On Wed, 5 May 1999, Bill Studenmund wrote:

> On Sun, 2 May 1999, nm wrote:
> 
> > ok, as many of you suggested it looks as though the problem was
> > related to the serial console.  if i unplug the serial console while 
> > it is running the ipx appears to be suspended at the firmware and
> > i can just type c to continue.  but i do remember that a few times
> > c would not resume the os and the machine had to be restarted.  is
> > there a way to tell the firmware that its ok if i unplug the serial
> > console and plug it back in so that this does not happen?

When you unplug the serial console (or keyboard) you're doing the
equivalent of sending a break to the console which is set up to drop you
either to the PROM or the debugger.  That's the way SunOS works, that's
the way Solaris works, and that's the way NetBSD works.  

> 
> I don't think you're encountering a firmware problem. I think you're
> getting dropped into the debugger.
> 
> Can you compile your own kernels? I can tell you where to change the code
> to fix this.

If you want to turn it off you need to either get some sort of null-modem
gadget that prevents the modem control lines from going funny when you
unplug your serial cable, or go into the zs driver and disable the call to
the debugger/PROM and recompile your kernel. 

Maybe we should add a sysctl to turn off the panicbutton?

=========================================================================
Eduardo Horvath				eeh@one-o.com
	"I need to find a pithy new quote." -- me