Fuel Console using COM1 - Printable Version

Fuel Console using COM1 - Printable Version

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Fuel Console using COM1 - megaimg - 12-18-2021

So I have my Fuel running, but the only question I have for the team is regarding Console using COM1. After couple of recommendations I did before to get the unit online, now COM1 is not working anymore for console...I guest is something or configuration I change during the process. I can get to L1/L2 using the Logic board connector Any ideas how to get this configure again!

PD: How Do you guys use the L1 connector in the outside!

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - weblacky - 12-19-2021

Okay so mine started with using serial 1 for console but you don't want this anyway. When I did a reset in CAC/POD mode it went BACK to the internal header. Even if you put the console back to COM1 (I do NOT KNOW how to do that) you cannot get the L1 to go through COM1 on Fuel...if you have the serial port on your mainboard...that's L1 forever (as far as I've ever seen). Fuel can still be use with L2/L3 connected to L1 USB externally on Fuel's backside!

Normal systems like Tezro so a SINGLE COM port for BOTH L1 and boot console. On Fuel it's normally the internal port. You're supposed to switch between L1 and Console mode by using the documented L1 command Control key + d and control key + t to toggle between. Why would you want two serial ports to two terminals to operate your Fuel?

If you want to use the L1 header for Power-up due to a broken power button...get yourself a ribbon cable based Serial port PCI blank from an old PC and crimp on a correctly gendered IDC header to interface with the board port. that would give you access from outside the case.

Normally SGI assumed nobody would need to screw with the Fuel's L1, long term...so it's inside. Tero and the others have a same special L1/Console port but it's on the outside due to the IO9 card's design.

I did assume you can just plug into the USB B port on the back as it's a serial chip, right? Does anyone know if you can just plug a USB 2.0 A->B cable into the back of Fuel port and get Serial access like the internal serial port?

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - megaimg - 12-19-2021

(12-19-2021, 01:21 AM)weblacky Wrote: Okay so mine started with using serial 1 for console but you don't want this anyway. When I did a reset in CAC/POD mode it went BACK to the internal header. Even if you put the console back to COM1 (I do NOT KNOW how to do that) you cannot get the L1 to go through COM1 on Fuel...if you have the serial port on your mainboard...that's L1 forever (as far as I've ever seen). Fuel can still be use with L2/L3 connected to L1 USB externally on Fuel's backside!

Normal systems like Tezro so a SINGLE COM port for BOTH L1 and boot console. On Fuel it's normally the internal port. You're supposed to switch between L1 and Console mode by using the documented L1 command Control key + d and control key + t to toggle between. Why would you want two serial ports to two terminals to operate your Fuel?

If you want to use the L1 header for Power-up due to a broken power button...get yourself a ribbon cable based Serial port PCI blank from an old PC and crimp on a correctly gendered IDC header to interface with the board port. that would give you access from outside the case.

Normally SGI assumed nobody would need to screw with the Fuel's L1, long term...so it's inside. Tero and the others have a same special L1/Console port but it's on the outside due to the IO9 card's design.

I did assume you can just plug into the USB B port on the back as it's a serial chip, right? Does anyone know if you can just plug a USB 2.0 A->B cable into the back of Fuel port and get Serial access like the internal serial port?

Same here, when I reset CAC/POD, everything move to the internal port. I think I try the USB cable, I will try again and update!

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - weblacky - 12-19-2021

I make no claims about the USB port.

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - megaimg - 12-19-2021

(12-19-2021, 01:57 AM)megaimg Wrote:
(12-19-2021, 01:21 AM)weblacky Wrote: Okay so mine started with using serial 1 for console but you don't want this anyway. When I did a reset in CAC/POD mode it went BACK to the internal header. Even if you put the console back to COM1 (I do NOT KNOW how to do that) you cannot get the L1 to go through COM1 on Fuel...if you have the serial port on your mainboard...that's L1 forever (as far as I've ever seen). Fuel can still be use with L2/L3 connected to L1 USB externally on Fuel's backside!

Normal systems like Tezro so a SINGLE COM port for BOTH L1 and boot console. On Fuel it's normally the internal port. You're supposed to switch between L1 and Console mode by using the documented L1 command Control key + d and control key + t to toggle between. Why would you want two serial ports to two terminals to operate your Fuel?

If you want to use the L1 header for Power-up due to a broken power button...get yourself a ribbon cable based Serial port PCI blank from an old PC and crimp on a correctly gendered IDC header to interface with the board port. that would give you access from outside the case.

Normally SGI assumed nobody would need to screw with the Fuel's L1, long term...so it's inside. Tero and the others have a same special L1/Console port but it's on the outside due to the IO9 card's design.

I did assume you can just plug into the USB B port on the back as it's a serial chip, right? Does anyone know if you can just plug a USB 2.0 A->B cable into the back of Fuel port and get Serial access like the internal serial port?

Same here, when I reset CAC/POD, everything move to the internal port. I think I try the USB cable, I will try again and update!

Sound like we need a driver on Windows!

Must be a way to get COM1 working again for console access.

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - weblacky - 12-20-2021

Well of course there is a way to get Irix Console access by setting up the proper inittab entry, but I do not know how to get the boot PROM console to output via serial 1.

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - kubatyszko - 03-29-2022

Have you tried "setenv console d" in prom ?

According to the PROM help, in some systems a removed password jumper (I'm not even sure if Fuel has one) could reset the console setting back to "g" on every boot.

I also recall there was some super hidden setting that allowed changing console - serial port mapping (I think it was in addition to "setenv console"), I can't find that setting now but will look again once I'm in front of my SGI's..

--

Found the setting I mentioned, it's in prom:

console [sc|ioc3|ioc4]: Print or set the system console path to either
the system controller or an I-brick UART

I'm not sure if this is where the culprit is though...

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - cz7asm - 04-04-2022

I had some Fuels that didn't output anything to COM1 console. For some reason the PROM console setup was set to "sc" whereas "ioc3" is the correct setup that directs output to COM1. So running "console ioc3" in the monitor prompt did the trick.

RE: Fuel Console using COM1 - jwhat - 04-07-2022

Hi cz7asm,

thanks very much for providing this tip.
This helps understand why some Fuel owners are getting nothing from Serial Port #1 and some are.

As per Weblacky, it seems that if you:
- start with a "brand" new DS1742 then auto initialisation it, the result is that output not be set to go to Serial Port #1 and
- that if you do a POD/CAC reset this also affects this (by changing he Console Selection value, which is available from POD/CAC mode)

Mind you the warning message might put people off:

[Image: IMG_6698.jpeg]

Could you possibly post what your PROM (Command Monitor) environment prints out when you boot your Fuel with/without keyboard/mouse plugged in, as I found that the environment variables are different depending on how machine was booted.

Cheers from Oz,

jwhat/John