This article provides a deep dive into what this package does, why it is necessary, and how to safely install it. What is asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg ?
This post breaks down what this file is, why it is critical for your router's health, and how to verify it is running correctly.
The filename itself is highly descriptive. The asr1000 prefix indicates the platform is any ASR1000 series router. rommon specifies the target firmware type. 173-1r corresponds to ROMMON , where r stands for a "ROMMON package release". The spa designation marks it as a shared-port adapter style package for ROMMON, and the .pkg extension denotes it as a package file for field-programmable devices.
One engineer recently upgraded an ASR1002 from ROMMON 152-3r to 173-1r because the router failed to boot IOS-XE 17.9.x. The old ROMMON didn’t recognize the new ESP module. After the upgrade, the router booted perfectly. asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg
if the ROM chip is physically dead.
The asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg file is essential for maintaining a healthy and updated ASR 1000 router, particularly when transitioning to modern Cisco IOS XE versions. By carefully following the upgrade procedure, you ensure maximum uptime and hardware performance.
Ensure the router’s local flash memory ( bootflash: ) or external USB flash ( usb0: ) has sufficient free space (typically less than 20 MB is required for the PKG file). This article provides a deep dive into what
You can inspect the contents using the IOS-XE CLI on a running system:
Your current (e.g., ASR 1001-X, ASR 1002-HX, or a modular chassis with RP2/RP3)
The upgrade is applicable to various hardware components including Route Processors (RPs), Embedded Services Processors (ESPs), and SPA Interface Processors (SIPs). It is often a prerequisite for moving older platforms like the or 1002-HX toward the final supported releases of the 17.3 train. The filename itself is highly descriptive
Look for a line similar to:
upgrade rommon filename bootflash:asr1000-rommon.173-1r.spa.pkg 4. Verify and Reload
The file is a ROM Monitor (ROMmon) firmware package for the Cisco ASR 1000 Series Aggregation Services Routers . This specific version, 17.3(1r) , is a critical system component required to support newer versions of the Cisco IOS XE software, specifically when upgrading to the 17.x release train. Purpose and Functionality
This restriction applies to routers ordered after , which shipped with ROMMON version 17.3(1r) pre-installed and cannot be downgraded to previous versions.
