Subject: Running without a video console
To: None <port-i386@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Ken Hornstein <kenh@cmf.nrl.navy.mil>
List: port-i386
Date: 10/31/1995 22:37:18
I'm interested in running a few PC's without any video cards on them (the
idea here is to make some minimal systems for home to serve as routers or
home automation controllers, but I digress :-) ).

Anyone know if it's possible to run a PC without a video card?  I've looked
at the COMCONSOLE stuff in com.c, and it seems to be sorta what I want, but
I don't get access to the BIOS I/O for stuff like the boot blocks.

I tried booting the beater 386 I have here without a video card; it just
booted, ran for a few seconds, then rebooted (reason unknown, unfortunately
:-().  None of the BIOS I/O appeared on the terminal I had hooked to COM1.

I know, I know .... you can get a video card very cheap, but I'd still like
to think it was possible somehow.

--Ken