Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:14:26 -0400 From: Lowell Gilbert <freebsd-questions-local@be-well.ilk.org> To: Doug Lee <dgl@dlee.org> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: USB console or other alternatives Message-ID: <44ps5rmalp.fsf@Lowell-Desk.lan> In-Reply-To: <20070425141804.GC911@kirk.dlee.org> (Doug Lee's message of "Wed\, 25 Apr 2007 10\:18\:05 -0400") References: <20070425141804.GC911@kirk.dlee.org>
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Doug Lee <dgl@dlee.org> writes: > I'm one of these guys running FreeBSD 4.11 on very old hardware (a > Pentium 166, specifically), and I want to upgrade to FreeBSD 6 or 7 > soon but with new hardware. Being blind, I need to use something > other than the video card for a console. I've been using a serial > console for a long time, but serial ports are getting scarce. I need > the console to become active during the boot sequence in case of > problems, as it can with a serial console. As I did with FreeBSD 3 > and 4, I will also want to activate this console during FreeBSD > installation if possible, so I don't have to have someone else be here > when I install it. > > Can modern hardware and a modern FreeBSD version provide console > access before the kernel loads via USB or via anything other than an > actual on-board or PCI serial port? I am not sure, but I would expect that you would need BIOS support for something like that. Personally, I would stick with serial ports as long as possible, because they are much more simple than any alternatives. What do you hook up to that serial port, anyway? Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I wanted to make sure you got *some* help. Good luck.
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