how to admin solaris 8 via serial port

Roland Reichenberg

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Apr 15, 2003, 4:35:10 AM4/15/03

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Hi NG,

we are running a sparc ultra 5 (solaris 2.6) and a sparc ultra 10 (solaris
8).
Neither keyboard nor a monitor is connected to these machines. They are only
connected via a serial cable to a linux-box which has a monitor and a
keyboard.

Sometimes we have to administrate the solaris machines locally. So I log
into the linux-box and start the program "minicom".
This opens a serial connection to the connected solaris-machine.

But this only works for the sparc ultra 5 (solaris 2.6). If I connect the
sparc ultra 10 (solaris 8) to the linux-box, the minicom-program cannot set
up a serial connection.

Both solaris-machines provide adequate device-files which reside in /dev and
/devices. I have tried different transmission rates with minicom but without
success. I can only setup a serial connection to the solaris-2.6-machine and
not to the solaris-8-machine.

Who can help? Does anybody know a quick-to-read instruction how to set up a
serial connection?

Thanks in advance,

Roland

dav...@yahoo.com

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Apr 15, 2003, 8:37:45 AM4/15/03

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Roland Reichenberg <r.reic...@gmx.de> wrote:
> I have tried different transmission rates with minicom but without

Standard parameter are 9600 8N1 for Solaris. I have a similar
machine and it works flawlessy.

Besides that, can't you use ssh to administer the machine?

Davide

Chris Cox

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Apr 15, 2003, 1:49:36 PM4/15/03

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Roland Reichenberg wrote:
> Hi NG,
>
> we are running a sparc ultra 5 (solaris 2.6) and a sparc ultra 10 (solaris
> 8).
> Neither keyboard nor a monitor is connected to these machines. They are only
> connected via a serial cable to a linux-box which has a monitor and a
> keyboard.
>
> Sometimes we have to administrate the solaris machines locally. So I log
> into the linux-box and start the program "minicom".
> This opens a serial connection to the connected solaris-machine.
>
> But this only works for the sparc ultra 5 (solaris 2.6). If I connect the
> sparc ultra 10 (solaris 8) to the linux-box, the minicom-program cannot set
> up a serial connection.

Some things to check (not in any order):

1. Serial port is bad on the Ultra 10
2. Mismatch of port speed, check the serial port config on the Ultra 10
(see pmadm, ttyadm).
3. Bad cable
4. No getty (ttymon) running (it's possible to nuke the proper behavior
of Solaris).

>
> Both solaris-machines provide adequate device-files which reside in /dev and
> /devices. I have tried different transmission rates with minicom but without
> success. I can only setup a serial connection to the solaris-2.6-machine and
> not to the solaris-8-machine.
>
> Who can help? Does anybody know a quick-to-read instruction how to set up a
> serial connection?

This one is pretty short (haven't examined it thoroughly though):
http://www.ussg.iu.edu/edcert/session2/peripheral/celeste.html

HTH,
Chris

Roland Reichenberg

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Apr 16, 2003, 5:34:12 AM4/16/03

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Hi!

> 1. Serial port is bad on the Ultra 10

how can I verify this for my machine?

> 2. Mismatch of port speed, check the serial port config on the Ultra 10
> (see pmadm, ttyadm).

pmadm says 9600, and so does the configuration of minicom (9600 8N1)

> 3. Bad cable
definitely not, because the serial connection works between my sparc ultra 5
(solaris 2.6) and the linux-box

> 4. No getty (ttymon) running (it's possible to nuke the proper behavior
> of Solaris).

ttymon is running. What do you mean by 'nuking' the proper behaviour of
Solaris?

Thanks in advance,

Roland

Roland Reichenberg

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Apr 16, 2003, 7:11:00 AM4/16/03

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Hi Chris,

your link to the quick-to-read instruction saved my day!

It works now. Error was that the sparc used ttya for input/output device
if no keyboard/monitor is connected

I configured the port-monitor for ttyb.

Thank you, again!

Roland

> http://www.ussg.iu.edu/edcert/session2/peripheral/celeste.html