Booting HP-UX using VGA monitor

[haimi]

Hi,

Is there any way that I can use my VGA monitor to boot HP-UX and get the CDE screen up?

So far, my VGA can only show up till the EFI manager screen and the rest of the screen boot up process could not be shown.

Thanks.

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom,

The video built into modern HP-UX servers is SVGA, not VGA. A VGA monitor will not work at all.

SEP

[OFC_EDM]

Are you connecting directly to the server via seral cable? You won't get CDE on that as it needs a graphics card.

Which model of server is this?

[Fabio Ettore]

Hi haimi,

I think the problem is about the selected serial output device, I mean I think your system is configured to direct the output to serial console. If it's so then you won't see boot process on your VGA.
In order to change this setting you have to select by EFI the VGA output device:

http://www.docs.hp.com/en/5992-4044/5992-4044.pdf

Follow pagg. 72, 73:

"Task 1: Selecting Your HP-UX Console for Itanium-based Systems"

HTH.

Best regards,
Fabio

[Torsten.]

You say EFI, so it must be at least any kind of

rx....

In general, you can configure the console to VGA, but consider this - it's no longer on MP then. This means no remote access to the console!

Do you really want to do this?

Alternatively you can stay with the console on the MP, but use the built-in VGA as a X-display only.

Better solution?

[Fabio Ettore]

By the way you didn't mention the HW model and O.S. but I would say you are working with an Integrity Itanium system with HP-UX 11.23...

Best regards,
Fabio

[haimi]

Hi Guys,

Yeah Im working on Integrity Rx2660 on 11.23. I have tried chaning the console config from EFI to have my VGA as primary and console as secondary.

But still after connecting my VGA monitor and booting a while it shows me:

"Console is on a serial device"
"No further output will appear on this outut device"

Any help please.

Thanks.

[Torsten.]

HP-UX can only have 1 console - the primary!

The secondary will be ignored.

Did you save the changes to the nvram?

Again, better to use the VGA as a Xserver only, leave the console on the serial (MP) device!

[haimi]

Hi Torsten,

Yes I did save to NVRAM anc reboot the system everytime I change the Console Configuration.

Thanks

[haimi]

Hi guys,

Ok I managed to get the whole bootup process shown on my monitor connected to the VGA port. But it still does not show the CDE login screen and merely stops and Console Login: screen. How can I enable CDE to be shown on my monitor?

Thanks

[haimi]

Sorry i should also mention that Im using a normal Samsung VGA flat screen monitor and not any HP monitors. Not sure whether different monitors work differently with HP servers.

[Torsten.]

What is your OS version? Is CDE installed?

[haimi]

OS ver is 11.23. Yes CDE is installed ... Also I tried to run
"/sbin/init.d/dtlogin.rc start"
but nothing shows up.

[Torsten.]

As mentioned earlier, if you use the VGA as console, you don't have remote access to the console via MP!

To configure this anyway, use from EFI:

Shell> conconfig

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

Maybe the better solution:

Check /etc/dt/config/Xservers.
If last line is commented out as follows:

# * Local local@console /usr/bin/X11/X :0

remove '# ' and restart dtlogin:

# /sbin/init.d/dtlogin.rc stop
# /sbin/init.d/dtlogin.rc start


Doing this you have an Xdisplay on your VGA, but the console remains on serial.

[haimi]

Hi Torsten,

Thanks for the suggestions. It at least gives me hope as I only have the VGA to rely on now. I will try soon and let u know.

Thanks Again!

[haimi]

Hi Torsten,

I did the on the /etc/dt/config/Xservers config as mentioned. But everytime i restart the dtlogin process the file revert back to its original, meaning the hash appears again. Anyway to overcome this?

Thanks

[haimi]

Hi,

Its working! its working! The catch is that the CDE takes around 1 min to open up.

Thanks a lot to everyone!

[Ramaprasad K]

You can try changing the console path from EFI shell rather than from the Configuration menu and save to NVRAM. I faced same issue and everytime I saved it to NVRAM and confirm the changes, only then rebooted, but still after reboot, VGA was not taken up.

Then I tried from EFI shell prompt.
Procedure:
1) Interrupt F/W taking default boot path by clicking on the down arrow.
2) Select EFI shell and then click Enter.
3) At the 'Shell>' type help, as I don't excatly remember the path. There will be some command which will give you the option to change the Primary and Secondary Output device. Choose VGA as primary Console as secondary, then reboot (Shell>reset). This time, it should work.

Update after trying this.

Regards,
Ramaprasad