WS-12-250A, hardware/firmware issues

[josh]

Just pulled a new WS-12-250A out of the box. This one had 2 screws rattling around on the inside :/ Not as many as last time (same model, 12-250A), but still..

Anywho, after breaking the seal and replacing the screws, I booted up the switch.

The switch came up fine, so I went and did a firmware flash to 1.1.8 from... whatever it came with. Flashed okay, logged in. Did a "factory default" to just clear up any older config issues (may not be required, but just to be safe)...

I guess this was a bad idea.

Since then, I can access web/ssh, but it won't let me login at all. Console is also spewing... garbage, but it may be the console cable (even though I've tried 2, and two different adapters).

So basically I have a brand new switch I can't get into. I'm trying a second - boot while reset, and still getting "Garbage" in the cli (it doesn't look like speed/flow/settings mismatch, using 115200/8n1).

[josh]

I would love a way to TFTP an older firmware :/ or boot into a backup (older) firmware image.

[sirhc]

Just pulled a new WS-12-250A out of the box. This one had 2 screws rattling around on the inside :/ Not as many as last time (same model, 12-250A), but still..

We have addressed the lose screw issue since your first reported case.
We now use torque guns on the line set to a harder level but since all your switches came from the same batch this is a possibility (repeat issue that is) all we can do is try and prevent this in the future batches but the switches that were built and already shipped there was nothing we could do to fix this, sorry.
We did fire one girl over this lose screw issue and reduced the pay of another.

The switch came up fine, so I went and did a firmware flash to 1.1.8 from... whatever it came with. Flashed okay, logged in. Did a "factory default" to just clear up any older config issues (may not be required, but just to be safe)...

I guess this was a bad idea.

Since then, I can access web/ssh, but it won't let me login at all. Console is also spewing... garbage, but it may be the console cable (even though I've tried 2, and two different adapters).

So basically I have a brand new switch I can't get into. I'm trying a second - boot while reset, and still getting "Garbage" in the cli (it doesn't look like speed/flow/settings mismatch, using 115200/8n1).

Yes please try the default where you hold in the default button for 20 seconds while you power it on and let me know. Sometimes the flash chip has a bad block and the best way to fix this is the default button on power on which forces the boot loader to reformat the JFFS2 partition used to write the config and any other files.

Sadly some flash chips are not perfect even though we pay extra for what is supposed to be an error free flash chip. WHen there is a bad block most times Linux's JFFS2 file system deals with it properly but on rare occasions it does not.

But in the end if the switch is bad Josh you know we will make good on this. So far we have issued 7 RMAs which is not to bad but there is bound to me more, it happens.

[josh]

I've already done that twice, but I'll try again; this time for 20 seconds instead of 10.

[josh]

Chris, I just tried this again, still getting garbage (I am seeing SOME Asian characters?!) output via CLI.

3rd time reset-while-boot, this time for ~25 seconds. The first two were ~ 10 seconds.

No change :( Cannot get into switch via cli or gui.

Note: The "garbage characters" coming out of the CLI is *constant*, it never stops. I let the switch set for ~ 10 minutes after I could ping it and it still is just vomiting

[sirhc]

So you're able to ping the switch?

The UI and CLI are non functional?

The console is non functional?

[sirhc]

I would love a way to TFTP an older firmware :/ or boot into a backup (older) firmware image.

There is an emergency way to recover a switch of a secondary partition on the Flash, I will ask Eric to post the instructions in this thread.

[josh]

So you're able to ping the switch?

The UI and CLI are non functional?

The console is non functional?

I am able to ping the switch on it's default IP.

I can reach the https/ssh logins, but default credentials fail. Console spews a constant stream of data, it doesn't look like a settings mismatch, otherwise eventually the characters would stop with a login prompt (it would just be garbled).

[josh]

Sidnote: I hope somebody is NOT able to re-create this issue (ie: that i'm the only one, and this is a hardware failure or fluke), or if they can quickly post a fix/patch :)

[sirhc]

Now when you do the 20 second default button while powering it on you did let it set for about 4 minutes before doing anything with the switch?

It takes about 4 minutes for the switch to reformat the jffs2 partition, if you disturb it during this period it will corrupt the flash partition where the config reside and could act like this.

It is very important to let it sit for that 4 minute +/- period.