Cisco Router – How to view the crash file

 When working with Cisco it can be helpful or sometimes necessary to have a crash file to send to Cisco.

What is a crashfile?

The crashinfo file contains this information:

1.      limited error message (log) and command history
2.      description of the image running at the time of the crash     show alignment
3.       malloc and free traces
4.       process level stack trace
5.       process level context
6.       process level stack dump
7.       interrupt level stack dump
8.       process level info
9.       process level register memory dump

Depending on the router model

Router#dir bootflash:

or just typing in...

Router#dir

will give you a listing of files available on the router memory.  Normally the IOS and crashinfo files.

Crash info files will look something like "crashinfo_20080102-351313" when listed by the dir command

Next step is to output the data in the console.  You best bet is to log a hyperterminal session or your terminal of choice.  Once you are recording, set the terminal length to 0 (command: terminal length 0).  And finally enter in

Router1#more flash:crashinfo_20080102-351313

or

Router1#more bootflash:crashinfo_20080102-351313

note: adjust the file to match the file on your router

source: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/routers/ps167/products_tech_note09186a00800a6743.shtml