How hard would it be to modify the boot blocks to read a configuration
file from the file system to allow users to switch console types without
having to recompile them?  I'd like to use the same boot block everywhere,
and there are times when it is  necessary for me to switch to a serial
console.  This is trivial on Suns because the rom supports this sort of
game, but pcs are a different kettle of fish.  Also, can the boot blocks
tell the kernel which console to use or do I need to recompile the kernel
for serial console support as well?  That is, if I take a generic kernel
which normally uses the standard keyboard/video card as a console, put it
on a machine with a serial supporting boot block, will I get console on the
serial port if the boot block selects it for the kernel as well?
-thanks
-Brian
On Feb 25, 12:46pm, Matthias Drochner wrote:
} Subject: Re: Question about biosboot.sym and serial consoles
} Excerpts from netbsd: 24-Feb-98 Re: Question about biosboot.. Ken
} Hornstein@cmf.nrl.na (688)
} 
} > Is there a reason the initio() argument isn't CONSDEV_AUTO?  It would
} > seem to me that this wouldn't affect the standard case (booting from
} > a "normal" console), and it would make building serial bootblocks easier.
} 
} CONSDEV_AUTO will not do the right thing in every case.
} It's eg unusable if you have a serial mouse - it will happily
} be used as console.
} So I think it is better if people adapt the argument to their
} needs theirselfes and understand what they are doing.
} 
} best regards
} Matthias
>-- End of excerpt from Matthias Drochner