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Installing NetBSD over SoL



Hello all,

I recently upgraded my i7's motherboard to a SuperMicro X8SIE-F that
has IPMI/Serial over LAN (SoL) capabilities.
I can't get NetBSD to install via SoL:

When connected using ipmiutils, I see the POST screen, and then the
NetBSD bootloader, -- per some very old
instructions I found via googling (sorry, I can't find the URL now..)
it says use consdev comX to redirect the output
to the appropriate com device.

So my procedure goes something like this:
Get to bootloader screen -- press 4 for bootloader prompt
> consdev com3
> boot

I see the kernel unpacking--checksumming--whatever it's doing (some
hexadecimal stuff+hexadecimal stuff+ .. with the /\|-
progress thing spinning)
After that, the cursor is pushed to the far right and I see no
additional output.

I know there is the boot-com.iso available on the ftp which the docs
state 'redirects to com0... at 9600 baud...'

However, as far as I can tell (unless I'm missing something very major
in the BIOS) the IPMI/SoL can only "listen" on com3.

There is also a feature on the board called 'console redirection' or
'ikvm' (supermicro seems to like to rename their technologies
occasionally
throughout the system) -- It seems to be some kind of bastard deviant
of VNC .. But I simply can't get it to work .. I'm stuck to a
proprietary
Java app provided by supermicro -- and it seems to hang/do something
bad to the BMC chip after a few seconds of use.  This is all pretty
irrelevant except for the fact it works long enough for me to verify
it's booting into the installer after the above 'consdev com3...boot'
--
it's just not redirecting it to com3 ..

Am I doing something wrong in the bootloader or is this intended
behavior?  How do I build my own 'boot-com.iso' -like ISO but redirect
to com3 at a higher baud?  I've read Chapt. 34 -- Making your own
installation media but it doesn't cover how to customize the install
in this way.

Thanks, Ben


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