Bug 16749

Summary:	Secondary serial console doesn't allow you to pass kernel options
Product:	[Retired] Red Hat Linux	Reporter:	Pekka Savola <pekkas>
Component:	lilo	Assignee:	Michael K. Johnson <johnsonm>
Status:	CLOSED DUPLICATE	QA Contact:
Severity:	medium	Docs Contact:
Priority:	medium
Version:	7.1
Target Milestone:	---
Target Release:	---
Hardware:	i386
OS:	Linux
Whiteboard:
Fixed In Version:		Doc Type:	Bug Fix
Doc Text:		Story Points:	---
Clone Of:		Environment:
Last Closed:	2002-06-04 05:17:15 UTC	Type:	---
Regression:	---	Mount Type:	---
Documentation:	---	CRM:
Verified Versions:		Category:	---
oVirt Team:	---	RHEL 7.3 requirements from Atomic Host:
Cloudforms Team:	---	Target Upstream Version:
Embargoed:

Description Pekka Savola 2000-08-22 20:44:22 UTC

This is very much related to #13564.  The setup is described there in detail.

As of beta5 or so, the kernel messages will be shown properly when you use (secondary -- didn't test with primary) 
serial console.

However, LILO prompt appears broken if and only if you use the new VGA screen.  That is, you get:

---
LILO
Loading linux...........
---
Note!  You can't enter any input (e.g. linux single) there!

If you disable the VGA screen, secondary console fine, and the boot looks something like:

---
Lilo boot: 
Loading linux...........
---

Comment 1 Brock Organ 2000-08-23 13:58:42 UTC

hmmm ... I am unable to reproduce this problem (the inability to enter text mode
at the lilo splash screen, and subsequently type in boot parameters):

using rc2, I am able to install with an append="console=ttyS0,19200n8" line in
my lilo.conf for the default linux boot label ... and upon reboot, I'm able to
use ^X to enter text mode at the VGA splash screen, and am able to add boot
parameters ...

Comment 2 Pekka Savola 2000-08-23 14:22:57 UTC

Please try using:

append="console=ttyS0,19200n8 console=tty0"

I think the problem occurs only when serial console is secondary.  I use this to setup "backup" serial consoles (for systems that still do have VGA).

Comment 3 Brock Organ 2000-08-23 15:40:57 UTC

this behavior is verified with the above append line, you can not enter lilo
parameters over the serial line ...

Comment 4 Matt Wilson 2000-08-23 15:45:14 UTC

uh, why did you assign this to me?

Comment 5 Jeremy Katz 2002-06-04 05:17:09 UTC

Does this still happen with current releases?

Comment 6 Pekka Savola 2002-06-05 11:48:53 UTC

Tested on RHL73:

1) whether primary or secondary console, if using message= in lilo.conf, you
cannot pass any parameters (a "duplicate" of #24286)

2) you can pass parameters with secondary console is no message= is defined.

Marking as duplicate even though this was a much earlier report.

*** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of 24286 ***