# <a name="Grub"> Grub </a>

To enable serial console support in Grub, you'll need to add a variation of the following to the top of your menu.lst:

      serial --unit=0
      terminal --timeout=2 serial console

The first line enables the serial console on the first serial port (use --unit=1 to use the second). The second tells Grub to use either the serial console or the vga display on the first one on which input is sensed within two seconds of executing this command. If no input is detected, Grub defaults to the first which in this case is the serial console.

# <a name="Hurd"> Hurd </a>

You'll first need to create a serial port device. Change to /dev and execute the following as root:

      ./MAKEDEV com0

Then add the following to /etc/ttys:

      com0    "/libexec/getty 9600"           xterm-color             on      secure trusted console

runttys won't automatically reread /etc/ttys. You need to send it a SIGHUP.

If you are running your serial console on the second serial port, replace com0 with com1.

# <a name="Using_the_Serial_Port"> Using the Serial Port </a>

minicom is popular but sredird has a more integrated feel.

-- [[NealWalfield]] - 12 Dec 2005