On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 06:53:56 -0700, Andy Ruhl <acruhl@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 3 Jul 2004 10:52:28 +0200 (CEST), Gheorghe Ardelean
> <ardelean@ww.uni-erlangen.de> wrote:
> >
> > > Ok, I finally got the thing to netboot an OpenBSD kernel from my
> > > NetBSD/sparc64 server. Problem is, the serial port on the sparc
> > > machine doesn't work for the serial console on the A180C, so I had to
> > > babysit it with my laptop. I tried to boot NetBSD, netbsd-SMALL.lif,
> > > but all I got was a bootloader claiming that it couldn't find the
> > > kernel from whatever interface it was using (lf0? lif0?). I saved the
> > > output somewhere but I can't find it.
> >
> > The serial port on the sparc is by default (AFAIK) RS423 and you have to
> > change a jumper on the motherboard to get RS232. Maybe you can check
> > which config is yours.
> 
> Ahh, very cool. That makes sense. It's a normal 9 pin connector, just
> didn't work. I'll look for that jumper.
> 
> BTW, I don't think I ever got the serial console working on the A180C
> until I went to the motherboard and put a jumper on to force the
> serial port as the console. By default it's in autoselect mode between
> the web java console and the serial port. I THINK that if it gets an
> ethernet link on the web java port it decides to use that, but it
> seemed broken and always chose that. The jumper cleared that up real
> quick.

Just in case someone is searching and finds this, on my Sun Ultra5
workstation, it is true that there are jumpers that set the serial
port type as the gentleman above pointed out. Here's the doc:

ftp://docs-pdf.sun.com/805-7763-12/805-7763-12.pdf

Look at section 8.6.2. I'll have to do that. No more babysitting with
the laptop if this works!

Andy