At 1:57 PM +0000 12/5/01, Simon Troup wrote:

:)I read through the install manual and was directed by the writers to the
:)section "Getting to the Open Firmware Prompt (Harder method using MacOS)".
:)
:)My system is noted as not being able to use system disk, so I downloaded
:)BootVariables v1.3b and entered the following info as instucted:
:)
:)input-device: kbd
:)output-device: /bandit/ATY,264GT-B

This is in the docs because it's what I've been told.  I'm not sure it's
correct.

:)I then hit "write" and reboot, or "write & reboot", and every time the
:)system boots straight back into MacOS, whereas according to the literature
:)is sounds like it ought to be booting into OF. This is the first place that
:)experience deviates from the install manual.

Did you also uncheck the 'auto-boot?' checkbox?  This is what tells the
system to stop at the OF prompt.  Otherwise, it will start to boot your
default OS (i.e. MacOS).

:)Next I have also tried booting into OF using "cmd-opt-O-F" and get confonted
:)with a blank screen.
[...]
:)I've also tried sending breaks over the terminal but no luck there either.

I haven't had much luck with the serial breaks either, but are you sure
you're plugged into the correct output of your 5500?  Does it have an
internal modem?  Also, if my info on output-device is incorrect, and you
had set it to that value, then the output will go nowhere.

Maybe, before you try a serial console, you should use BootVars to set:
input-device: ttyb
output-device: ttyb
so that your printer serial port is what's used for Open Firmware console.

Good luck,
  -- MW