[Cisco Catalyst 2960-CX] Recovery Procedure for Web GUI

Overview

This is the recovery procedure for when the GUI becomes corrupted due to an operational mistake.
Please note that since this process involves deleting all data and reinstalling the firmware, proceed at your own risk.

Depending on the command options, it may be possible to overwrite the OS without deleting everything, but since I had messed up the directories within the switch, I performed a clean install.

Procedure

1. Download the firmware for the target device.
   Make sure to use the LAN BASE CRYPTOGRAPHIC IMAGE WITH DEVICE MANAGER (tar file).
   
    
2. Set up a TFTP server and place the tar file downloaded in step 1 into the root directory.

   [unchiman@tftp54 ~]$ ll /var/lib/tftpboot/
   total 33240
   -rw-r--r--. 1 unchiman unchiman 34037760 Dec 14 00:39 c2960cx-universalk9-tar.152-7.E13.tar
   

    
3. Log in to the Catalyst and delete all files.

   # Forcefully and recursively delete all files under flash:
   C2960CX_02#delete /force /recursive flash:
   
   # Verify (having no files is normal)
   C2960CX_02#dir
   Directory of flash:/
   
   No files in directory
   
   122185728 bytes total (122184704 bytes free)
   

    
4. Download the firmware from the TFTP server.

   # Download the firmware from the TFTP server (takes a long time)
   C2960CX_02#archive download-sw tftp://192.168.XX.XX/c2960cx-universalk9-tar.152-7.E13.tar
   
   # Verify
   C2960CX_02#dir
   Directory of flash:/
   
       3  drwx         512  Dec 14 2025 23:42:42 +09:00  c2960cx-universalk9-mz.152-7.E13
     497  drwx         512  Dec 14 2025 23:42:43 +09:00  dc_profile_dir
   
   122185728 bytes total (87904256 bytes free)
   

   Reference ①: Catalyst Switch: tar files and archive command
   https://www.infraexpert.com/study/ciscoios15.html

   Reference ②: Catalyst 2960 and 2960-S Switch Command Reference Cisco IOS Release 15.0(2)SE and Later
   https://www.cisco.com/c/ja_jp/td/docs/sw/lanswt-access/cat2960swt/cr/009/comref.html

   Use the archive download-sw privileged EXEC command to download a new image from a TFTP server to a switch or switch stack and to overwrite or keep the existing image.
   
   archive download-sw {/directory | /force-reload | /imageonly | /leave-old-sw | 
     /no-set-boot | /no-version-check | /destination-system stack-member-number | 
     /only-system-type system-type | /overwrite | /reload | /safe} source-url
   
   <omitted>
   
   Default:
     The current software image is not overwritten by the downloaded image.
     Both software image and HTML files are downloaded.
     The new image is downloaded to the flash: file system.
     The BOOT environment variable is changed to point to the new software image in the flash: file system.
     The image name is case-sensitive. The image file is provided in tar format.
     The stack protocol version compatibility of the image to be downloaded is checked against the stack version.
   

    
5. Generate the configuration file using the write memory command.

   # Save configuration
   C2960CX_02#write memory
   
   # Verify
   C2960CX_02#dir
   Directory of flash:/
   
       2  -rwx        1927  Dec 14 2025 23:44:00 +09:00  config.text
       3  drwx         512  Dec 14 2025 23:42:42 +09:00  c2960cx-universalk9-mz.152-7.E13
     497  drwx         512  Dec 14 2025 23:42:43 +09:00  dc_profile_dir
     496  -rwx        5485  Dec 14 2025 23:44:00 +09:00  private-config.text
     498  -rwx        5144  Dec 14 2025 23:44:00 +09:00  multiple-fs
   
   122185728 bytes total (87889408 bytes free)
   

    
6. Reboot and confirm that the OS version is correct.

   # Reboot
   C2960CX_02#reload
   

   # Check version
   C2960CX_02#show version
   Cisco IOS Software, C2960CX Software (C2960CX-UNIVERSALK9-M), Version 15.2(7)E13, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc3)
   Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
   Copyright (c) 1986-2025 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
   Compiled Mon 15-Sep-25 12:53 by mcpre
   

    
7. Log in to the GUI and confirm it is working without any issues.
   
    
    
   That is all.