n00b question:

I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
can see the boot messages? Thanks!

In comp.os.linux.setup Todd Akers <ptakers@gmail.com>:
> n00b question:

> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
> of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
> connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
> the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
> to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
> can see the boot messages? Thanks!

Many x86 server build in the last few years allow to redirect
BIOS/etc via serial or/and LAN, to enable headless operation. I'd
check the docu for your systems and enable the feature, be sure
to pass the "nofb" option to the install kernel. You can use
minicom if serial or some browser from the other system to
connect and use "*text* install".

--
Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
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On 2004-12-03, Michael Heiming <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> wrote:

>> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
>> of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
>> connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
>> the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
>> to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
>> can see the boot messages? Thanks!
>
> Many x86 server build in the last few years allow to redirect
> BIOS/etc via serial or/and LAN, to enable headless operation. I'd
> check the docu for your systems and enable the feature, be sure
> to pass the "nofb" option to the install kernel. You can use
> minicom if serial or some browser from the other system to
> connect and use "*text* install".

Does the Linux kernel console code obey the BIOS serial-console
setting?

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I want to so HAPPY,
at the VEINS in my neck STAND
visi.com OUT!!

Todd Akers wrote:
> n00b question:
>
> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
> of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
> connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
> the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
> to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
> can see the boot messages? Thanks!

You can create a pppd server and do it that way. If these
are REALLY Dell servers, it's a WHOLE lot easier to connect
them together via ethernet using a crossover cable (and a whole
lot faster too).

Sounds like you are also wanting to use one host as a terminal
into the other host... THAT should be considered as a totally
separate request... though there is a way to send files
using that method, just slow and very, very manual.

I can provide details if you want on the serial terminal
setup.

In comp.os.linux.setup Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com>:
> On 2004-12-03, Michael Heiming <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> wrote:

>>> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
>>> of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
>>> connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
>>> the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
>>> to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
>>> can see the boot messages? Thanks!
>>
>> Many x86 server build in the last few years allow to redirect
>> BIOS/etc via serial or/and LAN, to enable headless operation. I'd
>> check the docu for your systems and enable the feature, be sure
>> to pass the "nofb" option to the install kernel. You can use
>> minicom if serial or some browser from the other system to
>> connect and use "*text* install".

> Does the Linux kernel console code obey the BIOS serial-console
> setting?

Unsure, what you exactly mean, there are different versions of
this serial-console setup, some claim to be a VT, so the kernel
doesn't even know of this hw. Other have in addition some
management port pass-through feature, allowing you to simply run a
getty on ttyS?

Some have a build-in Linux and can be configured through ipmi
from Linux, allowing to connect via LAN (ssh) or serial
connection.

Without one of those features, you can be in the "game" from the
lilo/grub prompt on (rw) with just a serial connection and
configuring your boot-loader probably.

--
Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
mail: echo zvpunry@urvzvat.qr | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
#bofh excuse 210: We didn't pay the Internet bill and it's
been cut off.

On 2004-12-03, Michael Heiming <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> wrote:

>>>> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to upgrade one
>>>> of the servers from the other server. I have a serial cable
>>>> connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has the latest media in
>>>> the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial connectiuon from server 1
>>>> to server 2? Will this connection remain open through a reboot so I
>>>> can see the boot messages? Thanks!
>
>> Does the Linux kernel console code obey the BIOS serial-console
>> setting?
>
> Unsure, what you exactly mean,

I was under the impression that he wanted to have the text-mode
installer be usable via a serial connection. For that to work,
the Linux virtual terminal console code would have to pay
attention to the BIOSe's serial-console setting and redirect
the virtual consoles out the serial port.

> there are different versions of this serial-console setup,
> some claim to be a VT, so the kernel doesn't even know of this
> hw.

That's what it would take to do an install serially, since I
don't think it's possible to tell the installer to use a serial
device.

> Other have in addition some management port pass-through
> feature, allowing you to simply run a getty on ttyS?
>
> Some have a build-in Linux and can be configured through ipmi
> from Linux, allowing to connect via LAN (ssh) or serial
> connection.
>
> Without one of those features, you can be in the "game" from the
> lilo/grub prompt on (rw) with just a serial connection and
> configuring your boot-loader probably.

The distro's I've seen used ISOLinux rather than lilo/grub. It
can be configured to use a serial console, but I've never seen
a distro CD that was set up that way.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! I'm receiving a coded
at message from EUBIE BLAKE!!
visi.com

On 3 Dec 2004 11:58:47 -0800, Todd Akers <ptakers@gmail.com>
wrote:

> n00b question:
>
> I have 2 Dell servers running RedHat 8 and I would like to
> upgrade one of the servers from the other server. I have a
> serial cable connection from server 1 to server 2 and 2 two has
> the latest media in the CD drive. How do I initiate a servial
> connectiuon from server 1 to server 2? Will this connection
> remain open through a reboot so I can see the boot messages?
> Thanks!

Set up SLIP on each box and use netcat to send the files over
(null-modem cable needed).

Slow. I'd use Ethernet if you can. But nc (netcat) is the
simplest way I know of to send files. It's only 17K.

Details on request.

AC

In comp.os.linux.misc Grant Edwards <grante@visi.com>:
> On 2004-12-03, Michael Heiming <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> wrote:
[..]

> That's what it would take to do an install serially, since I
> don't think it's possible to tell the installer to use a serial
> device.

Works with rh kickstart, you tell the installer via tftp
(pxelinux.cfg - IIRC), something in the lines of (from memory, no
guarantee for correctness - there's a detailed kickstart docu
explaining it all):

append ksdevice=eth0 console=console=tty0 ttyS0,19200 \
ks=http://10.6.3.101/kickstart/ks-blah.cfg \

You need a dhcp server + tftp + http/ftp/nfs server for something
like this and perhaps an install LAN, works like a charm, albeit
it's highly questionable if the work needed to setup can be
justified for one/two systems?

--
Michael Heiming (X-PGP-Sig > GPG-Key ID: EDD27B94)
mail: echo zvpunry@urvzvat.qr | perl -pe 'y/a-z/n-za-m/'
#bofh excuse 193: Did you pay the new Support Fee?