From owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Feb  8 19:51:44 2008
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-current@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: current@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6BCE516A41B
	for <current@freebsd.org>; Fri,  8 Feb 2008 19:51:44 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from bms@FreeBSD.org)
Received: from out4.smtp.messagingengine.com (out4.smtp.messagingengine.com
	[66.111.4.28]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3C79113C43E
	for <current@freebsd.org>; Fri,  8 Feb 2008 19:51:44 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from bms@FreeBSD.org)
Received: from compute1.internal (compute1.internal [10.202.2.41])
	by out1.messagingengine.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 83A158EDA2
	for <current@freebsd.org>; Fri,  8 Feb 2008 14:33:04 -0500 (EST)
Received: from heartbeat2.messagingengine.com ([10.202.2.161])
	by compute1.internal (MEProxy); Fri, 08 Feb 2008 14:33:04 -0500
X-Sasl-enc: gy3vnqDW67IwO4jTmH8Kz0q1oESWEFolP3WWchlxfuP8 1202499183
Received: from empiric.lon.incunabulum.net
	(82-35-112-254.cable.ubr07.dals.blueyonder.co.uk [82.35.112.254])
	by mail.messagingengine.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id EF2EC28ED5
	for <current@freebsd.org>; Fri,  8 Feb 2008 14:33:02 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <47ACAE62.2060706@FreeBSD.org>
Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:32:50 +0000
From: "Bruce M. Simpson" <bms@FreeBSD.org>
User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 (X11/20080207)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: current@freebsd.org
References: <20080208185405.GA1479@roadrunner.spoerlein.net>
In-Reply-To: <20080208185405.GA1479@roadrunner.spoerlein.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Cc: 
Subject: Re: boot0sio working for anyone?
X-BeenThere: freebsd-current@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
List-Id: Discussions about the use of FreeBSD-current
	<freebsd-current.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-current>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-current@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-current>,
	<mailto:freebsd-current-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 08 Feb 2008 19:51:44 -0000

Ulrich Spoerlein wrote:
> So, is boot0sio supposed to just work with a cheap USB->RS232 dongle at
> the other end? I don't know how this paragraph from boot0cfg(8) is
> affecting me.
>   
boot0sio is wholly dependent upon BIOS support for addressing the 
on-board COM1 port. It is not intended (read: very unlikely) to work 
with USB dongles.

If your BIOS does not support the call that it uses, then the symptoms 
will be similar to what you've seen. Unfortunately there is just not 
enough space in the MBR to implement any workarounds for this.

cheers
BMS