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iDRAC 8/7 v2.30.30.30 User’s Guide

Configuring Linux for serial console during boot

The following steps are specific to the Linux GRand Unified Bootloader (GRUB). Similar changes are required if a different boot loader is used.
  • NOTE: When you configure the client VT100 emulation window, set the window or application that is displaying the redirected Virtual Console to 25 rows x 80 columns to make sure the correct text displays. Else, some text screens may be garbled.

Edit the /etc/grub.conf file as follows:

  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.


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