Hi Andy,

Thanks for that, the explanation helps a lot. I've found a null modem
cable in our comms room at work so I'll have a look into it when I
get home. I'm hoping it is just fsck waiting for input now, fingers
crossed.

Will post my findings tonight.

Thanks
Glyn

--- Andy Ruhl <acruhl@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 8/6/07, Glyn Astill <glynastill@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> > I've never used the serial console. I just used the 3.99 restore
> cd
> > and then I've set everything else from there.
> >
> > What do I need to use the serial console? A null modem cable?
> >
> > The sysctl thing confuses me (I know nothing about the boot
> process),
> > are you saying this option had to be set  for me to get in with a
> > serial console? I thought you just held in the reset button to do
> > that?
> 
> Let me warn you in the beginning that I can be dense, so I might
> need
> things explained very slowly about what you're doing.
> 
> How are you deciding that you are stuck in fsck? I am assuming that
> you can only know that for sure if you're watching the console,
> because the network doesn't come up until well after that.
> 
> To use the serial console, you would need a null modem cable,
> another
> machine running any recent operating system, and a serial port on
> the
> other machine (which is increasingly rare these days). I mostly do
> it
> from a Windows box using hyperterminal. If you have it set up
> properly
> (see the FAQ), you can watch the thing boot from it's own firmware
> all
> the way through booting the NetBSD kernel (there's some setting you
> have to do to see the firmware though, again, see the FAQ).
> 
> If you have the console set up, you can see exactly what's
> happening
> and report it here, then maybe we can help. It could be that fsck
> found a problem that it can't automatically fix (which happens
> sometimes) and it's prompting you for input.
> 
> I consider it mandatory to have a console set up on these things if
> you're going to be serious about using them with NetBSD. There are
> some things you just can't do on a completely headless machine.
> 
> Andy
> 



      ___________________________________________________________
Yahoo! Answers - Got a question? Someone out there knows the answer. Try it
now.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/