install debian woody over serial console

[xavier <list.debian-user@natch.dyndns.org>]

Here is a small blurb 
on how to install woody over serial console.

it's adapted from http://www.patoche.org/LTT/install/00000103.html.

I post it here to seek for improvements,
i have not be able to find better info on the web

Grab thei bf2.4 rescue disk,
mount it,

edit syslinux.cfg
add, as first line :

serial 0 115200

you may add 

set TIMEOUT  1

in case you want autoboot

then add, to each APPEND line :

console=ttyS0,115200n8

boot with rescue,
insert root disk when asked,
press enter (through the console).
(i personnaly use minicom -c on (-c on : color on))
(gtktern is an alternative)

you're on the debian installer now.

at the first reboot,
it  will auto boot on console at 9600 !
so you have to switch to 9600.
the command executed is this one :
T0:2345:respawn:/usr/sbin/termwrap /usr/sbin/base-config </dev/ttyS0 >/dev/ttyS0 2>&1

if anyone knows how to reboot in 115200...
(kernel params in lilo maybe ?)

at the end of install, it will then 
switch back to 115200 (after the "have fun")

console getty (ie on vga) will be disabled (re-enable it if you need it)

also, base-config console-data console-tools console-tools-libs
are to be removed. i didn't want that, so i answered no the removal question.
(you may need to apt-get remove pcmcia-cs afterwards)


you'll end up with a tty on ttyS0
(T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 115200 vt102)

but lilo won't be on ttyS0. (which is fine with me)

that's it. 

bye

-- 
xavier