Now let's start installing NetBSD 1.5.1 via serial console. You need 3 files to install NetBSD. Get boot1.fs,boot2.fs, and rescue-small.fs from this site ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.5.1/i386/installation/floppy/. Then you make disks using rawrite.exe under MS-DOS or dd command under Unix system. you need boot1.fs and boot2.fs to install. After the installation OS completes you have to use rescue-small.fs disk in order to set up PC to use serial console later.
First of all, as you know you have to connect a pc to a console
using cross serial cable.
Then put boot1.fs disk into your PC.
When PC start reading boot1.fs disk,
type any key except for ENTER key from PC keyboard.
I recomend ESC key.
PC stop reading boot1fs disk temporarily.
And you type next line from PC keyboard:
consdev com0
Now you can see boot messages from serial console.
From now you can do all installation via serial console.
Type "boot" from console to restart boot1.fs disk.
Then you continue installation as usual from serial console.
After finishing the installation don't boot NetBSD from harddisk yet.
There is no configuration PC for login via serial console yet.
So you have to move on to next step
to configure it.
Put rescue-small.fs disk in PC and start it.
You can see shell prompt #.
Now you configure /etc/ttys in PC for serial console.
Mount harddisk like this:
# mount /dev/wd0a /mnt
You have to edit /mnt/etc/ttys.
but there seem to be no vi editor or other editors.
So do like this:
To backup original ttys
# cp /mnt/etc/ttys /mnt/etc/ttys.org
To make foo.txt and edit next line
# cat >foo.txt
tty00 "/usr/libexec/std.9600" vt100 on secure local
To append
# cat foo.txt >>ttys
Now all configuration is done. You can login PC via serial console.
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