To display the Software Upgrade window, either

 • Click Software Upgrade on the toolbar.

 • Choose Maintenance > Software Upgrade.

The software upgrade feature is available only on the Cisco IOS Release 12.2 and later switch software image.

The Software Upgrade window displays the software version installed on the switch. This window also links to the website from where you can download switch software images.

You can upgrade the switch software to update the switch with the latest software fixes and features. You must have access to the Internet to download switch software from Cisco.com to your PC or network drive.

Note: Until after the upgrade process completes, do not use or close this browser session and do not access the device manager from another browser session.

In a switch stack, all the stack members are upgraded.

The Catalyst 3750 switches and the Catalyst 3750-E switches do not use the same software image. If you are upgrading a stack of Catalyst 3750 and 3750-E switches, you must select an appropriate software image for each switch platform.

The upgrade only applies to the switch software, not to the wireless LAN controllers that might be contained in any stack members.

To upgrade the switch software, follow these steps:

1. Click the http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/ link from the Software Upgrade window. Note that a Cisco.com account is required to access the software images from the website.

2. Find the latest Cisco IOS software image for the switch. Note that you must download and use the software image in tar file format (not bin file format) to upgrade the switch through the device manager.

3. Download the tar file to your PC or to a network server. Note that upgrading the switch with the tar file on your PC is faster than if the tar file is on a network server.

4. Click Browse from the Software Upgrade window, and then navigate to and select the tar file on your PC.

5. Click Upgrade.

During the upgrade process, the window displays the status of each stage in the process. Until after the upgrade process completes, do not use or close this browser session and do not access the device manager from another browser session.

When the upgrade process completes, the window displays a success message. Close this browser session and re-launch the device manager.

If the upgrade process does not complete, an error message appears. See the switch release notes for troubleshooting a switch software upgrade. The Support window provides a link to the switch documentation.

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