[c-nsp] Successful Cisco ISR4331 Router Firmware Upgrade 24 Feb 2025 Monday - Need to break into ROMMON first

Mon Feb 24 13:31:06 UTC 2025

Subject: Successful Cisco ISR4331 Router Firmware Upgrade 24 Feb 2025 Monday - Need to break into ROMMON first

Good day from Singapore,

Please refer to Part 1 for the background first before continuing.

Part 1: Cisco ISR4331 Router Firmware Upgrade Failure 21 Feb 2025 Friday

Links:
https://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/2025-February/109136.html
https://lists.freebsd.org/archives/freebsd-chat/2025-February/000048.html

The reason the firmware upgrade failed on 21 Feb 2025 Friday is because the existing ROMMON is too old. It could not support the latest firmware version. You need to upgrade the ROMMON too. It can be done automatically by the latest firmware.

But first, you need to break into ROMMON.

[QUOTE]

Hi,

complete these steps to simulate a break key sequence to enter the rommon:

1.Connect to the router with these terminal settings:

1200 baud rate

No parity

8 data bits

1 stop bit

No flow control

You no longer see any output on your screen, and this is normal.

2.Power cycle (switch off and then on) the switch and press the SPACEBAR for 10-15 seconds in order to generate a signal similar to the break sequence.

3.Disconnect your terminal, and reconnect with a 9600 baud rate. You enter the ROM Monitor mode.

HTH,

Mohammed Mahmoud.

[/QUOTE]

Link: https://community.cisco.com/t5/switching/ctrl-break-doesn-t-work-cannot-boot-on-rommon/td-p/774165

Then you need to configure the old ROMMON to boot from the latest firmware.

rommon 1 > set BOOT=bootflash:isr4300-universalk9.17.12.04a.SPA.bin
rommon 2 > sync
rommon 3 > sync
rommon 4 > set
PS1=rommon ! >
ETHER_SPEED_MODE=4
TFTP_BLKSIZE=512
MCP_STARTUP_TRACEFLAGS=00000000:00000000
LICENSE_SUITE=
LICENSE_BOOT_LEVEL=
THRPUT=100000
BSI=0
RANDOM_NUM=1300654495
RET_2_RTS=19:28:49 SGT Fri Feb 21 2025
RET_2_RCALTS=1740137329
DEVICE_MANAGED_MODE=autonomous
BOOT=bootflash:isr4300-universalk9.17.12.04a.SPA.bin
rommon 5 > reset

Resetting .......

Initializing Hardware ...

Located isr4300-universalk9.17.12.04a.SPA.bin

Feb 24 04:51:28.531: %BOOT-5-OPMODE_LOG: R0/0: binos: System booted in AUTONOMOUS mode
Detected old ROMMON version 16.7(3r), upgrade required
Upgrading to newer ROMMON version required by this version of IOS-XE, do not power cycle the system.  A reboot will automatically occur for the new ROMMON to take effect.
Booted : 0
Selected : 0
Reset Reason: 0
Switching to ROM 1
Upgrading ROMMON image...
Verifying ROMMON image...
Switching back to ROM 0
ROMMON upgrade was successful...
Copying ROMMON environment...
Switching to ROM 1
Updating ROMMON environment...

ROMMON Variable data passed verification check (1).
Switching back to ROM 0
ROMMON upgrade complete.
To make the new ROMMON permanent, you must restart the RP.
ROMMON upgrade successful.  Rebooting for upgrade to take effect.

Initializing Hardware ...

Current image running: Boot ROM0

Last reset cause: LocalSoft
ISR4331/K9 platform with 4194304 Kbytes of main memory

Rommon upgrade requested
Flash upgrade reset 1 in progress

Initializing Hardware ...

Checking for PCIe device presence...done
System integrity status: 0x300610
Rom image verified correctly

Current image running: *Upgrade in progress* Boot ROM1

Last reset cause: BootRomUpgrade
ISR4331/K9 platform with 4194304 Kbytes of main memory

........
Located isr4300-universalk9.17.12.04a.SPA.bin

Cisco IOS Software [Dublin], ISR Software (X86_64_LINUX_IOSD-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 17.12.4a, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2024 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Sun 15-Dec-24 00:27 by mcpre

cisco ISR4331/K9 (1RU) processor with 1638523K/3071K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID 
Router operating mode: Autonomous
3 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces
32768K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
4194304K bytes of physical memory.
3125247K bytes of flash memory at bootflash:.

Press RETURN to get started!

Router>

SUCCESS! I have successfully upgraded the firmware of my Cisco ISR4331 router from version 3.16.10.S.155-3.S10-ext to version 17.12.4a.

Regards,

Mr. Turritopsis Dohrnii Teo En Ming
Targeted Individuals in Singapore
GIMP = Government-Induced Medical Problems
24 Feb 2025 Monday
9.28 PM Singapore Time