088-022#verify /md5 flash:c2960-lanbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin
[....]
...................Done!
verify /md5 (flash:c2960-lanbase-mz.122-46.SE.bin) = 27ad87f2c90595f3e682633c7985099a

Well, I tried to format flash:, and re-upload IOS image - results
were the same. 

And then switch refused to reload 'by command': 

SW088-022#reload 
%ERROR: Not able to process Signature in flash:.
%ERROR: Aborting reload.

so, I had to visit equipment room and reboot it by power cycle 
(booted normally, looks like that there are no signature check 
on boot). 

What is it ? Faulty flash ? Does not looks like - md5 check is just fine... 
And what to do with that switch ? Is it safe to leave it in network 
(on office one, without remote reboot ability it not qualified to remote 
installations) or better to RMA it ?