Syslinux - Mar 2010 - pxelinux multiple serial port setting

Hello

We have computers which redirect COM2(ttyS1) to SOL(Searial console Over Lan).
We have been using pxelinux to boot them with the following pxelinux.cfg/default
setting.

pxelinux.cfg/default
serial 1 19200
console 1

prompt 0
timeout 100
default menu.c32

label Linux Diskless
      menu label  ^Linux Diskless
      kernel menu.c32
      append pxelinux.cfg/linux.menu

label Bios Setup
      menu label  ^Bios Setup
      kernel menu.c32
      append pxelinux.cfg/biossetup.menu

label Linux Installer
      menu label  Linux ^Installer
--- snip ------------ snip ------

Now, recently we bought different computers whose BMC(Baseboard Management
Controller) redirect COM3(ttyS2) to
SOL.
We were able to see pxelinux menu with old machines but we can't see them
with newer ones.
We want to see pxelinux menu's outputs with both machines.

Is it possible to have pxelinux output both COM2 and COM3 simultaneously ?

Or, is it possible to have pxelinux behave like GRUB, which prompt something
like "Press any key to proceed." and after receiving any input, output
GRUB's menu only to the device which it received inputs?

Sincerely,
Kimitoshi Takahashi

On 03/01/2010 05:29 AM, Kimitoshi Takahashi wrote:
> Now, recently we bought different computers whose BMC(Baseboard Management
Controller) redirect COM3(ttyS2) to
> SOL.
> We were able to see pxelinux menu with old machines but we can't see
them with newer ones.
> We want to see pxelinux menu's outputs with both machines.
> 
> Is it possible to have pxelinux output both COM2 and COM3 simultaneously ?
> 
> Or, is it possible to have pxelinux behave like GRUB, which prompt
something like "Press any key to proceed." and after receiving any
input, output GRUB's menu only to the device which it received inputs?
Hi Takahasi-san,

It isn't currently supported, but it really wouldn't be all that hard to
do.  I will consider adding it in Syslinux 4.00.

	-hpa

Kimitoshi Takahashi wrote:
>
> Hello
>
> We have computers which redirect COM2(ttyS1) to SOL(Searial console 
> Over Lan).
> We have been using pxelinux to boot them with the following 
> pxelinux.cfg/default setting.
>
> ...
>
> Now, recently we bought different computers whose BMC(Baseboard 
> Management Controller) redirect COM3(ttyS2) to
> SOL.
> We were able to see pxelinux menu with old machines but we can't see 
> them with newer ones.
> We want to see pxelinux menu's outputs with both machines.
>
Is it possible to configure your serial-over-LAN in these new computers' 
BIOS?  Perhaps you can ask the vendor to ship them preconfigured for the 
same serial port as your old computers as part of your expectations as a 
bulk consumer (assuming you are one).

Other than that, PXELINUX searches for its config-file using a 
well-known "count-down" method, which includes searching for a file 
based on UUID, on MAC address, and on IP address.  Could you 
special-case these newer computers and provide a PXELINUX config-file 
for them which uses COM3?

- Shao Miller