Cisco IOS Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Loading a New IOS Image

Problem

You want to upgrade the IOS image that your router uses.

Solution

The copy tftp command allows you to use TFTP to download a new IOS version into the router’s flash memory:

Router1#copy tftp://172.25.1.1/c2600-ik9o3s-mz.122-12a.bin flash:
Destination filename [c2600-ik9o3s-mz.122-12a.bin]? <enter>
Accessing tftp://172.25.1.1/c2600-ik9o3s-mz.122-12a.bin...
Erase flash: before copying? [confirm] <enter>
Erasing the flash filesystem will remove all files! Continue? [confirm] <enter>
Erasing device... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...erased
Erase of flash: complete
Loading c2600-ik9o3s-mz.122-12a.bin from 172.25.1.1 (via FastEthernet0/0.1): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 11135588 bytes]

Verifying checksum...  OK (0xE643)
11135588 bytes copied in 82.236 secs (135410 bytes/sec)
Router1# reload
Proceed with reload? [confirm]<enter>

Discussion

Sooner or later you will need to upgrade your router’s IOS image. Common reasons for upgrading the IOS include new features, bug fixes, and security vulnerabilities. Before you attempt to upgrade your IOS, you should save a backup copy of your current IOS to your TFTP server, as discussed in Recipe 1.9.

You should ...