[ On Tuesday, December 7, 1999 at 16:56:22 (-0500), Andrew Gillham wrote: ]
> Subject: Re: Install without video/keyboard?
>
> [Drumroll...] Enter the PC Weasel.. :-)

Uhm, that device is *way* too expensive for anyone just wanting to do
without a video card.  You could probably buy two or three dozen such
cards at your local computer surplus/junk place for the same price!

[[ Of course it's not too expensive for what it does, but you'd better
really be sure that's what you really need to do before you spend the
bucks.  Of course it would be cheaper too if they could have it made by
the millions, so ignore my advice and go buy a dozen!  :-) ]]

If you really want a serial console (i.e. you're not really just trying
to get a machine working after the video card lost all the smoke from
its parts), then you don't really need a PC Weasel either, assuming the
tricks that have been posted work on your motherboard.  The PC Weasle
just makes it possible to wiggle the BIOS settings via the serial
console, but unless you screw something up royally, that shouldn't
normally be necessary.  Rumour has it that some of the newer Intel
motherboards are now capable of offering this capability now too.

The real solution to getting a 100% functional serial console is to
completely avoid the PC BIOS in the first place!  ;-)

-- 
							Greg A. Woods

+1 416 218-0098      VE3TCP      <gwoods@acm.org>      <robohack!woods>
Planix, Inc. <woods@planix.com>; Secrets of the Weird <woods@weird.com>