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ERROR ERASING CISCO 2621XM NVRAM

I have a problem with erasing the NVRAM on a CISCO 2621XM


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Router#sh vers
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C2600 Software (C2600-IS3X-M), Version 12.3(16), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc4)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2005 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Tue 23-Aug-05 17:44 by ssearch
Image text-base: 0x80008098, data-base: 0x8184F27C

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.2(7r) [cmong 7r], RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
ROM: C2600 Software (C2600-IS3X-M), Version 12.3(16), RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc4)

Router uptime is 31 minutes
System returned to ROM by reload
System image file is "flash:c2600-is3x-mz.123-16.bin"

cisco 2621XM (MPC860P) processor (revision 0x100) with 94208K/4096K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID JAD07150PTU (1031150207)
M860 processor: part number 5, mask 2
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
2 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)
         
Configuration register is 0x2102


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Router#test mem
Testing NVRAM card will remove all files! Continue [y/n] ? y

Warning: This test will result in the loss of the NVRAM configuration!
Continue [y/n] ?
Passed
Router#
*Mar  1 00:32:38.619: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
*Mar  1 00:32:38.667: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
*Mar  1 00:32:38.715: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram


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Router#dir all
Directory of system:/

   10  drwx           0                    <no date>  its
    2  dr-x           0                    <no date>  memory
    1  -rw-         622                    <no date>  running-config
    9  dr-x           0                    <no date>  vfiles

No space information available
Directory of nvram:/

%Error opening nvram:/ (Bad file number)

No space information available
Directory of flash:/

    1  -rw-    14962944   Nov 3 2006 13:40:24 +00:00  c2600-is3x-mz.123-16.bin

16252924 bytes total (1289916 bytes free)
Router#
*Mar  1 00:25:03.247: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
*Mar  1 00:25:03.299: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram

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Router#sh file systems
File Systems:

     Size(b)     Free(b)      Type  Flags  Prefixes
           -           -    opaque     rw   system:
           -           -     nvram     rw   nvram:
           -           -    opaque     rw   null:
           -           -    opaque     ro   xmodem:
           -           -    opaque     ro   ymodem:
           -           -   network     rw   tftp:
*   16252924     1289916     flash     rw   flash:
           -           -   network     rw   rcp:
           -           -   network     rw   pram:
           -           -   network     rw   ftp:
           -           -    opaque     ro   cns:

Router#
*Mar  1 00:25:15.307: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
*Mar  1 00:25:15.359: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram

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Router#write erase
Erasing the nvram filesystem will remove all configuration files! Continue? [confirm]
%Error erasing nvram: (Invalid argument)
Router#
*Mar  1 00:36:12.711: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
*Mar  1 00:36:12.759: %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initialize the geometry of nvram
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SysExpert
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Is it possible that you have bad NVRAM ?

Is this onboard or a plug in card ?

I would call your Cisco Rep if you are under any Maint. Agreement to get this repaired.

I hope this helps !
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e_stavrakakis

ASKER

I think there is no question of NVRAM problem since it used to operate properly
The NVRAM is on board and I believe it has to do with it getting full from a big startup-configuration file and therefore compromising the filesystem structure.

Any suggestions?
If I remember correctly, your should be able to do a system reset that loads the default configuration from ROM into NVRAM.
It is possible that the unit will require repair, since NVRAM is pretty critical.

Can you try to use an external NVRAM if the internal becomes unusable ?

I hope this helps !
Do you remember how...... ?

No thats not an option on an 2621XM

Unfortunately no, but I would check cisco's site, and maybe someone else will jump in and help.

You might post a link to this qustion in the Networking topic also.

I hope this helps !
How do i post a link to this question in the networking topic?

just copy and paste link location or .....?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Hi you've got a 16MB image running and have run out of flash memory.  You need to delete some files so can get it and do what you want.  Cisco recommends that you need to delete around 2k.  See output:

1. %SYS-4-NV_BLOCK_INITFAIL: Unable to initalize the geometry of nvram
The software failed to initialize the NVRAM block geometry, which is a part of the NVRAM used to host nonconfiguration data files. Typically, these files are used by SNMP to store and retrieve nonconfiguration persistent data across a system reload. This failure may occur when the entire NVRAM is packed with the configuration, and the version of software that supports this feature could not find the minimum room in the NVRAM to initialize the block file system.

Recommended Action: Reduce the configurations in the NVRAM by at least by 2K.

Related documents- No specific documents apply to this error message.

Regards
Mohawk1