iDRAC 8/7 v2.50.50.50 User’s Guide

Configuring Linux for serial console during boot

1. Locate the General Setting sections in the file and add the following:

   serial --unit=1 --speed=57600 terminal --timeout=10 serial

2. Append two options to the kernel line:

   kernel ............. console=ttyS1,115200n8r console=tty1

3. Disable GRUB's graphical interface and use the text-based interface. Else, the GRUB screen is not displayed in RAC Virtual Console. To disable the graphical interface, comment-out the line starting with splashimage.

   The following example provides a sample /etc/grub.conf file that shows the changes described in this procedure.

   # grub.conf generated by anaconda
   # Note that you do not have to rerun grub after making changes to this file
   # NOTICE: You do not have a /boot partition. This means that all 
   # kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, e.g.
   # root (hd0,0)
   # kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sdal
   # initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
   #boot=/dev/sda 
   default=0 
   timeout=10 
   #splashimage=(hd0,2)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
   
   serial --unit=1 --speed=57600 
   terminal --timeout=10 serial  
   
   title Red Hat Linux Advanced Server (2.4.9-e.3smp) root (hd0,0)
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.9-e.3smp ro root=/dev/sda1 hda=ide-scsi console=ttyS0
   console=ttyS1,115200n8r 
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.9-e.3smp.img 
   title Red Hat Linux Advanced Server-up (2.4.9-e.3) root (hd0,00) 
   kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.9-e.3 ro root=/dev/sda1 s 
   initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.9-e.3.im
   
   

4. To enable multiple GRUB options to start Virtual Console sessions through the RAC serial connection, add the following line to all options:

   console=ttyS1,115200n8r console=tty1

   The example shows console=ttyS1,57600 added to the first option.

   NOTE: If the boot loader or operating system provides serial redirection such as GRUB or Linux, then the BIOS Redirection After Boot setting must be disabled. This is to avoid potential race condition of multiple components accessing the serial port.