[c-nsp] Upgrading VSS from Modular SXH to Monolitich SXH > Monolithic SXI

[David Crane]

Hi guys,

We have a VSS setup on a pair of 6509-E Chassis, and we¹re currently running
Version 12.2(33)SXH6. Due to a desire for some features, and the ability to
run FWSM¹s in this configuration, we¹re wanting to upgrade to SXI.

After some discussions, it was decided that we¹d first go from SXH6 Modular
to SXH6 monolithic, then schedule in another upgrade for SXH6 Monolithic to
SXI, however, we¹ve hit a bump with the Modular > Monolithic change.

Procedure we followed was:-
 
TFTP'd software images to both SUPS ahead of schedule, and did the
following.


       * No Boot System
 
        * Config-Register 0x2102
      
        * Boot System Flash
sup-bootdisk:s72033-advipservicesk9-mz.122-33.SXH6.bin (The non-modular
image installed)
 
        * Write mem (this should sync the bootvar across the two chassis,
telling both supervisors to boot the new image upon reload)
 
        * Redundancy reload shelf 2 (to reload the standby. Chassis 1 is
active.)
 
At this point, the failover should be RPR mode, chassis 2 boots off the new
IOS image, and we¹re at 50% off the current active chassis.
My next step would be  ³redundancy force switchover² to failover to the
other chassis, and re-boot this currently active unit with the new code. 

However, the 2nd chassis re-boots, and goes right back into SSO mode.

Looking at it boot through console, you can see it booting the Modular image
from the /sys folder, seemingly ignoring anything the bootvar is set-to, so
essentially, it¹s re-booting with no change, and just re-pairing with the
VSS, which is why it¹s re-entering SSO immediately.

At first I thought because it was the same IOS version, just modular/non
modular, that it may still be enabling SSO although the IOS images are the
same version, just modular/monolithic, but it¹s definitely the modular image
that is being loaded.

It¹s the only line in the ³boot-start-marker² in the config, and the other
lines have been removed, but it still re-boots on the modular image every
time.

Henceforth, I'm stuck! I can't get the standby sup to boot off the new image
and go into RPR, and I don't want to reload both boxes at the same time with
no confidence it's going to work.

Anyone any idea what's going on?

Thanks,

 Dave.