Re: HP 9000-382 based instrument panics on cnopen()

[Chris Hanson <cmhanson%eschatologist.net@localhost>]

On Sep 27, 2021, at 7:51 AM, Izumi Tsutsui <tsutsui%ceres.dti.ne.jp@localhost> wrote:
> 
>> I took a short video of the panic scroll: https://imgur.com/ik8GabY <https://imgur.com/ik8GabY>
> 
> It might help to post full dmesg (even on video).
> 
> Probably the framebuffer is recognized cnattach (early console detection)
> https://nxr.netbsd.org/xref/src/sys/arch/hp300/dev/topcat.c?r=1.4.64.1#537
> but not during the device autoconfiguration.
> https://nxr.netbsd.org/xref/src/sys/arch/hp300/dev/topcat.c?r=1.4.64.1#196

That sounds very plausible. It also sounds like what would cause the “compressed” and highlighted text output, since it’s very similar to what I saw with my 332 where it was assuming the video was 1024x400 rather than 512x400. I imagine I may need to instrument the topcat driver to figure out more about this EL display and its controller.

I enabled the code in hp300/stand/common/cons.c that prints the console select code, and it says it’s using “internal grf” which means the console search failed and cons_scode is -1, which I think causes standalone to use the ROM to put and get characters.

>> 1. Is there a kernel boot switch or (build-time config option) that
>> I can use to point console to the serial port to see if I can get further?
> 
> You need HIL keyboard to enable serial,
> https://wiki.netbsd.org/ports/hp300faq/#serial400
> or build kernel with "options CONSCODE=9" enabled.
> https://nxr.netbsd.org/xref/src/sys/arch/hp300/conf/GENERIC?a=true&r=1.203#151

Excellent, thank you! This system has a built-in HIL keyboard and it is detected so hopefully I can do exactly this and maybe get this system brought up enough to use for capturing more information. (And backing up the internal HD...)

>> 2. Is there a way to have the hp300 port use the simple text interface
>> that most graphics cards provide for its console, if I can't (or I don't
>> want to) use a "graphical" console?
> 
> AFAIK no hp300 framebuffer has "text" mode such as VGA.
> 
> Trying NetBSD/5.x (i.e. pre-wscons'fied) might help to get explicit dmesg
> with built-in ROM fonts with old ite(4) and grf(4) console.

Great suggestion, thanks! If I can’t get serial working, I’ll try this so I can both get a dmesg and back up the preinstalled software.

  -- Chris