Cisco ASA 5505. Need help identifying a possible hw failure

Hi Reddit

I recently got a Cisco ASA 5505 v02 for my home lab, and it is stuck in a boot loop.

Essentially, this is a really old piece of kit, so I won't be surprised if there was a hw failure on this one. P.S. there is no warranty or smartnet on this so no support from Cisco whatsoever.

The problem - ASA is stuck in a boot loop. See below :

rommon #9> boot Launching BootLoader... Default configuration file contains 1 entry.

Searching / for images to boot.

No images in / Error 15: File not found

unable to boot an image

Default configuration file contains 1 entry.

Searching / for images to boot.

No images in / Error 15: File not found

unable to boot an image

Failsafe booting engaged. Default configuration file contains 1 entry.

Searching / for images to boot.

No images in / Error 15: File not found

unable to boot an image

CISCO SYSTEMS Embedded BIOS Version 1.0(12)6 08/21/06 17:26:53.43

Low Memory: 632 KB High Memory: 251 MB PCI Device Table. Bus Dev Func VendID DevID Class Irq 00 01 00 1022 2080 Host Bridge 00 01 02 1022 2082 Chipset En/Decrypt 11 00 0C 00 1148 4320 Ethernet 11 00 0D 00 177D 0003 Network En/Decrypt 10 00 0F 00 1022 2090 ISA Bridge 00 0F 02 1022 2092 IDE Controller 00 0F 03 1022 2093 Audio 10 00 0F 04 1022 2094 Serial Bus 9 00 0F 05 1022 2095 Serial Bus 9

Evaluating BIOS Options ... Launch BIOS Extension to setup ROMMON

Cisco Systems ROMMON Version (1.0(12)6) #0: Mon Aug 21 19:34:06 PDT 2006

Platform ASA5505

Use BREAK or ESC to interrupt boot. Use SPACE to begin boot immediately. Boot interrupted.

Ethernet0/0 MAC Address: XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Link is DOWN

Use ? for help. rommon #0>

I've broken the loop here, but y'all know the drill! The ASA is unable to read the boot image so keeps going into a boot loop. I've tried a tftp boot, but I get the following error message when i do that -

(set_exptime) Timer not a leaf 0x0a7a8a90. Traceback: 0x080635d1 0x08068622 0x0806bf0d 0x09344b56 0x0806577c 0x08f0cc52 0xffffe410 0x08f0f7f3 0x084e3f47 0x08068c8d 0x08f0b5a9 0x08f0bd82 0xdbf6e6b5 0x0804e3f1 mgd_timer_set_exptime: Not a leaf called from 0x0806bf0d core0 same core snap_count=1 signo=11 EIP=806bfa6

Asa goes into a reboot loop after that.

I have verified the cf card is readable and has boot images on it, when plugged into my other ASA (5510). When I move another cf card into this 5505, I still am faced with the reboot loop. I tried to do an Erase Disk0:; and Erase all. Error message -

rommon #0> erase all

About to erase the selected device, this will erase all files including configuration, and images. Continue with erase? y/n [n]: y

Disk0: is not present.

rommon #1> erase Disk0:

About to erase the selected device, this will erase all files including configuration, and images. Continue with erase? y/n [n]: y

Disk0: is not present.

rommon #2>

Based on the above, I believe the cf card reader on the ASA 5505 is tossed and hence can't read the images on the cf cards. Do any of you have a suggestion as to what is the best way to go about recovering this particular piece of kit? Or should i just bin it and look for a working one on ebay or something?

Thanks

M