Cisco 3750E not booting in IOS

I've done it with a USB drive formated fat16 with a 512MB partition

at the switch prompt do a "flash_init" then "dir usbflash0:"

you should see the image there and then can use "boot usbflash0:<imagename>

Alternatively you can download via TFTP thru the mgmt port. Instructions are here

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/switches/lan/catalyst3750x_3560x/software/release/12.2_55_se/configuration/guide/swtrbl.html#wp1099467

Hope this helps

The unit does not have any image and won't be able to use USB at this point.

I found some rom monitor examples.
Pay attention to the lines in bold fonts

rommon 1 >confreg
Configuration Summary
enabled are:
break/abort has effect
console baud: 9600
boot: the ROM Monitor

do you wish to change the configuration? y/n [n]: Y
enable “diagnostic mode”? y/n [n]:
enable “use net in IP bcast address”? y/n [n]:
enable “load rom after netboot fails”? y/n [n]:
enable “use all zero broadcast”? y/n [n]:
disable “break/abort has effect”? y/n [n]:
enable “ignore system config info”? y/n [n]:
change console baud rate? y/n [n]: Y
enter rate: 0 = 9600, 1 = 4800, 2 = 1200, 3 = 2400
4 = 19200, 5 = 38400, 6 = 57600, 7 = 115200 [0]: 7
change the boot characteristics? y/n [n]:
Configuration Summary
enabled are:
break/abort has effect
console baud: 115200
boot: the ROM Monitor
do you wish to change the configuration? y/n [n]: N
You must reset or power cycle for new config to take effect.
rommon 2 >

Take a look at this just in case.
I'm not sure if that's how you were loading the IOS, but like I said "Just in case"

rommon 1> IP_ADDRESS=172.16.1.32

rommon 2> IP_SUBNET_MASK=255.255.255.0

rommon 3> DEFAULT_GATEWAY=172.16.1.254

rommon 4> TFTP_SERVER=172.16.1.200

rommon 5> TFTP_FILE=/IOS/c2600-j1s3-mz.123-26.bin

rommon 6> tftpdnld


Note:
/IOS/c2600-j1s3-mz.123-26.bin
/IOS/ is a sub folder in the TFTP Root folder.
c2600-j1s3-mz.123-26.bin is the IOS Image

in the last post, what gateway am i using, is this just a bogus gateway i am adding? reason i ask is because the switch of off the network altogether.

also following the instructions in the link above:


the ip_address is that of the tftp server correct?

filesystem: is really flash:?

do i leave source-file-url as is or is that a spcific path?


switch: copy tftp://ip_address/filesystem:/source-file-url flash:image_filename.bin

I used my network addresses as example.

you can use the complete string also,
I gave you a simpler step by step procedure.

The procedure assigns an IP address on the switch temporarily just for tftp transmission.
IP Address: 172.16.1.32
Subnet: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 172.16.1.254

You then continue by telling the switch what its option 150 is (TFTP)
172.16.1.200



You then tell the switch what file to get from the tftp server

on the PC i would give it an ip address on the same network, mask and the gateway for the PC would be 172.16.1.254, correct?

i will give this all a shot first thing in the morning when i get to the office and let you know how it turns out.  thank you.

Not really

Do an ipconfig on your computer and tell me what your ip address, subnet and gateway are.
I am assuming the PC you are using to connect to the switch is the same one running tftp service.

Is the switch connected to the network (eg to another switch with a cross over cable)?

the switch is a standalone switch and is currently not connected at all, all the ports are not lit, there is no activity. i was under the impression that the settings you provided would help the pc i am using as the tftp server would need an ip address on the same network that the mngmt port is on so they can communicate?

That's okay

Connect an ethernet cable between the switch and your computer.
 Assign IP Address to the NIC of your computer

the baud rate was increased and i was able to copy the file within 30 minutes, will remember that for the next time. i was able to boot the new ios after i uploaded it, thank you.

You're welcome