AI2524 Router Card User’s Manual
Page 16-2 August 1997
2524UM

Booting the Router for the First Time

Each time you power on the router, it goes through this boot sequence:
1. The router goes through power-on self-test diagnostics to verify
basic operation of the CPU, m emory, and interfaces.
2. The system bootstrap software (boot image) executes and searches
for a valid Cisco IOS image (router operating system software).
The source of the Cisco IOS image (Flash memory or a Trivial File
Transfer Protocol [TFTP] server) is determined by the configura-
tion register setting. The factory-default setting for the configura
tion register is 0x2102, which indicates that the router should
attempt to load a Cisco IOS image from Flash memory.
3. If after five attempts a valid Cisco IOS image is not found i n Flash
memory, the router reverts to boot ROM mode (which is used to
install or upgrade a Cisco IOS image).
4. If a valid Cisco IOS image is found, then the router searches for a
valid configuration file.
5. If a valid configuration fil e is not f o u nd in NVRAM, the router
runs the System Configuration Dialog so you can configure it
manually. For normal rout er operation, there must b e a valid Cisco
IOS image in Flash memory an d a configuration file in NVRAM.
The first time you boot your router, you will need to configure the
router interfaces and then save the configuration to a file in NVRAM.
Proceed to the next section, Configuring the Router, for configuration
instructions.
Configuring the
Router You can configure the router using one of these procedures:
Configuration mode recommended if you are familiar with Cisco IOS
commands.
zAutoInstall-Recommended for automatic installation if anothe
router running Cisco IOS software is installed on the network.
This configuration method must be set up by someone with expe-
rience using Cisco IOS software.
zSystem Configuration Dialog-Recommended if you are not famil-
iar with Cisco IOS commands.
zUse the procedure that best fits the needs of your network config-
uration and level of Cisco IOS experience.