Re: Clarification & more info (was Re: Running 2.3.99-pre3 headless doesn't create tty<n> devices???

From: Ricky Beam (jfbeam@bluetopia.net)
Date: Fri Mar 31 2000 - 22:01:32 EST

  • Next message: Ricky Beam: "Re: How to Determine Which Kernel"

    On Thu, 30 Mar 2000, Ralf G. R. Bergs wrote:
    >>You are SOL, unless you want to use some sort of dummy terminal driver.
    >>The kernel has no device to map tty's to, so it can't do anything. It's in
    >>the hands of the admin after that.
    >
    >I understand. But why has this behavior been changed? Why isn't there sort
    >of a "compatibility module" that restores the original behavior?

    ??? backwards compatibility to what? I remember running one of my machines
    headless (i.e. sans a video card) some years ago and none of the vc's existed.
    In many respects, this _is_ the correct way to do this. If you want a
    dummy device on char-major-4, hack up the /dev/null driver...

    >The reason why I have a problem accepting the current situation is that I'd
    >like to keep the gettys on the consoles running for cases where I *need*
    >them (read if I f*cked up so badly that I can't access the machine via
    >telnet and have to connect a keyboard and monitor to it to revive it.)

    Excuss me, but we're talking about a headless linux box; a machine without
    a video output device as in no video card _not_ as in keyboard/monitor not
    plugged in?

    It doesn't matter anyway... allow me to introduce you to this thing call
    "run levels" -- of course, you'd have to reboot in the case where there's
    no console available (but then you'd likely have to add a video card?)
    AND, there's the serial console option as well.

    In fact, I've got several machines that boot up without monitor/keyboard
    attached and they work fine. If you _are_ refering to machines without
    a video card, then an init runlevel to activate console getty(s) once a
    video card has been add is the easiest option. (The messages are a little
    inconsistent, so I'm a little confused on how to answer.)

    --Ricky

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