Cisco 7961 phone stuck in "upgrading" reboot loop.
We have a Cisco UC520 phone system and a number of 7962 phones, all working fine. After two phones failed recently we wanted to replace them with 7961s, one of which was previously used on a non-Cisco VoIP system and the other of which was unused.
The previously unused phone connected successfully to the UC520, however the one that had been reset boots then displays its IP address, "Upgrading", and the file name "term61.default" for a short while before starting the loop again.
I have downloaded and installed (by dragging and dropping the zip file in CCA) the latest phone firmware (https://software.cisco.com/download/release.html?mdfid=279251499&flowid=46206&softwareid=282074289&release=9.4(2)&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest).
I have also followed this guide to check the existence of the phone load files and all seems ok (although the XMLDefault7961.cnf.xml file appears to be blank):
https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/10818466/uc520-phone-loads-spa50x
After I added this phone load (there was none present previously for the 7961) the working 7961 does not upgrade (but continues to work fine) and the other one just reboots in a loop as before.
How can I make the 7961 function normally? Thanks in advance,
The previously unused phone connected successfully to the UC520, however the one that had been reset boots then displays its IP address, "Upgrading", and the file name "term61.default" for a short while before starting the loop again.
I have downloaded and installed (by dragging and dropping the zip file in CCA) the latest phone firmware (https://software.cisco.com/download/release.html?mdfid=279251499&flowid=46206&softwareid=282074289&release=9.4(2)&relind=AVAILABLE&rellifecycle=&reltype=latest).
I have also followed this guide to check the existence of the phone load files and all seems ok (although the XMLDefault7961.cnf.xml file appears to be blank):
https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/10818466/uc520-phone-loads-spa50x
After I added this phone load (there was none present previously for the 7961) the working 7961 does not upgrade (but continues to work fine) and the other one just reboots in a loop as before.
How can I make the 7961 function normally? Thanks in advance,
sr75
How old is the phone? sometimes the firmware version needs to be stepped up to the latest and greatest. Especially if it is an older SIP model (which I am assuming is the case with the phone that connected to a non-cisco phone system) that doesn't have the correct version of the universal boot loader to switch the phone to the SCCP firmware. You would need to install a newer version (from the current version) of the SIP firmware (to get a good universal boot loader) and then switch to the SCCP firmware that the UC530 is using.
ASKER
Can't be certain how old the phone is, I'd say around 2009 most likely though.
So I need to go through some older versions of the firmware to get to the latest one? I did actually already try v8.5 (as that was the same version that our 7962s use, as I wasn't sure if the UC520 would support a later version) with the same result. I'll try an older version and see what happens, and also try SIP firmware as well as the SCCP version. Thanks, will post back with results.
So I need to go through some older versions of the firmware to get to the latest one? I did actually already try v8.5 (as that was the same version that our 7962s use, as I wasn't sure if the UC520 would support a later version) with the same result. I'll try an older version and see what happens, and also try SIP firmware as well as the SCCP version. Thanks, will post back with results.
Its been awhile since I had to do a sip to sccp conversion. but I believe the phone will tell you that it is using SIP when it boots up. newer firmware phones have the universal boot loader that it seamlessly converts from SIP to SCCP and vice versa.
ASKER
None of the SCCP versions (one of each - 7,8,9) I have tried work. The SIP versions don't appear to support the drag and drop into CCA feature, so will I need to copy the files manually into the UC520?
Also, is there a way to tell which boot loader is installed?
Also, is there a way to tell which boot loader is installed?
ASKER
Just tried the latest SIP firmware but no luck. Also the working phone does not get the SIP firmware so I suspect I have something wrong in general which is preventing the phone load from taking. I also followed this to no avail:
http://www.firewall.cx/cisco-technical-knowledgebase/cisco-voice/930-cisco-phone-upgrade.html
How should I troubleshoot further? Thanks.
http://www.firewall.cx/cisco-technical-knowledgebase/cisco-voice/930-cisco-phone-upgrade.html
How should I troubleshoot further? Thanks.
if it is older, it cannot be the latest. you have to step the firmware upgrade up.
basically like 8.1.0 goes to 8.1.5, that thengoes to 8.2.3, then goes to 8.2.9, then to 8.3.1, finally going to latest and greatest.
basically like 8.1.0 goes to 8.1.5, that thengoes to 8.2.3, then goes to 8.2.9, then to 8.3.1, finally going to latest and greatest.
ASKER
So should I try an old SIP firmware first or SCCP? Should I start from the oldest available?
old SIP that is newer than the current version on the phone (that is if it is SIP)
ASKER
How can I tell what version is currently on the phone if it doesn't boot?
ASKER
I have successfully managed to upgrade the "good" 7961 to the latest SCCP firmware by first loading 8-5-2, then 9-4-2-1. I then (manually, as the drag and drop doesn't seem to work for SIP firmware) set the UC520 to load SIP firmware 8-5-2 (the two phones were purchased together and the "good" one had SSCP 8-0-3 originally, so 8-5-2 should be a later version). This worked ok (phone displays "unprovisioned" but the correct SIP firmware version), so proves that the UC520 is set up to correctly upload the firmware.
The "bad" phone has always behaved in exactly the same way, irrespective of which firmware is set to load. It displays its (correct, DHCP) IP address, the word "Upgrading" and the file name "term61.default" followed by "OK". This remains for a minute or two, then it reboots - displaying the Cisco logo for a couple of minutes before looping.
Is there anything else I can do to resurrect this phone? Thanks.
The "bad" phone has always behaved in exactly the same way, irrespective of which firmware is set to load. It displays its (correct, DHCP) IP address, the word "Upgrading" and the file name "term61.default" followed by "OK". This remains for a minute or two, then it reboots - displaying the Cisco logo for a couple of minutes before looping.
Is there anything else I can do to resurrect this phone? Thanks.
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ASKER
Yes, several times. Sorry, I wasn't clear on that - the phone originally booted up ok but was configured to use an Asterisk system (I think), so I factory reset it. From that point on it behaved as described above. I reset it a couple more times afterwards as well, no dice.
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ASKER
I subsequently had to downgrade the 7961 phones to 8-5-4 (this matches the running version on our 7962 phones) in order to make them fully compatible with the UC520, but this went fine and as expected.
ASKER
Helpful comments from expert, but eventually solved problem myself.