Cisco IOS Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Deleting Files from Flash

Problem

You want to erase files from your router’s flash.

Solution

To delete all of the files from your router’s flash memory, use the erase command:

Router1#erase slot1:
Erasing the slot1 filesystem will remove all files! Continue? [confirm] <enter>
Erasing device... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...erased
Erase of slot1: complete
Router1#

Tip

Not all router types support the erase command.

You can remove individual files from the router’s flash memory with the delete command:

Router1#delete slot1:c3620-ik9s-mz.122-13.bin
Delete filename [c3620-ik9s-mz.122-13.bin]? <enter> 
Delete slot1:c3620-ik9s-mz.122-13.bin? [confirm] <enter>
Router1#

Discussion

As we have indicated, there are two ways to delete files from flash, depending on the type of router. The difference arose because Cisco routers use three different kinds of filesystems, called Class A, Class B, and Class C. Table 1-2 shows the filesystems that Cisco’s most common routers use.

Table 1-2. Supported filesystems of common Cisco routers

Router type	Filesystem type
7000 (RSP)	Class A
7500 (RSP 2 ,4, and 8)	Class A
12000	Class A
Route Switch Module (RSM)	Class A
1600	Class B
2500	Class B
3600	Class B
4000	Class B
AS5300	Class B
AS5800	Class C
7100	Class C
7200	Class C

Table 1-3 lists some of the different filesystem commands, their meanings, and the filesystems that they work with.

Table 1-3. Filesystem commands and their meanings

Command