Switch software download rules

Downloading new switch software does not change the current switch configuration. The switch configuration is contained in separate files that can also be transferred. See copy [startup-config|running-config].

In most cases, if a power failure or other cause interrupts a flash image download, the switch reboots with the image previously stored in primary flash. In the unlikely event that the primary image is corrupted (which may occur if a download is interrupted by a power failure), the switch goes into boot ROM mode. In this case, use the boot ROM console to download a new image to primary flash.

• Switch software that you download using the menu interface always goes to primary flash.

• After a software download, reboot the switch to implement the new software. Until a reboot occurs, the switch continues to run on the software it was using before the download.