Managing System Files

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Due to the size limit of the flash memory, the switch supports only two operation
code files. However, you can have as many diagnostic code files and configuration
files as available flash memory space allows. The switch has a total of 16 Mbytes of
flash memory for system files.
In the system flash memory, one file of each type must be set as the start-up file.
During a system boot, the diagnostic and operation code files set as the start-up file
are run, and then the start-up configuration file is loaded.
Note that configuration files should be downloaded using a file name that reflects the
contents or usage of the file settings. If you download directly to the running-config,
the system will reboot, and the settings will have to be copied from the
running-config to a permanent file.

Saving Configuration Settings

Configuration commands only modify the running configuration file and are not
saved when the switch is rebooted. To save all your configuration changes in
nonvolatile storage, you must copy the running configuration file to the start-up
configuration file using the “copy” command.
New startup configuration files must have a name specified. File names on the
switch are case-sensitive, can be from 1 to 31 characters, must not contain slashes
(\ or /), and the leading letter of the file name must not be a period (.).
(Valid characters: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, “.”, “-”, “_”)
There can be more than one user-defined configuration file saved in the switch’s
flash memory, but only one is designated as the “startup” file that is loaded when the
switch boots. The copy running-config startup-config command always sets the
new file as the startup file. To select a previously saved configuration file, use the
boot system config:<filename> command.
The maximum number of saved configuration files depends on available flash
memory, with each configuration file normally requiring less than 20 kbytes. The
amount of available flash memory can be checked by using the dir command.
To save the current configuration settings, enter the following command:
1. From the Privileged Exec mode prompt, type “copy running-config
startup-config” and press <Enter>.
2. Enter the name of the start-up file. Press <Enter>.
Console#copy running-config startup-config 4-25
Startup configuration file name []: startup
\Write to FLASH Programming.
\Write to FLASH finish.
Success.
Console#