Linux Networking Cookbook

17.3. Configuring a Headless Server with GRUB

Problem

Your soon-to-be headless server now has all the pieces in place for running headless. Now, you need to know how to configure it to accept logins from a directly connected serial console, and you want to see a boot menu when you reboot from the console. You are using GRUB as your bootloader.

Solution

First, edit /etc/inittab to set the default runlevel so that the system boots into text mode (Debian users, please see Recipe 17.4 for more information):

	# The default runlevel.
	id:3:initdefault:

Then, open up a serial port to accept logins:

	# Example how to put a getty on a serial line (for a terminal)
	#
	T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100
	#T1:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS1 9600 vt100

Uncomment the one you're going to connect to. (In this recipe, we'll use ttyS0.) The terminal emulation should already be vt100 or vt102; if it isn't, change it. Then, save your changes and restart init:

	# init q

Fedora Linux users must take two extra steps. First, edit /etc/sysconfig/init to disable ANSI colors and disable the interactive startup with these lines:

	BOOTUP=serial
	PROMPT=no

Then, disable Kudzu because it will reset the serial port whenever it runs, and then you'll be disconnected. Edit /etc/sysconfig/kudzu:

	SAFE=yes

Now, edit /boot/grub/grub.conf to tell the kernel to make ttyS0 (or whichever one you use) the default system console. Use the following example as a model, substituting your own filepaths, kernels, and titles:

 #/boot/grub/grub.conf ...