[Info-vax] Issue with booting and/or seeing the SYSBOOT prompt

[John Tran]

On Sunday, October 24, 2021 at 3:59:35 PM UTC-3, Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Stephen Hoffman <seao... at hoffmanlabs.invalid> wrote: 
> >Using the iLO is easier than USB adapters and the console serial line, 
> >other posts here to the contrary. Unless you already have a box of 
> >parts and some experience with USB serial adapters and a host app that 
> >is compatible with the USB-to-serial serial adapter.
> Sadly this is true. USB-to-serial adaptors are total disasters even 
> if you happen to find one that isn't counterfeit. I am fine with 
> serial ports and always keep some PCI serial cards around because 
> I have spent far too much time fighting to get a serial adaptor to work. 
> 
> If you put a paperclip between pins 2 and 3, characters should be 
> echoed back to the screen when you type. When you remove the clip, 
> the characters should stop being echoed. If this is not the case 
> then your serial port or terminal emulator is not functioning. This 
> is the number one first step toward getting any serial port running.
> --scott 
> -- 
> "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Thanks for that info. The cables I have do work. The problem was my CRT settings. I tried COM1 and COM2 and they didn't work. Didn't thnk there were others in use. I looked in Windows device manager and it was showing COM5 allocated by the USB-serial. :( Once I was using COM5, it was good to go.