On Fri, 2 Jan 1998, Larry Owens wrote: > Does anyone know if it is possible to install debian on a PC that does > not have a video card or keyboard? I would like to set up a linux > system that would use a modem attatched to a serial port as the only > console.
I have used the serial-console patch on some 1.2/1.3 systems here running kernel 2.0.29 and 2.0.30 but have come across some problems that became more apparent as I installed more systems: 1. when the serial-console patch is in use the line in the file /etc/init.d/boot that is supposed to run modutils is mysteriously not executed, whereas when not using the serial-console patch it IS successfully executed! Solving this got enabled me to make more things modules rather than compiled in. 2. when doing an upgrade via dselect certain packages fiddled with /dev/console and /dev/tty0 which was contrary to the way prescribed for the serial-console to work. Also, when I found that the DEC Prioris XL6x00 series have a BIOS that supports console redirection I thought I'd try to install a system from scratch through a terminal connected to the serial port - however the Debian install disk just switched back to using the VGA screen after booting from the floppy, so I couldn't use it until I'd installed and recompiled the kernel with the serial-console patch applied. So the Debian install disk must specifically send it's output to the VGA screen, bypassing what the BIOS "thinks" the console is....hmmm. And finally, when using the "console redirection" BIOS setting on these DEC machines, LILO fails to boot the machine from the hard-disk - only floppy will work. When attempting to boot from the HD it gets stuck at "LI", while disabling the BIOS setting will instantly fix the problem! How Bizare ;-) 8<--------------------------------------->8 Richard Shepherd ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Phone: 07-838-4764 8<--------------------------------------->8 -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .