Booting from the default flash or configuration file

Procedure
  1. To boot the switch from the default flash (primary or secondary) image, use the boot command.

    This command allows a boot sequence that includes the complete set of self-tests.

    The switch is booted either from the flash (primary or secondary) that you are currently booted on or from the flash image that was set by the boot set-default command or by the last executed boot system flash <primary | secondary> command. You can select which image to boot from during the boot process itself (you are prompted with a message which will indicate the flash being booted from). When using redundant management, the switch will fail over to the standby management module.
  2. To boot from a configuration file, use the boot config <filename> command.

    This command allows a boot sequence that includes the complete set of self-tests.

The following example shows the Boot command (default Primary flash) with redundant management 
switch(config)# boot
This management module will now reboot from primary image
and will become the standby module! You will need to use
the other management module's console interface.
Do you want to continue [y/n]? y

Do you want to save current configuration [y/n]? n

In the above example, typing either a ‘y’ or ‘n’ at the second prompt initiates the reboot operation. (Entering ‘y’ saves any configuration changes from the running-config file to the startup-config file; entering ‘n’ discards them.)

The following example shows the Boot command booting from a different flash than the current flash (with redundant management module present) 

switch(config)# show flash
Image Size(Bytes) Date Version
Primary Image : 7497114 03/29/10 K.15.01.0001
Secondary Image : 7497114 03/29/10 K.15.01.0001
Boot Rom Version: K.15.08
Default Boot : Primary


switch(config)# boot set-default flash secondary
This command changes the location of the default boot.
This command will change the default flash image to boot from 
secondary. Hereafter, 'reload' 'boot' commands will boot from
secondary. Do you want to continue [y/n]? y

switch(config)# boot
This management module will now reboot from secondary image
and will become the standby module! You will need to use the
other management module's console interface.
Do you want to continue [y/n]? n