Cisco ASA: Updating and Copying files from USB

KB ID 0001377

Problem

Cisco ASA firewalls have had USB sockets on them for a while, but a dig into the documentation only yielded, ‘for use in future releases’. Well they are working now!

Cisco ASA Upgrade from USB

Note: Firewall shown is a 5516-X (running version 9.8(1))

Solution

Your drive needs to be formatted as FAT (not NTFS), I’m going to update/install some AnyConnect client software, but there’s nothing to stop you uploading a new IOS or ASDM images.Cisco ASA Formatted USB

Your drive will get mounted as ‘Drive1’ (unless you have a secondary flash drive onboard already).

PetesASA(config)# show disk1
--#--  --length--  -----date/time------  path
  394  20130794    Sep 13 2017 10:52:40  anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg
  395  4096        Dec 05 2017 09:40:28  ._anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg
  396  22997589    Sep 13 2017 10:53:14  anyconnect-macos-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg
  397  4096        Dec 05 2017 09:40:36  ._anyconnect-macos-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg
  398  35122744    Sep 13 2017 10:54:12  anyconnect-win-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg
  399  4096        Dec 05 2017 09:40:46  ._anyconnect-win-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg

2004582400 bytes total (1926103040 bytes free)
PeteASA(config)#

Note: I have seen drives not get recognised like so;

Petes-ASA# Extra storage device is not supported.

Petes-ASA# show disk1

--#--  --length--  -----date/time------  path

No files in directory 

If that happens to you, you will need to reload the ASA (assuming the drive is formatted correctly) before it will be recognised.

You can then copy the files to the main flash (disk0:).

PeteASA(config)# copy disk1:/anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg disk0:

Source filename [anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg]? {Enter}

Destination filename [anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg]?{Enter}

Copy in progress...CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
INFO: No digital signature found
20130794 bytes copied in 1.560 secs (20130794 bytes/sec)
PetesASA(config)#

To prove the file is in the main ‘flash’.

PetesASA(config)# show flash
--#--  --length--  -----date/time------  path
   96  104489760   Sep 13 2017 14:11:34  asa981-lfbff-k8.SPA
   97  26916068    Sep 13 2017 14:11:54  asdm-781.bin
   98  33          Dec 05 2017 02:29:03  .boot_string
   11  4096        Sep 13 2017 14:15:24  log
   13  500         Dec 05 2017 01:59:00  log/asa-appagent.log
   21  4096        Sep 13 2017 14:16:16  crypto_archive
   22  4096        Sep 13 2017 14:16:18  coredumpinfo
   23  59          Sep 13 2017 14:16:18  coredumpinfo/coredump.cfg
   99  41848832    Nov 15 2017 07:01:54  asasfr-5500x-boot-6.2.2-3.img
  408  20130794    Dec 05 2017 02:44:59  anyconnect-linux64-4.5.01044-webdeploy-k9.pkg

7365472256 bytes total (3948736512 bytes free)

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

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Author: PeteLong

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4 Comments

  1. Your posts are spot on. I am new to firewalls (ASA 5525X w/firepower) and ASDM and I find your notes the most concise and useful out there. Thank you very much for your time and effort.
    I have many to configure and have to them manually, including sfr. Quite the pain.

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    • Thanks for the feedback 🙂

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  2. How to back up ASA and reload a cold spare with a USB Drive
    With USB drive in primary ASA:
    PuTTY into primary ASA and log into the ASA
    CLI | Elevate to enable and then Elevate to config terminal
    CLI | show disk1: to make sure it is empty
    CLI | dir to display the current directory content (should be disk0:/)
    CLI | copy running-config disk0:/
    CLI | will prompt you…
    CLI | Source filename [running-config]? PRESS ENTER
    CLI | Destination filename [running-config]? NAMEYOUWANT and PRESS ENTER
    CLI | dir and look for NAMEYOUWANT filename w/current date
    CLI | copy disk0:/NAMEYOUWANT disk1:
    CLI | Source filename [NAMEYOUWANT]? PRESS ENTER
    CLI | Destination filename [NAMEYOUWANT]? PRESS ENTER
    ———————————————————————
    also repete copy of the current ASA and ASDM software files if needed
    ———————————————————————
    CLI | show disk1: to verify all needed files are listed
    exit PuTTY session and proceed to Cold Spare update
    *********************************************************************
    Insert the USB in the Cold Spare
    Establish WebEx (on a laptop on WiFi Hotspot) connected to the Cold Spare with a console cable
    Make sure PuTTY is installed on the laptop
    Check devices on the computer to discover the COM port with ASA
    PuTTY to COM port and log into the ASA
    CLI | Elevate to enable and then Elevate to config terminal
    CLI | dir to display the current directory content (should be disk0:/)
    CLI | show disk1: for filename list to copy from USB
    CLI | copy disk1:/filename disk0:
    do the same for each file to copy
    CLI | show flash to verify successful copies
    CLI | show running-config boot system
    you will see a list of up to 4 boot files in order of selection
    CLI | no boot system disk0:/filename
    do this for each file to remove from the boot files in the sequence
    ———————————————————————–
    & another option is
    CLI | clear configure boot
    ———————————————————————–
    CLI | boot system disk0:/filename
    for first file to have in boot sequence and do this for each file to follow in order, if needed
    ———————————————————————–
    & another option is to set the file to boot with
    CLI | boot config disk0:/filename
    ———————————————————————–
    CLI | reload
    to initiate the ASA system reload (reboot)
    When the system prompts for username: it is back up, log into the ASA
    CLI | Elevate to enable and then Elevate to config terminal
    CLI | show flash
    or whatever else to verify your work

    Post a Reply
  3. This is GREAT HELP !!!

    Thanks Much !!

    Post a Reply

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