One hidden gem of the vios-adventerprisek9-m.spa.159-3.m2.qcow2 is its support for modern network automation.
Assuming you have legally obtained the file vios-adventerprisek9-m.spa.159-3.m2.qcow2 , here is how to use it on the two most popular emulators.
When you first boot the router in your simulator, open the console. You should witness the familiar Cisco IOS boot sequence. Once loading completes, verify the image integrity and feature set by running the standard verification commands: Router> enable Router# show version Use code with caution. The output will confirm that you are running: Version 15.9(3)M2
: If you own a physical router running this specific version, the image can sometimes be copied from the device's flash for use in lab environments like GNS3 or EVE-NG .