[Bug 537849] Re: fails to deal with a serial console correctly

[theparanoidone]

Feedback:
-------------
Apparently... *disabling* console redirection in the motherboard allows grub to function somewhat correctly.  This was not a problem in Ubuntu 8.04  (I will be testing Ubuntu 11.04 in just a moment).   I found the following footnote quote "If you're sure you've configured GRUB correctly, but the serial menu does not appear, try disabling serial console support in BIOS."  -- https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SerialConsoleHowto#fnref-4630b2079d69e5d0212e584145e50a6c70a1491f


Opinion:
-----------
Having to diable motherboard serial console access is a limitation / hindrance to successful remote server administration...  especially since this feature worked properly in prior distributions.


Notes:
---------
DELL R200 Server

Grub2 Config:
-------------------
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=false
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8"
GRUB_TERMINAL=serial
GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --speed=115200 --unit=0 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1"


Observed Effects in Ubuntu 10.04
----------------------------------------------

- Disable motherboard console redirection  (DISABLED, com1, vt100, 115200, redirect after console DISABLED)
-- serial console shift key *does not* work to display menu
-- serial console tapping ESC multiple times quickly will allow menu to be displayed

- Enable motherboard redirection  (ENABLED, com1, vt100, 115200, redirect after console ENABLED)
-- error message(s) appears error: unknown command `terminal'.
-- serial console shift key *does not* work
-- serial console tapping ESC multiple times flickers the menu for one second then it disappears

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/537849

Title:
  fails to deal with a serial console correctly

Status in “grub-installer” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  Binary package hint: grub-installer

  When I install lucid on a serial console, grub-installer fails to
  setup the kernel options correctly.

  On the machine in question, console=ttyS1,38400 - this is not what
  grub-installer sets up.

  After manually fixing default/grub and running update-grub, I still
  see:

  error: bad unit number.
  error: unknown terminal 'serial'
  .
  error: unknown command `terminal'.
  error: unknown terminal 'serial'
  .
  error: unknown command `terminal'.

  before the kernel boot proceeds.

  lamont

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