SUMMARY: AlphaStation 200 4/166 console Question

From: Randy M. Hayman <haymanr_at_icefog.sois.alaska.edu>
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 96 08:59:38 -0800

My original question:
>I've got an AlphaStation 200 4/166 (Digital UNIX v3.2C) currently set up
>with a graphics console, as delivered.
>
>What I'd like to accomplish is this - a serial console with a graphics
>(X-window) terminal. Is it possible??
>
>What I will be trying when I can get this machine scheduled for downtime
>is as follows:
>
>1) shutdown
>2) >>>set console serial
>3) attach 9-pin to 25-pin null modem cable from serial port #1 to
> serial console device
>4) push the reset button
>5) >>>boot
>
>Will this enable the console on serial port #1 and leave the graphics
>head as X display local:0?

My respondants:
From: "WHITTAKER, Bruce" <bjw_at_ansto.gov.au>
|>I'm pretty sure that'll work.
|>
|>Why not just try it? It'd be pretty easy to reverse if there's a
|>problem.
|>;-)

From: Tom Webster <webster_at_europa.mdc.com>
|>Yep, that should work at least it does on our 255s and 600. I haven't tried it
|>on the 2100 or 8400. There was a question on this mailing list about a week
|>ago that indicated that some of the older/odder hardware didn't have the
|>"console" variable in the SRM.
|>
|>You may want to power down the system, just to be on the safe side. Hot
|>plugging serial hardware should be ok, but....
|>
|>Just out of curiousity, why? The only reason we have done this in the past was
|>to attach a vt320 (with a printer attached to it) to capture boot messages when
|>we were having problems with the systems booting.


The reason I wish to do this is to get it set up on PolyCenter Console Manager
such that we can do things like firmware upgrades remotely.

Thanks. It sounds like my plan is functional.

Randy M. Hayman
haymanr_at_icefog.alaska.edu
Received on Thu Oct 17 1996 - 20:19:37 NZDT

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Wed Nov 08 2023 - 11:53:47 NZDT