Cisco IOS File System Commands

This chapter explains the function and syntax of the Cisco IOS file system commands. For more information about defaults and usage guidelines, see the corresponding chapter of the Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference, Release 12.1.

cd

To change the default directory or file system, use the cd EXEC command.

cd [filesystem:]

Syntax Description

filesystem:

(Optional) URL or alias of the directory or file system followed by a colon.

filesystem:	(Optional) URL or alias of the directory or file system followed by a colon.

configure network

The copy source-url system:running-config command replaces the configure network command. See the description of the copy command for more information.

copy

To copy any file from a source to a destination, use the copy EXEC command.

copy [/erase] source-url destination-url

Syntax Description

/erase

(Optional) Erases the destination file system before copying.

source-url

The location URL or alias of the source file or directory to be copied.

destination-url

The destination URL or alias of the copied file or directory.

/erase	(Optional) Erases the destination file system before copying.
source-url	The location URL or alias of the source file or directory to be copied.
destination-url	The destination URL or alias of the copied file or directory.

erase bootflash

The erase bootflash: and erase bootflash commands have identical functions. See the erase command for more information.

delete

To delete a file on a Flash memory device, use the delete EXEC command.

delete flash-url

Syntax Description

flash-url

URL of the file to be deleted.

flash-url	URL of the file to be deleted.

dir

To display a list of files on a file system, use the dir EXEC command.

dir [/all] [filesystem: | file-url]

Syntax Description

/all

(Optional) Lists deleted files, undeleted files, and files with errors.

filesystem:

(Optional) File system or directory containing the file(s) to list followed by a colon.

file-url

(Optional) Name of the file(s) to display on a specified device. The files can be of any type. You can use wildcards in the filename. A wildcard character (*) matches all patterns. Strings after a wildcard are ignored.

/all	(Optional) Lists deleted files, undeleted files, and files with errors.
filesystem:	(Optional) File system or directory containing the file(s) to list followed by a colon.
file-url	(Optional) Name of the file(s) to display on a specified device. The files can be of any type. You can use wildcards in the filename. A wildcard character (*) matches all patterns. Strings after a wildcard are ignored.

erase

To erase a file system, use the erase EXEC command.The erase nvram: command replaces the write erase command and the erase startup-config command.

erase filesystem:

Syntax Description

filesystem:

File system name followed by a colon. Fopr example, flash: or nvram:

filesystem:	File system name followed by a colon. Fopr example, flash: or nvram:

file prompt

To specify the level of prompting, use the file prompt global configuration command.

file prompt [alert | noisy | quiet]

Syntax Description

alert

(Optional) Prompts only for destructive file operations. This is the default.

noisy

(Optional) Confirms all file operation parameters.

quiet

(Optional) Seldom prompts for file operations.

alert	(Optional) Prompts only for destructive file operations. This is the default.
noisy	(Optional) Confirms all file operation parameters.
quiet	(Optional) Seldom prompts for file operations.

format

To format a Class A or Class C Flash file system, use the format EXEC command.

Class C Flash file system

format filesystem1:

Class A Flash file system

format [spare spare-number] filesystem1: [[filesystem2:][monlib-filename]]

Caution Reserve a certain number of memory sectors as spares, in case you must reformat the Flash memory card. If you fail to specify spare sectors, all existing data will be erased.

Syntax Description

spare

(Optional) Reserves spare sectors as specified by the spare-number argument when formatting Flash memory.

spare-number

(Optional) Number of the spare sectors to reserve on formatted Flash memory. Valid values are 0 to 16. The default value is zero.

filesystem1:

Flash memory to format followed by a colon.

filesystem2:

(Optional) File system containing the monlib file to use for formatting filesystem1 followed by a colon.

monlib-filename

(Optional) Name of the ROM monitor library file (monlib file) to use for formatting the filesystem1 argument. The default monlib file is the one bundled with the system software.

When used with HSA and you do not specify the monlib-filename argument, the system takes ROM monitor library file from the slave image bundle. If you specify the monlib-filename argument, the system assumes that the files reside on the slave devices.

spare	(Optional) Reserves spare sectors as specified by the spare-number argument when formatting Flash memory.
spare-number	(Optional) Number of the spare sectors to reserve on formatted Flash memory. Valid values are 0 to 16. The default value is zero.
filesystem1:	Flash memory to format followed by a colon.
filesystem2:	(Optional) File system containing the monlib file to use for formatting filesystem1 followed by a colon.
monlib-filename	(Optional) Name of the ROM monitor library file (monlib file) to use for formatting the filesystem1 argument. The default monlib file is the one bundled with the system software. When used with HSA and you do not specify the monlib-filename argument, the system takes ROM monitor library file from the slave image bundle. If you specify the monlib-filename argument, the system assumes that the files reside on the slave devices.

fsck

To check a Class C Flash file system for damage and repair any problems, use the fsck EXEC command.

fsck [/nocrc] filesystem:

Syntax Description

/nocrc

(Optional) Skips CRC checks.

filesystem:

File system to check.

/nocrc	(Optional) Skips CRC checks.
filesystem:	File system to check.

mkdir

To create a new directory in a Class C Flash file system, use the mkdir EXEC command.

mkdir directory

Syntax Description

directory

Name of the directory to create.

directory	Name of the directory to create.

To display a file, use the more EXEC command.

more [/ascii | /binary | /ebcdic] file-url

Syntax Description

/ascii

(Optional) Displays a binary file in ASCII format.

/binary

(Optional) Displays a file in hex/text format.

/ebcdic

(Optional) Displays a binary file in EBCDIC format.

file-url

URL of the file to display.

/ascii	(Optional) Displays a binary file in ASCII format.
/binary	(Optional) Displays a file in hex/text format.
/ebcdic	(Optional) Displays a binary file in EBCDIC format.
file-url	URL of the file to display.

pwd

To show the current setting of the cd command, use the pwd EXEC command.

pwd

Syntax Description

This command has no arguments or keywords.

rename

To rename a file in a Class C Flash file system, use the rename EXEC command.

rename url1 url2

Syntax Description

url1

Original path name.

url2

New path name.

url1	Original path name.
url2	New path name.

rmdir

To remove an existing directory in a Class C Flash file system, use the rmdir EXEC command.

rmdir directory

Syntax Description

directory

Directory to delete.

directory	Directory to delete.

show configuration

The more nvram:startup-config command replaces the show configuration command. Refer to the more command for further details.

show file descriptors

To display a list of open file descriptors, use the show file descriptors EXEC command.

show file descriptors

Syntax Description

This command has no arguments or keywords.

show file information

To display information about a file, use the show file information EXEC command.

show file information file-url

Syntax Description

file-url

URL of the file to display.

file-url	URL of the file to display.

show file systems

To list available file systems, use the show file systems EXEC command.

show file systems

Syntax Description

This command has no arguments or keywords.

squeeze

To permanently delete Flash files by squeezing a Class A Flash file system, use the squeeze EXEC command.

squeeze filesystem:

Syntax Description

filesystem:

Flash file system followed by a colon.

filesystem:	Flash file system followed by a colon.

undelete

To recover a file marked "deleted" on a Class A or Class B Flash file system, use the undelete EXEC command.

undelete index [filesystem:]

Syntax Description

index

Number that indexes the file in the dir command output.

filesystem:

(Optional) File system containing the file to undelete.

index	Number that indexes the file in the dir command output.
filesystem:	(Optional) File system containing the file to undelete.

verify

To verify the checksum of a file on a Flash memory file system, use the verify EXEC command.

verify file-url

Syntax Description

file-url

URL of the file to verify.

file-url	URL of the file to verify.

write erase

The erase nvam: command replaces the write erase command. See the erase command in this chapter for more information.

write terminal

The more system:running-config command replaces the write terminal command. See the more command in this chapter for more information.

Table of Contents

Cisco IOS File System Commands