Using CompactFlash Memory Cards
Cisco 3900 Series, 2900 Series, and 1900 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISR) use Advanced
Capability CompactFlash (CF) external memory to store the system image, configuration files, and some
software data files. CF supports True IDE mode and Multi-Word DMA mode.
The following sections explain how to manage directories and files on the CF:
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Requirements and Restrictions
CompactFlash Support
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Formatting CompactFlash
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CompactFlash Slots and Files
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Cisco 3900 Series, Cisco 2900 Series, and Cisco 1900 Series Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 Software Configuration Guide
Requirements and Restrictions, page B-1
Online Insertion and Removal, page B-2
How to Format CompactFlash Memory Cards, page B-2
File Operations on CompactFlash Memory Cards, page B-4
Directory Operations on a CompactFlash Memory Card, page B-7
Only Advanced Capability CF purchased from Cisco operate in Cisco 3900 Series, 2900 Series, and
1900 Series Integrated Services Routers.
Legacy CF will not operate in Cisco 3900 Series, 2900 Series, and 1900 Series Integrated Services
Routers. When legacy CF is inserted, the following error message appears:
WARNING: Unsupported compact flash detected. Use of this card during normal operation
can impact and severely degrade performance of the system. Please use supported
compact flash cards only.
Only Class C file systems are supported on Cisco Compact Flash (CF).
We recommend that you format new CF to initialize a new flash file system. Proper formatting lets
ROM monitor recognize and boot the flash memory. The CF can be formatted on an ISR, and files
copied to or from any PC that is equipped with a CF memory reader. If you use a PC to format the
CF, use the Microsoft File Allocation Table (FAT32) file system.
Cisco 3900 series, 2900 series, and 1900 series ISRs have 2 external CF slots.
CF in Slot0 can store the system image, configuration, and data files. The CF must be present in this
slot for the router to boot and perform normal file operations.
A P P E N D I X
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