Re: Anyone else seeing this management trend favoring Linux?

From: Dimitri Maziuk (dima_at_127.0.0.1)
Date: 08/20/04 

Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2004 16:00:13 +0000 (UTC)

UNIX admin sez:
>> True, but Linux can be run from a serial port on such a machine.
>
> Of course it can, I don't believe that was ever in question. It's the
> (OpenBoot)PROM serial vs. BIOS serial that we're debating about here. You
> can't diagnose HW failures or control the boot process until Linux is
> booted.
> I don't think you can even see LILO/Grub messages?

I'm pretty sure you can -- it's been ~4 months since I set up
our (only) headless Linux server & I already reused the neurons.
ISTR BIOS messages won't go to serial port at all, some of kernel
boot messages won't go to serial port unless kernel's built with
serial console support.

OpenBoot vs BIOS serial and kernel support for serial console
are two separate issues. IME both are standard on Solaris/SPARC
and rare on Linux/Intel.

Dima 

-- 
Tlaloc: What was Elrond's second name?
Gruber: Hubbard                           -- <ahbou=3C69EB63.A7C431F4@last.com>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: running freebsd in qemu using the "-nographic" option ?
    ... In FreeBSD, you can scroll vtys by hitting scroll-lock, then using the ... > a Linux kernel with a serial console. ... > forward its output/input to a serial port. ... To boot using a serial console, ...
    (freebsd-hackers)
  • Re: Linux "print server"
    ... porting Ghostscrip to a C64 is ... so a Linux server seemed possible. ... "> I already have TCP/IP communication using ppp between the C64 and the ... "> DTP app I use can send data to a serial port, ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Why to up/not grade to/from W98 (was: new Pulsonix version 3 PCB software released)
    ... whos primary function was to read ... and reading BOT/EOT markers and the raw MFM. ... On serial better is to use a micro (cheap 2 $ PIC has serial port). ... Linux, why sell yourself out to Bill Gates? ...
    (comp.arch.embedded)
  • Re: minicom questions, need expert
    ... I do not know if the minicom utility can reach out into that FT232RL to ... then what linux utility can perform this initialization? ... It turned out that the serial port params on the legacy machine ... Do I need to train my src machine to send some sort of an eof signal? ...
    (Fedora)
  • Re: Flow Control on Serial Device
    ... Are you using the exact same cable for the Linux system that you ... indeed a straight through cable? ... Then CTS and RTS are ... properly configure your serial port, ...
    (comp.os.linux.networking)