This is not as easy as it is on a Cisco 3750 or 6500 series switch but once you know how its not too bad.
Step 1
Copy the new IOS image to the switch, you need to use: copy tftp: bootflash:
(Notice its not “flash:”, first of the oddities.)
Step 2
verify the image is okay with the command: verifiy bootflash:<IMAGENAME>
Step 3
Set the boot register to 0×2102 for the switch to boot from the ‘BOOT variable’, if you leave this it will try to use the 0x201 setting and just try to use the first IOS image on the flash, if of course you delete all the other images, this isn’t a problem!
Command: config-register 0x2102
Step 4
Now you need to set the boot variable, I had some problems with this, I recommend you follow this procedure that worked for me.
# no boot system flash bootflash:<OLD IMAGE NAME>
# write (or copy run start)
# boot system flash bootflash:<NEW IMAGE NAME>
# write (or copy run start)
Step 5
If you don’t save the config, you don’t see the updated bootvar, this is a bit of a mind bender, as you’ll think it hasn’t changed the setting unless you save the config.
switch#show bootvar
BOOT variable = bootflash:cat4500e-ipbase-mz.122-53.SG2.bin,1;
CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x102 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)
Standby BOOT variable = bootflash:cat4500e-ipbase-mz.122-53.SG2.bin,1;
Standby CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
Standby BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Standby Configuration register is 0x102 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)
after the changes should look like this:
BOOT variable = bootflash:cat4500e-entservicesk9-mz.122-53.SG2.bin,1;
CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Configuration register is 0x102 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)
Standby BOOT variable = bootflash:cat4500e-entservicesk9-mz.122-53.SG2.bin,1;
Standby CONFIG_FILE variable does not exist
Standby BOOTLDR variable does not exist
Standby Configuration register is 0x102 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)
Step 6
Once you are happy you are going to boot off the correct IOS you need to reload the switch.
# reload
NOTE: if you have a reundant supervisor blade you can follow this:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12.2/20ew/configuration/guide/RPR.html
Otherwise you might find that the supervisor kicks in and doesn’t upgrade. Alternatively you can reload the standby from the command prompt: redundancy reload peer
Step 7
Once reloaded, check you are all good with these commands, look to ensure that the new IOS image is being used:
# show version
and
# show module