Incomplete install causing boot issues

Got a 1600, which was running 9.4.7, but an admin forgot the password, so we attempted to do a clean install using a USB CD but the install process hung on the below:

AREN Initializing Arena. DEVI Initializing Devices. CPU type 0x29006: 200MHz Total memory: 0x4000000 bytes (64MB)

Total memory used by CFE: 0x83D00000 - 0x83F354C0 (2315456) Initialized Data: 0x83D31100 - 0x83D32CF0 (7152) BSS Area: 0x83D32CF0 - 0x83D334C0 (2000) Local Heap: 0x83D334C0 - 0x83F334C0 (2097152) Stack Area: 0x83F334C0 - 0x83F354C0 (8192) Text (code) segment: 0x83D00000 - 0x83D30AB0 (199344) Boot area (physical): 0x03CBF000 - 0x03CFF000 Relocation Factor: I:E4100000 - D:E4100000 ENVI

CFE

Press Ctrl-c to stop autoboot: [1] Loader:elf Filesys:raw Dev:flash1.recovery File:x Options:(null) Loading: 0x80001000/4889219 0x804aaa83/264077 Entry at 0x80289000 Starting program at 0x80289000

RUN! C102

--- Press ( for Command Menu.

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒cL▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒▒▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒c▒▒D▒cćD

now whether we try an load up the system with the USB CD attached or without, all we get is the above.

Can anyone advise on a work around please.

Thanks

Adel

13 Replies

boneyard
MVP
Feb 09, 2015
did you have the correct baud rate? it is kinda different for F5, 19200 instead of the usual 9600.
Adel_N_114257
Nimbostratus
Feb 09, 2015
yes. baud rate set to 19200, on the f5 appliance and also on putty and also on windows device manager, so consistent across the board.

that's why it's confusing as the first half of the load screen comes up correct but then it turns into junk.
boneyard
MVP
Feb 09, 2015
it could be the hardware is just broken then, go for a rma.
Christopher_Boo
Cirrostratus
Feb 09, 2015
Sounds like something is hosed on the compact flash. I think a couple of the replies at the link below might be helpful. Also are you wiping the flash and disk prior to install?

link text
StephanManthey
MVP
Feb 09, 2015
Hi Adel ,
this one is the only BIG-IP you currently have?
If you have a 2nd one you can use it to build a bootable USB stick. Have a copy of the base installation image i.e. in /var/tmp/.
Now follow these steps, please:
mkdir /mnt/cdrom/ cd /var/tmp/ mount -o loop /var/tmp/ /mnt/cdrom/ cd /mnt/cdrom/ ./mkdisk

From here you can select the H/W platform the image should be used for (different boot loaders in use depending on hardware generation).
You really want to install v9? It´s end of life and for production it would make sense to get at least to v10.2.4, better a v11 version.
Btw, there is a way to reset the current passphrase from single user mode. Just check these solutions please:
http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/4000/100/sol4178.html

http://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/solutions/public/3000/300/sol3350.html

Thanks, Stephan
Adel_N_114257
Nimbostratus
Feb 11, 2015
Thanks for all you help I will try that can get back to you all.

The device I am using is single unit in our test environment. We have some legacy devices in our production that are running 9.4.8 and want to upgrade them to 10.5.1. So I thought to test the process before making changes in prod.

Adel , out.
Adel_N_114257
Nimbostratus
Feb 11, 2015
So I managed to get to the root CLI via the AOM and basically the device cannot access the USB ports.

Is there a way to manually access a USB drive or boot from it?

Is there a way to manually set instructions for booting from the CD-ROM?
- StephanManthey
  MVP
  Feb 11, 2015
  I assume AOM has no access to the USB interfaces. Did you try to boot from USB thumb drive (build as described)?
- Adel_N_114257
  Nimbostratus
  Feb 24, 2015
  Hi Stephan Yes I did. If you scroll up to my initial post, that is what I get upon boot while the USB is plugged in. I have also tried this by plugging in a USB CD-ROM drive which I know is the surest way of performing a clean install but that is running into exactly the same issue. I haven't lost all hope yet, as long as i can get access to CLI, AOM and GRUB there is still hope for recovery :) I will try command mosboot from CLI and try to format the hard-drive and start from scratch.
- shaggy
  Nimbostratus
  Feb 24, 2015
  I think I've had similar issues downgrading from v10 w/ volumes to v9 w/ partitions in a test environment. Unfortunately, it was years ago - I believe diskinit bailed me out - https://support.f5.com/kb/en-us/products/big-ip_ltm/manuals/product/bigip_getting_started_guide_10_1_0/bip_gs_app_diskinit.html Looks like you're on the right path. Are you going to install v9 or v10 during the recovery process?