On Mon, 04 Jan 1999 11:45:45 -1000  Christopher Preston wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I've just layed my hands on a 3100. Upon inspection, it has a VFB01
> (mono video) installed at present. The VR-462 monitor that it came with
> appears dead - well, the light at the front doesn't come on when the
> power is applied. It also has a 3 button mouse and a LK-201 keyboard. No
> disks.
> 
> I was hoping to get it fired up in some manner. I use a serial console
> on my 5000/260, and thought I should be able to do something similar.
> I've searched around a bit, but am not sure what to do exactly. I've
> plugged a serial cable into both ports (although a doc I read suggested
> I should use the printer port for the serial console, and then the other
> one once the kernel starts - not that I have got that far yet!), with
> nothing visible.
> 
> Should I pull out the VFB01 to get started? Keyboard/mouse in our out?

The last 3100 I had headless (just before Xmas) didn't have the video
memory board, had a the mouse in, and the console on the printer port.

You can also leave the video memory board in and set an environment
variable ("setenv console 8" for the printer port, "setenv console 4"
for the modem port or "setenv console 0" to let the system choose (ie,
video/keyboard if plugged in, otherwise serial)), but this could be
difficult without a working monitor :-)

Might I also suggest that if you have a /260, the 3100 may seem ...
well, a little slow ...

Simon.