Hello,

> OK, I finally sat down in front of my powermac 7300, dropped into OFW,
> and did the following:
> 
>   setenv output-device ttya
>   setenv input-devicee ttya
>   reset-all
> 
> Then I tried to connect up my Thinkpad to the 7300's ttya (this is the
> DIN8 connector in the back with a modem icon, right?).

I'm using the one with a telephone handset next to it; I assume that's the
modem one...

> I'm connecting to it with a DIN8 <-> DB9 adapter, then a null modem
> cable into the serial port on my Thinkpad.  I've verified that the
> Thinkpad serial port is active and working by tranferring some files
> back and forth between the Thinkpad and my HP48.

Do you have a terminal application for the Mac that you could test the link
with running under whatever OS you have on it at the moment (assuming you can
get it boot into an OS that is)? That way you could prove the cable (which is
what I would suspect first). I have a single mini-DIN8 to DB9 cable that I
bought from pccables.com so I can't tell you the wiring of it (the part number
there is 70810 for anybody interested). It could be that your combination of
adapter & null modem are double crossing the data lines, resulting in no
crossover. If you have a crossover you could try in the line, I'd give it a
shot. If not that, then try to buzz out the overall cable and work out where
all the pins in the mini-DIN are going to on the DB9.

The info I found on the web suggested the following mappings:

Standard:

   DB-9        DIN8      Name
   ----        ----      ----
   1           shield    Protective Gnd
   2           3         TD
   3           5         RD
   4           6         RTS
   5           2         CTS
   6           ?         DSR
   7           4 + 8     SG
   8           7         DCD
   9           1         RI

   (I guess you just leave the DSR not connected - the '?' was what
   they had on the page - not terribly useful without an explanation
   The URL is http://www.cc.gatech.edu/projects/ael/serial_info.html
   if you want to read all of the stuff they have.)

Null Modem:

   Switch the following pairs:

       TD & RD
       CTS & RTS

Unfortunately, I don't have the details on the cable I have as they didn't
specify them on the site. Since it did not specify null modem though, I would
guess it is standard. I can check later if you cannot get it working either way
around.

> I'm trying to use kermit in an xterm window on the Thinkpad as the
> serial console to boot the 7300.  But when I enter connect mode, and
> then boot up the 7300, I don't see any output at all in the kermit
> window.  Hitting return, sending a break, etc., all seem to have no
> effect. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

This might be a really silly question, and I apologise if it is in advance, but
you are stopping it in OFW mode using the four key press trick on the mac
keyboard aren't you (or by having the autoboot disabled)?

HTH,
John...

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