Re: prom problems on 5000/133
On Mon, Nov 20, 2000 at 06:19:10PM +0100, Alexander Schulz wrote:
> I never see anything on my serial terminal, even if I pull out the
> framebuffer. Is it worth a try to use one of the newer kernels? Do they have
> framebuffer-Support for the 5000/133? I will have to check what framebuffer
> is in there.
Try starting the system with the keyboard plugged out, this should give
you at least the firmware prom serial console on the leftmost DB25
connector (looking at the DECstation from behind), using 9600bps 8n1. On
some systems I had a problem with the serial handshake. Try using a
3-wire-nullmodem cable with shortened DTR-DSR-DCD inside each plug, if you
get nothing on your terminal using a default 7-wire-nullmodem cable. If
you want Linux to use the serial console, you have to tell that to the
kernel. This is done by booting with "console=ttyS2" as boot parameter.
> The docs say that I should get a >> prompt from the prom, but all I get is
> R>. Is that something different?
This means your system is in "restricted" mode, meaning you are limited in
the firmware commands you can use. There is a jumper on the mainboard
which clears the NVRAM and thereby resets this setting to "unrestricted".
This should be described in the systems manual. If you have none, let me
know, then I will try to look for the jumper.
The official kernel sources do not yet have framebuffer support. I have a
few (mostly) working framebuffer drivers, but with current kernels
keyboard support does not work, so they would not be of much use to you
currently. Unfortunately my time is very limited at the moment, so further
work on this from my side will have to wait some weeks.
What kind of framebuffer do you have in your /133?
HTH,
Karsten
P.S.: If you need further information, please send me a mail.
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