From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Apr 26 15:42:05 2007 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [69.147.83.52]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7025716A40B for ; Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:42:05 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from dgl@kirk.dlee.org) Received: from vms042pub.verizon.net (vms042pub.verizon.net [206.46.252.42]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4ACC113C4BD for ; Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:42:05 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from dgl@kirk.dlee.org) Received: from kirk.dlee.org ([71.178.107.244]) by vms042.mailsrvcs.net (Sun Java System Messaging Server 6.2-6.01 (built Apr 3 2006)) with ESMTPA id <0JH4003UK3LXFXMC@vms042.mailsrvcs.net> for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:41:57 -0500 (CDT) Received: from kirk.dlee.org (dgl@localhost.dlee.org [127.0.0.1]) by kirk.dlee.org (8.13.6/8.12.11) with ESMTP id l3QFfuOB020441 for ; Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:41:56 -0400 (EDT envelope-from dgl@kirk.dlee.org) Received: (from dgl@localhost) by kirk.dlee.org (8.13.6/8.12.11/Submit) id l3QFfut0020440 for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:41:56 -0400 (EDT envelope-from dgl) Content-return: prohibited Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 11:41:56 -0400 From: Doug Lee In-reply-to: <44ps5rmalp.fsf@Lowell-Desk.lan> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Mail-followup-to: Doug Lee , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Message-id: <20070426154156.GD10261@kirk.dlee.org> Organization: SSB + BART Group MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-disposition: inline References: <20070425141804.GC911@kirk.dlee.org> <44ps5rmalp.fsf@Lowell-Desk.lan> User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.9i Subject: Re: USB console or other alternatives X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 26 Apr 2007 15:42:05 -0000 On Thu, Apr 26, 2007 at 11:14:26AM -0400, Lowell Gilbert wrote: > Doug Lee 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. More simple once found at least. :-) > What do you hook up to that serial port, anyway? A desktop Windows machine with a serial port, until said machine suddenly ceased to function entirely. Now it would be a laptop with a USB-to-serial adapter except the one I bought also seems unwilling to function. I tend to run short of PCMCIA slots for such things on my laptop, my one-and-only PCMCIA slot being occupied pretty permanently by an EVDO card. Sounds like I'll need a *functional* USB-to-serial adapter on the laptop end, an actual serial port on whatever new box of parts ends up running FreeBSD 6/7, and my old trusty null modem conglomerate of cable and adapters. I guess I'll collect recommendations for a good USB-to-serial adapter. I've seen prices range from around $30 to around $120.00 if memory serves, and the last one I bought was closer to the former. -- Doug Lee dgl@dlee.org SSB + BART Group doug.lee@ssbbartgroup.com http://www.ssbbartgroup.com "A mailing list is a crude but effective cross between a chain letter and a shouting match." -Andrew Kantor