Using the Cisco IOS File System (Cisco IFS)
Cisco has created a file system called Cisco IFS that allows you to work with files and directories
just like you would from a Windows DOS prompt.
You use Cisco IFS commands pretty much the same way you use the copy command
described earlier:
For backing up the IOS
For upgrading the IOS
For viewing text files
The Cisco IFS Commands
Command Meaning
PWD Shows the working directory
show file Gives you information about a specified file or file system
dir Lets you view files in a directory (the default directory is flash:/)
copy Upgrades, restores, or backs up an IOS
more Displays the contents of a file
delete Deletes a file from a system or directory
erase/format Erases or formats a file system
CD Changes directories
MKDIR/RMDIR Creates and deletes directories
These Cisco IFS commands can get confusing. Let’s work through a few of them:
Router#pwd
flash:
Router#dir
Directory of flash:/
1 -rw- 13937472 Dec 20 2006 19:58:18 +00:00 c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin
2 -rw- 1821 Dec 20 2006 20:11:24 +00:00 sdmconfig-18xx.cfg
3 -rw- 4734464 Dec 20 2006 20:12:00 +00:00 sdm.tar
4 -rw- 833024 Dec 20 2006 20:12:24 +00:00 es.tar
5 -rw- 1052160 Dec 20 2006 20:12:50 +00:00 common.tar
6 -rw- 1038 Dec 20 2006 20:13:10 +00:00 home.shtml
7 -rw- 102400 Dec 20 2006 20:13:30 +00:00 home.tar
8 -rw- 491213 Dec 20 2006 20:13:56 +00:00 128MB.sdf
9 -rw- 1684577 Dec 20 2006 20:14:34 +00:00 securedesktop-ios-
3.1.1.27-k9.pkg
10 -rw- 398305 Dec 20 2006 20:15:04 +00:00 sslclient-win-
1.1.0.154.pkg
32071680 bytes total (8818688 bytes free)
Router#show file info flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin
flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin:
type is image (elf) []
file size is 13937472 bytes, run size is 14103140 bytes
Runnable image, entry point 0x8000F000, run from ram
Router#delete flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin
Delete filename [c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin]?[enter]
Delete flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin? [confirm][enter]
Router#sh flash
-#- --length-- -----date/time------ path
1 1821 Dec 20 2006 20:11:24 +00:00 sdmconfig-18xx.cfg
2 4734464 Dec 20 2006 20:12:00 +00:00 sdm.tar
3 833024 Dec 20 2006 20:12:24 +00:00 es.tar
4 1052160 Dec 20 2006 20:12:50 +00:00 common.tar
5 1038 Dec 20 2006 20:13:10 +00:00 home.shtml
6 102400 Dec 20 2006 20:13:30 +00:00 home.tar
7 491213 Dec 20 2006 20:13:56 +00:00 128MB.sdf
8 1684577 Dec 20 2006 20:14:34 +00:00 securedesktop-ios-3.1.1.27-k9.pkg
9 398305 Dec 20 2006 20:15:04 +00:00 sslclient-win-1.1.0.154.pkg
22757376 bytes available (9314304 bytes used)
R1#sh file info flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin
%Error opening flash:c1841-ipbase-mz.124-1c.bin (File not found)
Router#
Router#copy tftp://1.1.1.2//c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin/ flash:/ c1841-
advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin
Source filename [/c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin/]?[enter]
Destination filename [c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin]?[enter]
Loading /c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin/ from 1.1.1.2 (via FastEthernet0/
0): !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[output cut]
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[OK - 22103052 bytes]
22103052 bytes copied in 72.008 secs (306953 bytes/sec)
Router#sh flash
-#- --length-- -----date/time------ path
1 1821 Dec 20 2006 20:11:24 +00:00 sdmconfig-18xx.cfg
2 4734464 Dec 20 2006 20:12:00 +00:00 sdm.tar
3 833024 Dec 20 2006 20:12:24 +00:00 es.tar
4 1052160 Dec 20 2006 20:12:50 +00:00 common.tar
5 1038 Dec 20 2006 20:13:10 +00:00 home.shtml
6 102400 Dec 20 2006 20:13:30 +00:00 home.tar
7 491213 Dec 20 2006 20:13:56 +00:00 128MB.sdf
8 1684577 Dec 20 2006 20:14:34 +00:00 securedesktop-ios-3.1.1.27-k9.pkg
9 398305 Dec 20 2006 20:15:04 +00:00 sslclient-win-1.1.0.154.pkg
10 22103052 Mar 10 2007 19:40:50 +00:00 c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin
651264 bytes available (31420416 bytes used)
Router#
Router#sh file information flash:c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin
flash:c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-12.bin:
type is image (elf) []
file size is 22103052 bytes, run size is 22268736 bytes
Runnable image, entry point 0x8000F000, run from ram