Configuring the Console Login Process https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SerialConsoleHowto Setup Serial Console with GRUB bootloader http://www.rajeevnet.com/linux/grub_serial_console.html Serial Console http://www.cpqlinux.com/serialconsole.html Serial Console Howto http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO/Remote-Serial-Console-HOWTO.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edgy and Newer Ubuntu Versions (Upstart) Configuring upstart (Edgy and newer), the older versions used inittab. Paste the following into /etc/event.d/ttyS0 # ttyS0 - getty # # This service maintains a getty on ttyS0 from the point the system is # started until it is shut down again. start on runlevel 2 start on runlevel 3 start on runlevel 4 start on runlevel 5 stop on runlevel 0 stop on runlevel 1 stop on runlevel 6 respawn exec /sbin/getty 115200 ttyS0 # end of file /etc/event.d/ttyS0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Configuring GRUB for Serial Add the following to /boot/grub/menu.lst # /boot/grub/menu.lst # enable console output via the serial port. # unit 0 is /dev/ttyS0, unit 1 is /dev/ttyS1... serial --unit=0 --speed=115200 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1 terminal --timeout=15 serial console When you next reboot, the output from grub will go to the normal console unless input is received from the serial port. Whichever receives input first becomes the default console. This gives you the best of both worlds. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Configuring the kernel boot parameters (optional) This section is optional if the user wants the kernel boot messages to appear on the serial console port. For kernel boot messages to be sent to the serial console, modify the kernel line for the image you want to boot using the serial console on in the /boot/grub/menu.lst file, append the following to the kernel line: console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8 Example: #/boot/grub/menu.lst kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10-5-386 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.10-5-386 root=/dev/hda1 ro quiet splash console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8 Note two "console=" kernel options. You can specify this option several times. All devices, mentioned in it will receive kernel messages (those, generated by printk() and seen by dmesg). However, stdin/stdout/stderr of /sbin/init process will be set to the last device only, therefore only the last device will show startup messages and act as a console in single-user mode. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drapper and Older Ubuntu Versions (inittab) Change /etc/inittab (drapper and older) #T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100 T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 115200 vt100 sudo /sbin/telinit q