5-19
Switch Memory and Configuration
Using Primary and Secondary Flash Image Options
Switch Memory and
Configuration
Booting from the Current OS Version. Reload reboots the switch from
the flash image on which the switch is cu rrently running, and saves to the
startup-config file any configuration changes c urrently in the running-config
file. Because reload bypasses some subsystem self-tests, the switch reboots
faster than if you use either of the boot command options.
Syntax: reload
For example, if you change the number of VLANs the switch supports, you
must reboot the switch in order to implemen t the change. Reload automati-
cally saves your configuration changes and reboots the switch from t he same
OS you have been using:
Figure 5-14. Using Reload with Pending Configuration Changes
Operating Notes
Default Boot Source. The switch reboots from primary flash by default
unless you specify the secondary flash.
Boot Attempts from an Empty Flash Location. In this case, the switch
aborts the attempt and displays
Image does not exist
Operation aborted.
Interaction of Primary and Secondary Flash Images with the Curr ent
Configuration. The switch has one startup-config file (page 5-2), which it
always uses for reboots, regardless of whether the reboot is from primary or
secondary flash. Also, for rebooting purposes, it is not necessary for the OS
and the startup-config file to support identical software features. For example,
suppose you have just downloaded an OS upgrade that includes new features
that are not supported in the OS you used to create the current star tup-config
file. In this case, the OS simply assigns factory-default values to the parame-
ters controlling the new features. Similarly, If you create a startup-config file