Serial console trouble: loader and login works, but no kernel messages

[Thomas Backman]

On Aug 23, 2009, at 20:25, Tim Judd wrote:

> On 8/23/09, Thomas Backman <serenity at exscape.org> wrote:
>> First off: Not subscribed to this list, please make sure to Cc me if
>> you don't reply directly. :)
>>
>> Anyway, I finally got my null modem cable, and plugged in in  
>> between a
>> machine running 8.0-BETA2 and one running WinXP using Hyperterminal.
>>
>> My settings:
>>
>> /boot/loader.conf:
>> boot_multicons="YES"
>> boot_serial="YES"
>> comconsole_speed="115200"
>> console="comconsole,vidconsole"
>>
>> /etc/ttys:
>> # Serial terminals
>> # The 'dialup' keyword identifies dialin lines to login, fingerd etc.
>> ttyu0   "/usr/libexec/getty std.115200" vt100   on secure
>>
>> /boot.config (which is read properly):
>> -Dh -S115200
>>
>> Anything wrong in the above?
>> Hyperterminal is set to 115200 bps, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit,  
>> and
>> no flow control (if that's the correct translation to English).
>>
>> On the serial console, I go from the screen with the FreeBSD logo,
>> with single-user options etc. (which works fine), and then nothing,
>> until a login tty pops up (which also works fine). The main, if not
>> only, reason I want a serial console is to be able to use it for
>> single user mode, DDB, and so on.
>> All kernel messages, and all rc messages are seen only on the  
>> graphics
>> card; the serial console receives nothing but the "/boot.config: -
>> Dh ...", the logo screen, and then the login screen, during startup
>> and *nothing* at all during shutdown. Also, I'm able to login and use
>> the system both via the serial console and via the graphics card/
>> keyboard... Is this supposed to be? I'm not complaining, I just got
>> the impression it was one or the other.
>>
>> Any advice on how to get the kernel/rc messages etc. to the serial
>> console (only or as well)?
>>
>> Regards,
>> Thomas
>
>
> Do you use the VGA/vidconsole at all?
>
> A serial-only device (think soekris, ALIX/WRAP boards) that has no VGA
> will have different requirements than a serial-only device will.
>
> Your loader.conf statements are different than mine in the definition
> that you have more than I do to enable serial.
>
> My loader.conf just has one statement:
>  console="comconsole"  - to feed ALL bootloaders, kernel probing, rc
> startup on the serial device.  /etc/ttys defines the login lines.
>
> Though trial and error, I found when you use a dual-setup:
> "comconsole,vidconsole", the first one (comconsole) will get rc
> output, and vidconsole won't.
>
> Of course, you're on 8.0 and I don't run BETAs.  So the 8.0 BETA might
> still be having com port oddities, plus I noticed your ttys line is
> ttyu0, not ttyd0.  Did 8.0 change the serial line device?
>
>
>
> To enable a serial-only device in my setups:
> /boot/loader.conf:
>  console="comconsole"
>
> /boot.config:
>  -D
>
> /etc/ttys:
> # enable serial line, cons25 or vt100, depending if I'm originating
> from a bsd or windows box.
>
>
>
> Enabling dual-setups should be just the loader.conf change to dual  
> console.
>
>
> HTH


(Sorry for the lack of inline replies.)

I do have a graphics card, and ideally I'd like to be able to use  
both, but serial has higher priority (with serial access, I can use  
minicom on another *nix box and essentially ssh into DDB, and stuff  
like that - right now I have to borrow a monitor, and write info down  
manually if needed, turning my head back and forth).

I've tried lots of combinations of console=, including simply  
'console="comconsole"' and/or combinations of that and -D, -h- -Dh and  
-P in /boot.config.
The extra lines in loader.conf are from the handbook, which says  
they're needed to use comconsole_speed. It seems they do the same  
thing as -D and -h, though.

Oh, and re: /etc/ttys: Yup, it's ttyuX when using uart(4) which seems  
to be the default now. Actually, since my last buildworld half an hour  
ago I'm on 9.0-CURRENT. ;)
Also, I made sure to set flags to 0x10 for the serial port as per the  
handbook (although I did it using loader.conf, not the kernel config);  
before the change, dmesg didn't mention any flags, but it now does.  
Didn't help squat, though.

"Though trial and error, I found when you use a dual-setup:
"comconsole,vidconsole", the first one (comconsole) will get rc
output, and vidconsole won't."
This doesn't mirror my experience; comconsole and  
comconsole,vidconsole appears to be just the same for me. I've never  
gotten anything except the boot loader and a login prompt over to the  
serial line - at least not at speed/settings that the client is set up  
to receive.

I'm gonna try 9600 bps soon just to be sure it isn't that, but seeing  
how many others have mentioned using "-S115200" I doubt it'll help.

Thanks/regards,
Thomas