# Serial console is dead



## tcn (Jun 28, 2009)

Hi,

  This is like deja vu as I reported a problem similar to this one a while back on FreeBSD 4...  I think it is a configuration problem but I can't figure out what it is.  I need help.

  This server is a mini-PC that is to be located in a remote location; serial console required.

  I installed a fresh new FreeBSD 7.2.  Once installed, I configured my kernel to tailor it to my needs (not finished; just starting to).

  The problem is that the system boots, I see everything on the serial console, everything works.  I have encrypted hard drives so the system asks for the password, I enter it, always on the serial console, and it continues.  I get to the login; typing won't echo, nothing works anymore.

  I connected through ssh, tried "echo foo > /dev/ttyu0", nothing is echoed.  "echo foo > /dev/cuau0" gives me the busy error message.  I then tried "cat /dev/ttyu0" and typed a few letters on the serial console, I see some of the chars but not all of them.

  I can't figure this one out.  Any clues?  I attached some config files with this message including my kernel configuration.


Thanks.


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## tcn (Jun 29, 2009)

I really wish I could remove my posts; I found that my cable didn't have DCD connected properly; sorry for the noise...


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## mk (Jun 29, 2009)

why? that way is better - next time someone will have same problem and if he is under pressure and forgot to check the cables, after reading this he will


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## tcn (Jun 29, 2009)

*Still not working.....*



			
				tcn said:
			
		

> I really wish I could remove my posts; I found that my cable didn't have DCD connected properly; sorry for the noise...



Sorry again but my problem just posponed.

After a short while, the serial console stops working; same behaviour as explained (echo foo > /dev/ttyu0 does not produce any output, no console messages are printed out, cat /dev/ttyu0 will echo some typed characters but not all)

  It is as if something else would take over the serial port for some reason.:\  If anyone could take a look at my config, it would be greatly appreciated.


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## tcn (Jul 1, 2009)

*Some more testing done...*

I've been testing the serial console a little further.

I disabled getty on the serial port and started minicom.  The result is that I can type send text from the serial port to the FreeBSD but any character typed on the minicom will not echo on the other side.

The chars are lost in /dev/null??? :q


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