Loading IOS on a switch or router via the console
If the flash has been deleted / formated and there is no IOS on the switch or router, you have to copy the new IOS via the console port.
All you have to do is to type: copy xmodem:new_file.bin flash:new_file.bin and hit return in the rommon or enable mode.
On the Hyper Terminal Menu bar, click Transfer and choose Send File.
Issue the dir flash: command in order to verify the successful copy of the file to the Flash:
Set the BOOT parameters so that the switch boots with the downloaded image when reloaded:
e.g. / switch: set BOOT flash:c2900xl-c3h2s-mz.120-5.WC8.bin
Boot the switch:
switch: boot
Reload the switch in order to make sure that the switch boots up properly:
switch#reload
This might take very very long or even very very very very long depening on the size of the IOS you are loading.