CCNA Practice Exam 2026 – Complete Study Resource

The first step to recover a corrupt IOS image on a Cisco switch is to boot to ROM mode. When the IOS image on a switch is corrupted or missing, the switch cannot boot normally. In ROM mode, also known as ROM Monitor mode, the switch can be used to perform basic diagnostic tasks, access the switch's firmware, and initiate the recovery procedures needed to load a new or backup IOS image.

In this mode, you can recover the IOS image from sources like TFTP or from a backup IOS image stored in flash memory. Accessing ROM mode allows you to bypass the normal boot sequence, giving you the opportunity to troubleshoot and restore the system from a corrupt state.

Understanding this context is crucial for effective troubleshooting. Options like booting to normal mode would not be feasible since the IOS is corrupt. Rebooting the switch may not achieve anything if the IOS is still corrupted. While entering privileged mode is essential once the IOS loads successfully, it does not help with recovery if the image is not operational.