From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Oct 20 11:16:20 2014 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher AECDH-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id E04C298A for ; Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:16:20 +0000 (UTC) Received: from server1.shellworld.net (shellworld.net [69.60.117.94]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BEF6E3BB for ; Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:16:20 +0000 (UTC) Received: from server1.shellworld.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by server1.shellworld.net (Postfix) with ESMTP id 8A227228B7 for ; Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:16:14 -0400 (EDT) To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Still Trying to Run Installer Through Serial Port MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-ID: <92388.1413803774.1@server1.shellworld.net> Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 06:16:14 -0500 From: "Martin G. McCormick" Message-Id: <20141020111614.8A227228B7@server1.shellworld.net> X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18-1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:16:21 -0000 Is there a way to cause an unmodified FreeBSD9.1 installation disk to run a serial console? Since I am unable to create a modified ISO image of the installation disk that will fit back on to a CDROM, I am grasping at straws, now. While this could be called a headless installation, it actually is being done locally but I can't use the video display on the target system. The usual procedure if a computer user is blind is to use a computer that is working as a terminal in to the target system and, by whatever means is at hand, direct things from that terminal. The FreeBSD handbook mentions a small pause in the boot process that allows the caller to insert boot parameters such as to call up a serial console, etc. Will that work off of a standard new installation disk? If so, it more or less resolves the impasse I am at right now. A long time ago, I think in about FreeBSD4 or so, one could actually boot the installation medium in to a serial console without any modifications to the image. That capability went away around FreeBSD 6 or so but one could modify the image and stuff it back on to a new CDROM without too much trouble. If the ability to start a serial console is back in some form again, I can go ahead and finish this project. Thanks for all constructive suggestions. Martin McCormick