Subject: Re: Install without video/keyboard?
To: NetBSD/i386 Discussion List <port-i386@NetBSD.ORG>
From: Bruce Anderson <brucea@spacestar.net>
List: port-i386
Date: 12/11/1999 16:36:00
See: <http://www.valinux.com/projects/vacm/>
for Intel motherboards.

Changing the code in the BIOS to use a serial console is the correct fix, 
rather than more hardware.

On Sat, Dec 11, 1999 12:26 PM, Greg A. Woods <mailto:woods@most.weird.com>
wrote:
>[ 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
>





  " Stamp out root login's .  .  .  . su "
    --Bruce Anderson  Computer Programming/Networking 
      Student DCTC