How do I upgrade a Cisco router IOS image or to backup to my computer? Cisco Forum FAQIf your equipment is Cisco 801-805 Router that uses Tiny ROM, then please use the following guide instead.
Cisco IOS Software Upgrade Procedure for Cisco 801, 802, 803, 804, and 805 Series Routers
Need to make backup image? Or need to download image? Try the following:
1) Backup image to TFTP server
Router>enable
Router#copy flash:{your IOS image filename} tftp://{TFTP server IP address}
2) Download image from TFTP server
Router>enable
Router#copy tftp://{TFTP server IP address} flash:
Upgrade or Download Router IOS image to Flash Memory
1)
To transfer an IOS from PC --> ROUTER, the following conditions must meet
* IOS image the router to have is in working condition since corrupted IOS image won't do any good
* IOS image the router to have meets the router DRAM and flash memory size. Keep in mind that maximize router DRAM and flash memory size before IOS image upgrade is always a good idea to make sure the router can fit and can run any IOS image version
* When the router is still running the older IOS image version, backup the older IOS image to TFTP or FTP server (the next steps explain this further). This backup should perform before any IOS image upgrade. In case of unsuccessful IOS image upgrade (due to too-small DRAM size, corrupted IOS image, etc.) it is always a good to know that you are able to reverse the change by putting back the older IOS image (the one that you backup earlier) to the router
2)
In order to transfer an IOS image you will need to run a TFTP program on your computer. Your computer will then become TFTP server during the IOS image transfer. A simple FREE one can be found here
»Cisco Forum FAQ »How to prepare TFTP server with freeware
Note that when the router is running newer IOS image, IOS image transfer using FTP server is also supported. If you prefer to use FTP session to transfer the IOS image and the router IOS currently supports it, then FTP transfer is another choice. The rest of this FAQ will use TFTP transfer however.
3)
It is recommended that the PC (the TFTP server) is on the same subnet as your router. Easiest way is to assign a static IP to your machine [x.x.x.100 255.255.255.0]. If there is a switch between the PC (the TFTP server) and the router, then also make sure both PC and router are within the same VLAN or the same broadcast domain.
When your network is using hub instead of switch, then there might be some collision that severely degrade the TFTP traffic flow; hence screwing up the download or upload process. In this case, it is highly suggested to use either a switch or simply back-to-back connection using crossover cable between the router and the PC.
4)
Next go to the privilege exec prompt and type
r1#copy tftp flash
It will ask you for 3 things.
1. The IP address of your server. Enter whatever you set your PC IP address to.
2. The name of the IOS source file. Enter the exact name of the IOS file you are trying to install. If its not named the same the transfer will fail. It may ask you for the destination filename as well.
3. It will also ask you if you wish you to erase your flash before copy, say yes
If everything works it will look something like close to this.
r1#copy tftp flash
Address or name of remote host []? 10.50.50.100
Source filename []? c2600-i-mz.121-14.bin
Destination filename [c2600-i-mz.121-14.bin]?y
Accessing t»»ftp://10.50.50.100/c2600-i-mz.121-14.bin...
Erase flash: before copying? [confirm]y
Erasing the flash filesystem will remove all files! Continue? [confirm]y
Erasing device... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
eeeeeeeeee ...erased
Erase of flash: complete
Loading c2600-i-mz.121-14.bin from 10.10.10.2 (via Ethernet0/0):
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 4501480/9001984 bytes]
Verifying checksum... OK (0xAC8A)
4501480 bytes copied in 56.88 secs (80383 bytes/sec)
5)
After the IOS transfers you will need to reboot. The router then may ask if you want to save the router configuration. Depending on if you changed your IP address to a new scheme or just used the same address you may or may not want to save your config.
Backup Router IOS image to TFTP Server
In order to backup an IOS from ROUTER --> PC, use the similar steps. However on Step 4, you need to enter a different command. This is where you want to make sure the TFTP server can send and receive.
r1#copy flash tftp
The rest of steps are applicable still.
When The Router Does Not Boot
Note that this tip is applicable when the router is currently able to bootup normally. When the router does not boot normally or does not boot at all, then check out the next tip.
»Cisco Forum FAQ »Deleted/Corrupted/Wrong Type/No IOS image and router won't boot
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by dpocoroba edited by aryoba
last modified: 2008-10-30 14:42:57