Superdome console is too wide at boot

[tech1214]

This is one of those minor annoyances that I just can't seem to find an answer for.

On boot, most of our superdomes don't have sane values for the width of the console terminal - it is like they think it is at least 512 characters wide. We have even had a couple arrive from the factory like this. The problem is that each startup script wants to draw a line of periods from the message to the OK/FAIL/etc status, so the consolelog gets filled up with a ton of periods. By eyeball, it looks like the console is running at 9600 or 19200 bps, this error also seems to slow the boot process (or I am just impatient).

Once getty takes over and I log in through the console, everything is just fine. But I'd really like my logs to contain more than thousands of periods This problem happens regardless of there being an active connections (and thus terminal) on the console or not.

How does the system decide how wide the console is at boot? Can I hardcode it to a simple 80x25?

[Bill Hassell]

You probably don't have an HP terminal connected to the console port. The script that sets the terminal startup options is /etc/rc.config.d/list_mode and it is used by /sbin/rc.utils. When the system first boots, the /sbin/rc.utils script is run and the command ttytype is run to figure out what type of terminal you have connected.

Unfortunately, there are dozens of somewhat dubious quality emulators out there, many written by programmers that have never seen a DEC VT100 or HP terminal. Some of these emulators are web programs or firmware on a terminal server. And because they are not compliant with the standard, the ttytype code may not be able to identify the actual terminal.

If you are using a PC as the console (no terminal servers or other concentrators between the console port and the PC) then get a copy of Reflection for HP from WRQ (it comes as an option for new HP 9000 computers, known as the HP Console CD) or oerhaps download QCTerm. Otherwise, use a 'real' HP console. They run $30-$80 on eBay and are dirt cheap when compared to the complex mods you'll have to make to rc.utils to handle some other console. And note that rc.utils may be patched in the future and the problem will return.

[Robert Binkhorst]

Hi,

Try setting your terminal settings of the GSP, try either EM100 or hp, depending on the terminal you use.

GSP -> CA -> TERMINAL TYPE

HTH,

Robert

[Joerg-Udo Werner]

Hello,
do you have ISEE installed on the Superdome partitions? If yes that could be the reason for the console output.
This problem can be due to a bug in the ISEE software (more specific in the startup script of the software). A solution is to install a ISEE Version equal or greater that A.03.30. There is a workaround available with changes in the startup script for the ISEE software.

Regards,
Udo