Re: Forcing a serial console for the kernel

[Alan Barrett <apb%cequrux.com@localhost>]

On Sun, 28 Mar 2010, STEPHEN JONES, W0TTY wrote:
> > If your system has serial BIOS, it is probably hiding the first
> > serial port from the bootblocks so they don't automatically detect
> > it.  This is a change you need to make to the bootblocks -- not
> > the kernel.  Try installboot (possibly with -e depending on your
> > application) -o console=com0 -o ioaddr=0x3f8 -o speed=9600.  The
> > "ioaddr=" option forces the bootblocks to detect the serial port
> > even though the BIOS claims it's not there.
>
> Unfortunately this is a 2.0 (GOJU.RYU.COM) system which does not seem
> to have the ioaddr option for installboot.

If you installed or upgraded from a CD, then the installboot command
on the CD will have the options you need.  If you built netbsd-5
from source, then ${TOOLDIR}/bin/nbinstallboot will be a version of
installboot that runs under the existing system but supports the options
found in netbsd-5's installboot.  You'll also need new boot blocks, from
${DESTDIR}/usr/share/mdec (or from a netbsd-5 install CD).

--apb (Alan Barrett)