Re: Adding a normal serial console to a Power5 520

From: Chris Cox (ccox_nopenotthis_at_airmail.net)
Date: 08/22/05 

Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2005 15:52:41 -0500

Nathan wrote:
> Chris Cox wrote:
>> My 520 has two serial ports. According to smit, the console is
>> going out to /dev/vty0 and I went ahead an configured /dev/vty1
>> to allow logins.
>>
>> I have tried both ports with a null modem cable (I have cables
>> that I use for Unix boxes... including older IBM RS6000's...
>> and Cisco switches, etc.).
>
> /dev/vty0 and vty1 are VIRTUAL tty's... hence, you won't be able to
> connect to them via your physical dumb terminal. Do you have an HMC?
> Open a terminal window on this host with the HMC, that will give you
> access to the vty devices. If you don't have an HMC, you won't be able
> to use the vty devices. In this case, you should really talk to IBM
> about your problem as HMC-less systems can be troublesome to setup.

Huh? AIX configured the console to go out /dev/vty0... you mean
it's unusable? Why do I get an almost working terminal output
from the first serial port?

Something ASCII is coming out and it sure looks like it is
reading my data too... just missing/dropping characters.

>
>> I have determined the baud rate is 19200 and is apparently
>> fixed at that rate. I've tried many settings, and we do get some output,
>> but it freezes up output wise... input wise, it receives a keystroke
>> about every 10th push... but does get it right.
>>
>> It's ALMOST right. Any hints? I know IBM would just have
>> us pay them a gazillion dollars to fix all of this... any
>> chance I can get something STANDARD working as serial
>> console on this box.
>
> All the p5 hardware is less than a year old at this moment, hence it
> should still be covered under hardware warranty. Your problem might not
> be covered by hardware, but I'll bet they can help you out just the
> same. 800-426-7378

Have you ever called IBM? Sigh. There first level support is no
better than any elses.

Sir, did you plug the machine in?

   Yes.

Sir, did you type Ctrl-Alt-Del and log in?

   No. This is an AIX box.

Sir, could you repeat that?

   It's an AIX box, a Power5 to be exact.

Let me transfer you, please hold.

<listen to music>
<if the phone line doesn't disconnect>

Hello, can I have your name please?

   Chris Cox

How can I help you?

   I've got a power5 aix box that I want to place a serial
   console on the serial port to use a console.

Sir, did you plug the machine in?

   Arghhh!!

>
>> Right now I'm troubleshooting with minicom running in vt102
>> mode at 19200 8-N-1. I welcome any normal working config
>> that anyone has. Ultimately I guess we can call the
>> greedies at IBM to put in their proprietary solution.
>>
>> (IBM, there's a reason why there isn't more IBM equipment
>> at this location... hint)
>
> I'll refrain from guessing. The POWER 5 systems aren't your daddies *nix
> boxen. RTFM before you complain about how horrible the system is broken.

I didn't say the system was broken. If you search you'll find that I'm
NOT alone in having problems speaking to a getty RUNNING ON /dev/vty0 or
/dev/vty1 (something you imply is impossible??).

It has to be possible, there's just something I'm missing. If you
believe it is in a manual somewhere, feel free to reference it. I've
looked up the data on the HMC stuff. It does tend to indicate that
I might have to have a model 3151 (or later variant) dumb terminal... and
that well may be the case. As I said, since all of our older AIX boxes
allow you to connect using a VT* like terminal to a getty (or even to
the boot monitor) ... you'd think that the new box would as well.

Maybe you're right though, maybe serial terminals (apart from the 3151) are
no longer supported by IBM. Just seems weird.

Thanks for the help,
Chris

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Strange behavior on S1 & S2 (T1 & T2) ports on a p520
    ... Julio wrote: ... been a practice to have a console ... native S1 serial port and a modem running on the S2 serial port. ... Try a multiport serial adapter to get more serial ports or ask IBM how to disable console output on S2. ...
    (comp.unix.aix)
  • Re: Boot Hang - mmotm 090716 - serial 8250 irq flags support
    ... just lost remote access via virtual serial port] during boot on HP ... Is your virtual serial port the console? ... CPU: L2 Cache: 1024K ... ACPI: bus type pci registered ...
    (Linux-Kernel)
  • Re: dead console
    ... Subject: dead console ... serial port to the serial port of the 3000's console, ... To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * ...
    (comp.sys.hp.mpe)
  • SUMMARY: serial console port access on Sun Fire X2200 M2 running Solaris 10 x86 and x2100
    ... Redirecting Solaris Output to the Serial Port ... ***From Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Operating System Installation Guide ... Note - To redirect the server output to the console during OS ...
    (SunManagers)
  • Mysterious system freeze-ups on my consoles...
    ... I can't get into the debugger, or do anything at all from the console, ... connection, and it has definitely happened when I've been connected ... over dial-in PPP via a serial port, and more recently I believe I've ... regularly viewing Google with lynx going off the top line to the input ...
    (freebsd-hackers)