At Thu, 8 Feb 2024 09:31:27 -0800, Steve Rikli <sr%genyosha.net@localhost> wrote: Subject: Re: serial console device, and installboot vs. /boot.cfg > > > Well, what I really want :-) is to be able to switch between a COM serial > port and a Pc keyboard without re-configuring NetBSD, and that's what I > was hoping for with auto. Do you mean (also) for boot, or just for normal logins? Personally I find having a permanent serial console ideal, and I then configure logins on Kbd+VGA for normal use when in front of the physical machine (if the machine has such hardware). However I do have my serial ports "permanently" connected to a terminal server (which are then managed by conserver), so I always have logs of everything on the console (as well as easy access to the console port via any other local system on my LAN). This is also what I used to do with my older Sun and DEC Alpha systems as well, i.e. those that also had a framebuffer and keyboard. Terminal servers were ultra-cheap back when small ISPs were either turning off their modem banks, and/or being absorbed by giant ISPs. There are still lots available on eBay, for example, but they're not quite as low-priced as they were when the market was flooded. > "auto" activates the serial console in my config, but the Pc keyboard+VGA > sees no boot messages or menus, which feels like "auto" and "com0" are > effectively the same in my setup. More experiments warranted. See x86/boot_console(8). Auto tries to use the first working COM port, and if they all fail it'll resort to "consdev=PC". -- Greg A. Woods <gwoods%acm.org@localhost> Kelowna, BC +1 250 762-7675 RoboHack <woods%robohack.ca@localhost> Planix, Inc. <woods%planix.com@localhost> Avoncote Farms <woods%avoncote.ca@localhost>
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