Re: [Xen-users] Verification of CPU

[jonr@xxxxxxxxxx]

Quoting Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@xxxxxxxxx>:

> jonr@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > Quoting Nico Kadel-Garcia <nkadel@xxxxxxxxx>:
> >
> > > This sort of thing is why I prefer to stuff fake keyboard widgets onto
> > > the PS/2 port, rather than rely on BIOS resetting to allow the system
> > > to boot without a keyboard attached on so many server class systems.
> > This is a good case for serial console access with a cyclades or   
> > some other type of serial access box. You then ssh into the   
> > cyclades and can then connect to the serial port and change your   
> > BIOS settings.
> Which are..... $1000/16 port console last time I looked, plus
> ridiculously expensive specialized cabling with pinouts invented by
> Bozo the wiring clown, doesn't necessarily work at all given the
> extremely poor BIOS testing of new motherboards and failure to test
> "remote console", and notice what I just said about resetting the BIOS
> if it fails to reboot 3 times in a row?  That usually disables the
> so-called "remote console" or actually the serial BIOS access. So does
> any update of the BIOS itself, even if it's for a critical repair.
>
> Serial console is most reliable for system shell access, not BIOS
> access, due to these little adventures. It's OK if you retain keyboard
> and console access for such emergencies, but it's not a complete
> solution to the BIOS management problem.
True, I realized that it wouldn't work after a 3rd reboot anyway but I  
had already sent my message to the list. So I guess the only thing to  
do would be to make sure that this "feature" of the BIOS is not  
implemented in the board that you buy. Sometimes that is unavoidable  
though, if you are using a manufacturers setup such as a blade center  
as opposed to building your own.
Thanks for the education Nico, I will be watching more closely for  
this in my future purchases.
Jon



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