Looking for boot roms code and upgrade help for a Cisco 2501 router

[Jwalling]

Hello all, I'm looking for newer code than the 5.2(5) that is currently
installed in our old Cisco 2501 router. Does anybody have the binary files
necessary for me to burn some newer roms? (we have our own programmer.)
I've had no luck navigating Cisco's web site even after registering for
access - perhaps this kind of support is no longer available for this old
a product?

Also, we are attempting to upgrade the SIMM memory from 4MB to 16MB,
however, the router does not seem to see the larger size. I know that it
requires 72 pin page mode parity DRAM and it currently "sees" the 4MB
installed. We have an assortment of 8MB and 16MB page mode parity DRAM,
but it only "sees" 4MB when a 8MB SIMM is installed; and 1MB when a 16MB
SIMM is installed. Could this be due to the revision of the boot rom code,
or indicative of a hardware failure? I have checked the multiplexed
address line A10 (the difference between a 4MB and a 16MB module) on the
SIMM module socket with a 'scope, and it appears to operate correctly
during the memory sizing test when first powered up. This leads me to
wonder whether the boot rom version 5.2(5) supports 16MB modules. Does
anyone know?

Well, thanks for reading this, and thanks to anyone that can shed some
light.


Please remove the SPAM if replying by email.

Best Regards,

Jay Walling
Diagnostic Engineer
[email protected]
Comark Corporation
93 West St.
Medfield, MA 02052
http://www.comarkcorp.com

 

[Mike Berger]

That's a pretty ancient version of IOS. The upgrade isn't free, and the cost
will depend on which feature set you need.

You can get access to the Cisco cco facilities by purchasing a SmartNet
contract on anything.

Cisco routers are very particular about the memory they support, and only
certain types work reliably. Also, don't forget that you'll need enough flash

memory to support the new load, not just RAM to run it.

 

[Doug McIntyre]

Hello all, I'm looking for newer code than the 5.2(5) that is currently
installed in our old Cisco 2501 router. Does anybody have the binary files
necessary for me to burn some newer roms? (we have our own programmer.)
I've had no luck navigating Cisco's web site even after registering for
access - perhaps this kind of support is no longer available for this old
a product?

Thats a newer version of code for the 2500 platform, most of mine are
in 4.x era.

Many of my ancient 2500's do have 16M of RAM, with 4.x of the boot
ROM, don't think its that.

Also, we are attempting to upgrade the SIMM memory from 4MB to 16MB,
however, the router does not seem to see the larger size. I know that it
requires 72 pin page mode parity DRAM and it currently "sees" the 4MB
installed. We have an assortment of 8MB and 16MB page mode parity DRAM,
but it only "sees" 4MB when a 8MB SIMM is installed; and 1MB when a 16MB
SIMM is installed. Could this be due to the revision of the boot rom code,
or indicative of a hardware failure? I have checked the multiplexed
address line A10 (the difference between a 4MB and a 16MB module) on the
SIMM module socket with a 'scope, and it appears to operate correctly
during the memory sizing test when first powered up. This leads me to
wonder whether the boot rom version 5.2(5) supports 16MB modules. Does
anyone know?

You have to be real careful with 8M SIMM's, they need to be a certain
type (double-page seems to be stuck in my head about what kind), not
just any old memory works in the Cisco's, you do have to match them up
pretty well over all. I don't remember having many problems with the
16M SIMMs, but I'd expect problems with the 8M SIMM's unless you are
sure you have the right one.

The main issues with BOOT ROM versions have to do with what Flash they
can write to. Many older ones don't know about the newer chips and
only operate in read-only mode until you upgrade the boot ROM. I never
had any issues with any rev boot ROM and putting DRAM in the box.

I guess I'd expect that behavior from a single-page mode 8M SIMM for
the 2500 platform, and you possibly might have a bad 16M SIMM. A new
guaranteed 16M SIMM for the 2500 platform is $22 at MemoryX though.

On eBay one finds all sorts of boot ROM upgrade kits. Just sending you
the code image might be a little on the gray side of copyright issue
(anyway, all my images seem to be older than what you have, but I do
have some pretty old 2500's in general). At $6 to $10 on eBay though,
you could try out a wide variety..

 

[Clint Sharp]

Also, we are attempting to upgrade the SIMM memory from 4MB to 16MB,
however, the router does not seem to see the larger size. I know that it
requires 72 pin page mode parity DRAM and it currently "sees" the 4MB
installed. We have an assortment of 8MB and 16MB page mode parity DRAM,
but it only "sees" 4MB when a 8MB SIMM is installed; and 1MB when a 16MB
SIMM is installed. Could this be due to the revision of the boot rom code,
or indicative of a hardware failure? I have checked the multiplexed
address line A10 (the difference between a 4MB and a 16MB module) on the
SIMM module socket with a 'scope, and it appears to operate correctly
during the memory sizing test when first powered up. This leads me to
wonder whether the boot rom version 5.2(5) supports 16MB modules. Does
anyone know?

Not sure if this is the problem with the memory, but you can provide an
'ID' code for a system to read by setting a combination of four shorting
links, you might want to see if they need changing on your modules?

 

[Jwalling]

Not sure if this is the problem with the memory, but you can provide an
'ID' code for a system to read by setting a combination of four shorting
links, you might want to see if they need changing on your modules?

Nail, Hammer, Head, Clint my friend. I spent a bit of time at
www.jedec.org and registered (for free) to access their specifications.
Under MODULE4_4_2 JEDEC Standard No. 21–C outlines the "presence detect"
(PD) signals that are connected to pins 67-70 of the SIMM module. I took
the 16MB SIMM module that was showing up as a 1MB device, and checking
continuity to ground found that all the PD signals were left open by the
manufacturer (identifying itself incorrectly as a 8MB 60ns. device when in
fact it is a 16MB 60ns device). I then tied PD0 (pin 67) to ground where
the 0 ohm resistor shunt should have been. Success! Now it comes up as a
16MB module. Thanks a million. My thanks to Doug and Mike who also helped
in this thread as well.

If anyone is interested the manufacturer of the SIMM is Kamel Peripherals,
whom we've also had trouble with very recently improperly programming the
serial EEPROMs on their SDR SDRAM modules, and forcing them to run at a
lower CAS latency than the chips were specified for.

You get what you pay for, I suppose.

Now, if this thing will enable us to go to a T1 connection and switch our
voice over from Verizon, we'll be all set! I'll leave that up to our IT
guy, though...

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Jay Walling
Diagnostic Engineer
[email protected]
Comark Corporation
93 West St.
Medfield, MA 02052
http://www.comarkcorp.com