I have a Dell PC2824 managed switch.
When first powered up, it runs in unmanaged mode, though the fan and
manage mode lights blink as if it's trying to configure itself.
With a telnet app, connected to a PC via the switch Com port, I see the
following -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
------ Performing the Power-On Self Test (POST) ------
UART Channel Loopback Test........................PASS
Testing the System SDRAM..........................PASS
Boot1 Checksum Test...............................PASS
Boot2 Checksum Test...............................PASS
Flash Image Validation Test.......................PASS
BOOT Software Version 1.0.0.13 Built 17-Jul-2012 08:47:13
Board Type - PowerConnect 2824
PowerConnect 2824 board based on FireFox 88E6218 ARM946E-S processor
64 MByte SDRAM. I-Cache 8 KB. D-Cache 8 KB. Cache Enabled.
MAC Address : d0:67:e5:96:5f:0a.
Autoboot in 2 seconds - press RETURN or Esc. to abort and enter prom.
Preparing to decompress...
FAIL !!! Check image for valid file.
Switching to the second image ...
Preparing to decompress...
FAIL !!! Check image for valid file.
Both images are not valid ...
Please download a new image.
Downloading code using XMODEM.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
The CLI screen stays like this for about five minutes, until the download
routine times out, then the switch does a warm boot and repeats the
process.
Unlike other managed switches I have, the POST does not complete. Because
of this, the mode switch will not allow me to change between unmanaged
and managed mode - so it would be impossible to access the Web interface.
Similarly, becuase the POST routine does not complete, I cannot issue CLI
commands (I never get the console> prompt.
There is the prom option within 2 seconds of start-up. This also offers a
download software option.
The prompt text above seems to indicate that the switch FW is bad and
needs reloading.
I have set up a Solarwinds TFTP server on the PC which I am running
Hyperterminal or PuTTY on. Tghis points to a TFTP root folder which does
contain the two latest firmware files -
powerconnect_28xx_boot-10013.rfb
and
powerconnect_28xx-10045.ros
With the TFTP server running, I would expect the PC2824 to collect the
firmware and download/install it - but nothing seems to be happening.
If I try to "push" the FW over TFTP from Hyperterminal, it sees the files
and attempts to upload to the switch, but after 10 attempts which are
reported as "Received a retry request" it times out.
This whole scenario is not covered by ther PC2824 documentation or CLI
commands - all of which assume that either CLI or Web configuration is
working normally.
There are no options in the PC2824 POST menu that allow me to tell the
switch from where it should download via TFTP the config files.
Neither does the documentation explain which of the two files are for
which purpose or in which order they should be reloaded.
Therefore I seem to be stuck in a loop in which I cannot talk to the
switch to enable me to interrogate it to see what config files may already
exist, or to reinstall and re set the switch.
Also, the reset password option under POST boot options as shown in the
CLI documentation is missing from my switch menu.
The manual also refers to a special Dell set up wizard routine for the
first time the switch is configured, but I don't know how to invoke this
on a switch that presumably has already been configured.
Any suggestions as to how to give this switch a first-birthday and get it
working in managed mode again? None of the Dell documentation instructions are usable because there is no CLI prompt, no managed mode state (and thus no Web interface) and no hardware reset button.
I've been working on this for two days withourt success, so I'd appreciate any pointers that anyone may be able to offer...
Best regards,
Adrian Redmond
Channel 6 Television Denmark
teknikATchannel6DOTdk