[rescue] RS6k serial console tips?

[Patrick Finnegan]

Todd Carson declared on Thursday 08 April 2004 10:42 pm:
> I'm (still) trying to install AIX 5.1 on my RS/6000 model 250: now I
> can't get past the point where it asks for the system console (LED
> c31).

And I'm working on installing AIX 5.1 on my model 380 right now. :)

> >From what I've read, I know that I can't select the graphics console
> > here without an original IBM keyboard, which I don't have. I was
> > under the impression, though, that I could select a serial console
> > at this point. I haven't had much luck with this so far, though, and
> > I was hoping people with more experience with RS/6000 hardware and
> > AIX might have an idea of what's going on.
>
> Here's how the system is behaving:
>
> If I have a keyboard (a standard PC PS/2 keyboard, DEC-branded)
> plugged in, then the system will hang at LED c31 with no output to
> either the monitor or other machines connected to S1 or S2. Input to
> either the keyboard or the remote terminal emulators has no effect.

BTW, PS/2 (non-rs/6000) keyboards should work just fine with versions of 
AIX beginning with 4 or so.  I'm using one right now.  It's a genuine 
IBM Model M, but not an RS/6000 verison.  Beware not all PS/2 keyboards 
are created equal, you might have better luck with some keyboards than 
others.

> Since I don't have the right cable to connect the RS/6000 to my U10
> sitting right beneath it, I'm using a Mac Classic with Kermit. They're
> connected with a Sun-branded DB-25 to MiniDIN-8 cable ande a Radio
> Shack "null modem adapter". I'm assuming the cable and terminal
> settings (9600 8N1, DTR handshaking) are okay since I was able to use
> the kernel debugger. Maybe this is a bad assumption to make, I don't
> know.

Macs use +/-5V RS-423 (I think that's the standard) instead of +/-12V 
RS-232.  You might want to try something else.  I know you said KDB 
worked, but it might be a "sort-of-works" issue.  Go to rat shack and 
get yourself a cable to use the U10 to try and make it work.

Handshaking might be an issue as well, but I don't know for sure.  Buy 
one of those $5 RS-232 LED boxes they sell at rat shack.  They're the 
best serial port debugging tool I've ever used.

Pat
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