Description

The device generated minor error as below:


Root@SRX5400-> show system alarms

node1:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 alarms currently active

Alarm time               Class  Description

2025-12-25 12:36:56 CST  Minor  Host 0 Boot from alternate media


{primary:node1}

root@SRX5400> request system snapshot node 1 partition media compact-flash            

node1:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

error: compact-flash media missing or invalid

Symptoms



Solution

The SRX5k RE-1800X4 routing engine boots from the storage media in this order: the USB device (if present), the CompactFlash card, the solid-state drive (SSD), and then the LAN. Normally, the firewall boots from the copy of the software on the CompactFlash card.

 

root@SRX5400> show chassis hardware detail no-forwarding

 

Hardware inventory:

Routing Engine 0 REV 05  xxxxxxxxxx  xxxxxxxxxxx    SRX5k RE-1800X4 

 ad1  114304 MB VSFA18PI128G-KC   xxxxxxxxxxx    Disk 1

                                                                                                      ----------------------------------------- Compact Flash storage is missing here

 usb0 (addr 1) product 0x0000 0   vendor 0x0000   uhub0

 usb0 (addr 2) product 0x0020 32   vendor 0x8087   uhub1

 DIMM 0     VL31B5463F-F8SE-KC DIE REV-0 PCB REV-0 MFR ID-ce80

 DIMM 1     VL31B5463F-F8SE-KC DIE REV-0 PCB REV-0 MFR ID-ce80

 DIMM 2     VL31B5463F-F8SE-KC DIE REV-0 PCB REV-0 MFR ID-ce80

 DIMM 3     VL31B5463F-F8SE-KC DIE REV-0 PCB REV-0 MFR ID-ce80

 

On this device, since the RE compact flash card is missing and can't be detected, so when device rebooted, it will boots from the secondary storage(SSD). That's why the system reported minor error "Host 0 Boot from alternate media" and why the snapshot to CF operation can't be success.

 

Since SRX5k RE-1800X4 CompactFlash card is fixed and is inaccessible from outside the device, the only way to fix this issue is RMA for the routing engine.

Modification History

2025-12-26 : Article Created