diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/ia64/serial.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | Documentation/ia64/serial.txt | 144 |
1 files changed, 144 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/ia64/serial.txt b/Documentation/ia64/serial.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..f51eb4bc2ff --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/ia64/serial.txt @@ -0,0 +1,144 @@ +SERIAL DEVICE NAMING + + As of 2.6.10, serial devices on ia64 are named based on the + order of ACPI and PCI enumeration. The first device in the + ACPI namespace (if any) becomes /dev/ttyS0, the second becomes + /dev/ttyS1, etc., and PCI devices are named sequentially + starting after the ACPI devices. + + Prior to 2.6.10, there were confusing exceptions to this: + + - Firmware on some machines (mostly from HP) provides an HCDP + table[1] that tells the kernel about devices that can be used + as a serial console. If the user specified "console=ttyS0" + or the EFI ConOut path contained only UART devices, the + kernel registered the device described by the HCDP as + /dev/ttyS0. + + - If there was no HCDP, we assumed there were UARTs at the + legacy COM port addresses (I/O ports 0x3f8 and 0x2f8), so + the kernel registered those as /dev/ttyS0 and /dev/ttyS1. + + Any additional ACPI or PCI devices were registered sequentially + after /dev/ttyS0 as they were discovered. + + With an HCDP, device names changed depending on EFI configuration + and "console=" arguments. Without an HCDP, device names didn't + change, but we registered devices that might not really exist. + + For example, an HP rx1600 with a single built-in serial port + (described in the ACPI namespace) plus an MP[2] (a PCI device) has + these ports: + + pre-2.6.10 pre-2.6.10 + MMIO (EFI console (EFI console + address on builtin) on MP port) 2.6.10 + ========== ========== ========== ====== + builtin 0xff5e0000 ttyS0 ttyS1 ttyS0 + MP UPS 0xf8031000 ttyS1 ttyS2 ttyS1 + MP Console 0xf8030000 ttyS2 ttyS0 ttyS2 + MP 2 0xf8030010 ttyS3 ttyS3 ttyS3 + MP 3 0xf8030038 ttyS4 ttyS4 ttyS4 + +CONSOLE SELECTION + + EFI knows what your console devices are, but it doesn't tell the + kernel quite enough to actually locate them. The DIG64 HCDP + table[1] does tell the kernel where potential serial console + devices are, but not all firmware supplies it. Also, EFI supports + multiple simultaneous consoles and doesn't tell the kernel which + should be the "primary" one. + + So how do you tell Linux which console device to use? + + - If your firmware supplies the HCDP, it is simplest to + configure EFI with a single device (either a UART or a VGA + card) as the console. Then you don't need to tell Linux + anything; the kernel will automatically use the EFI console. + + (This works only in 2.6.6 or later; prior to that you had + to specify "console=ttyS0" to get a serial console.) + + - Without an HCDP, Linux defaults to a VGA console unless you + specify a "console=" argument. + + NOTE: Don't assume that a serial console device will be /dev/ttyS0. + It might be ttyS1, ttyS2, etc. Make sure you have the appropriate + entries in /etc/inittab (for getty) and /etc/securetty (to allow + root login). + +EARLY SERIAL CONSOLE + + The kernel can't start using a serial console until it knows where + the device lives. Normally this happens when the driver enumerates + all the serial devices, which can happen a minute or more after the + kernel starts booting. + + 2.6.10 and later kernels have an "early uart" driver that works + very early in the boot process. The kernel will automatically use + this if the user supplies an argument like "console=uart,io,0x3f8", + or if the EFI console path contains only a UART device and the + firmware supplies an HCDP. + +TROUBLESHOOTING SERIAL CONSOLE PROBLEMS + + No kernel output after elilo prints "Uncompressing Linux... done": + + - You specified "console=ttyS0" but Linux changed the device + to which ttyS0 refers. Configure exactly one EFI console + device[3] and remove the "console=" option. + + - The EFI console path contains both a VGA device and a UART. + EFI and elilo use both, but Linux defaults to VGA. Remove + the VGA device from the EFI console path[3]. + + - Multiple UARTs selected as EFI console devices. EFI and + elilo use all selected devices, but Linux uses only one. + Make sure only one UART is selected in the EFI console + path[3]. + + - You're connected to an HP MP port[2] but have a non-MP UART + selected as EFI console device. EFI uses the MP as a + console device even when it isn't explicitly selected. + Either move the console cable to the non-MP UART, or change + the EFI console path[3] to the MP UART. + + Long pause (60+ seconds) between "Uncompressing Linux... done" and + start of kernel output: + + - No early console because you used "console=ttyS<n>". Remove + the "console=" option if your firmware supplies an HCDP. + + - If you don't have an HCDP, the kernel doesn't know where + your console lives until the driver discovers serial + devices. Use "console=uart, io,0x3f8" (or appropriate + address for your machine). + + Kernel and init script output works fine, but no "login:" prompt: + + - Add getty entry to /etc/inittab for console tty. Look for + the "Adding console on ttyS<n>" message that tells you which + device is the console. + + "login:" prompt, but can't login as root: + + - Add entry to /etc/securetty for console tty. + + + +[1] http://www.dig64.org/specifications/DIG64_PCDPv20.pdf + The table was originally defined as the "HCDP" for "Headless + Console/Debug Port." The current version is the "PCDP" for + "Primary Console and Debug Port Devices." + +[2] The HP MP (management processor) is a PCI device that provides + several UARTs. One of the UARTs is often used as a console; the + EFI Boot Manager identifies it as "Acpi(HWP0002,700)/Pci(...)/Uart". + The external connection is usually a 25-pin connector, and a + special dongle converts that to three 9-pin connectors, one of + which is labelled "Console." + +[3] EFI console devices are configured using the EFI Boot Manager + "Boot option maintenance" menu. You may have to interrupt the + boot sequence to use this menu, and you will have to reset the + box after changing console configuration. |