PowerConnect 2824 configuration access issues

Question

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........................PASSTesting the System SDRAM..........................PASSBoot1 Checksum Test...............................PASSBoot2 Checksum Test...............................PASSFlash Image Validation Test.......................PASSBOOT Software Version 1.0.0.13 Built  17-Jul-2012  08:47:13Board Type - PowerConnect 2824PowerConnect 2824 board based on FireFox 88E6218 ARM946E-S processor64 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.rfbandpowerconnect_28xx-10045.rosWith 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

channel6 · Answer

Thanks Daniel - I have never tried this before, so I am unsure as to how one performs the XMODEM method (In my niaivety, i thought the XMODEM method was a setting to be used when using TFTP - which I haven't tried before either.

Can you walk me through this - what software/harware do I need and how is it done?

Many thanks!

channel6 · Answer

As I described in my original post, this switch never completes the POST to the stage where there is a console> prompt, (see description of CLI daialogue from switch) therefore the instructions described in the Dell documentation for XMODEM cannot be followed.

Any other suggestions welcome... :)

channel6 · Answer

Within a few seconds of being powered up, the PC2824 POST aborts due to lack of a valid configuration file and the unit automatically starts "downloading using XMODEM" - but how does it know where to download from?

If I have Hypertermnal open to follow the switch POST attempt, it will not accept keyboard entries. On the other hand, PuTTY will allow keyboard entried, but the utility does not inlcude any settings for an XMODEM transfer (whatever that is).

Hyperterminal does have such an option, but attempts to send the .ros file using XMODEM fail, because the switch sends a "retry request" - presumably because the switch is alreayd busy with the impossible XMODEM transfer that it has already invoked.

If I try to monitor the switch with PuTTY and send the config fille via XMODEM via Hyperterminal, the utility responds that the switch is already busy with another connection, which must be closed first.

It appears that the PC2824 invokes an XMODEM transfer which cannot succeed, but in doing so blocks the possibility of communicating with the switch by any utility than can send - because the switch is busy.

Any suggestions on how to break this loop?

thanks in hope!

channel6 · Answer

Hi - thanks for your prompt reply - however this procedure - from the Dell FW documentation doesn't work - because once the switch initiates an XMODEM download, it will not allow hyperterminal to send, it just keeps requesting retries then timing out - that was the point in my earlier post today - that the procedure doesn't seem to work.

I cannot get hyperterminal to allow me to enter keystrokes (nothing happens) - I can see the CLI test from the switch but Esc or Enter doesn't work. (I can get this to work using PuTTY, so maybe my Hyperterminal is set up wrong?) But PuTTY doesn't have the ability to send XMODEM, and I cannot have both open at once.

Please let me know if you don't understand the problem I am dealing with, because I have already attempted the documented instructions. Thanks!

channel6 · Answer

Thanks - I have downloaded TeraTerm and it's running now - seems to be downloading properly - but will take about 90 minutes more... stay tuned...

channel6 · Answer

I have sent the file powerconnect_28xx-10045.ros to the PC2824 via XMODEM twice, each time the switch completes the download and then performs a warm reset - when it starts again, the status is exactly the same as before - configuration files missing - then automatically goes into download via XMODEM mode again. I have also tried to power the switch off and restart - same problem.

Any more suggestions from Dell?

channel6 · Answer

Thanks Daniel for guiding me forward, I have finally crack this. The secret with TeraTerm is to use the "Transfer" option rather than the "file send" option, this works. Now I have a running PC2824.

I've had some trouble with configuring managed switches before - and pardon me for saying it, but the documentation is pretty poor, as it has never covered the issues I have run in to. Also the CLI section of switch manuals leaves much to be desired (IMHO). I am used to working with hierarchical menus on many items of IT and television production gear, and it's hard to get a handle on the CLI structure from the documentation provided. Please consider improving this - especially for the benefit of those who don't configure Dell switches every day :)

But thanks for your help

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