Re: [Testbed-admins] Can't get interactive mode while trying to test images

[Mike Hibler <mike@flux.utah.edu>]

I am going to have to go back and figure this all out again sometime...

Okay, so the version of pxeboot you use doesn't affect the output of the
later boot code (and kernel).  In the case of pxeboot, "null" really means
"non-interactive."  If you choose the -null pxeboot, you will get output:

  pxe_open: using PXE DHCP info
  pxe_open: ipaddr: 155.98.39.80/255.255.252.0
  pxe_open: server addr: 155.98.32.70
  pxe_open: server path: /tftpboot
  pxe_open: gateway ip:  155.98.36.1
  DHCP Info: IP: 155.98.39.80, Server: 155.98.32.70, Gateway: 155.98.36.1

but you will NOT get:

  Type a key for interactive mode (quick, quick!)

and you will get output again when it loads the kernel and MFS.  After
the kernel loads, what the console is (and thus whether you get output)
depends on the setting of "console" in /boot/loader.conf (or in the case
of an MFS, /tftpboot/*/boot/loader.conf.orig).  At this point, a "nullconsole"
setting really means null and you don't get output.

So, if you want to interact with pxeboot, you need either -vga or -sio.
After that, if you are not getting the "quick, quick!" prompt, or if it
doesn't take your input, then we have some other problem.

Sorry for the confusion, it's been a long time since I messed with this code.

On Tue, Jul 14, 2009 at 12:09:49PM -0500, Ben Burnett wrote:
> we are getting the rest of the output, just not the interactive mode prompt....
> 
> Leigh, yes this was working before....  before we moved the nodes from
> the reloading project to hwdown...   they are both in hwdown
> currently...
> 

What was working before, your ability to interact with pxeboot or something
else?  I'm trying to figure out what could have changed by going from
reloading to hwdown using the sched_reserved/nfree combo.  It will reset the
pxeboot path if you have an alternate.  Do you use different pxeboots for
different node types?