Install CentOS 7 Over Serial Port On Router Board ?

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Hi,

I have to install CentOS 7 for a client, to act as cache & filtering proxy using Squid.

I’d like to use this piece of specialized hardware :

http://store.calexium.com/fr/systeme-pre-assemble/869-systeme-pre-assemble-rackmatrix-apu-amd-gx-412tc-quatre-coeurs-1-ghz.html

There is no VGA or HDMI video output, just a serial port to connect to, and then three NICs and two USB ports.

I’ve never installed CentOS over a serial console, so I don’t even know if it’s possible in the first place. Has anyone ever done something like that ?

Any suggestions ?

Niki
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Microlinux – Solutions informatiques durables
7, place de l’église – 30730 Montpezat Site : https://www.microlinux.fr Blog : https://blog.microlinux.fr Mail : info@microlinux.fr Tél. : 04 66 63 10 32

10 thoughts on - Install CentOS 7 Over Serial Port On Router Board ?

  • You should look up installing CentOS over a serial console, I believe you should be able to change the install parameters for netinstall to provide a console on the serial port.

    Failing that have you considered installing CentOS to the mSATA disk on a different system and then just transplanting the built system into this appliance?

  • Kickstart, and do a non-interactive install. That’s always my preferred route.

    serial, as you’ve already had suggested.

    Set anaconda to provide VNC, then connect to the VNCserver and install using the normal graphical installer just like you would on a default install.

    jh

  • Nicolas Kovacs writes:

    I haven’t done this with Linux, only Soekris+OpenBSD, but the principles are the same. PXE, kickstart, monitoring via serial port. Change console settings to point to the serial port as per Giles. Use a USB-to-serial converter to connect to a laptop running a terminal program, or serial cable with a dekstop that still has a serial port. May need a null-modem cable, I don’t remember.

  • We use a DIGITUS USB2Serial Converter (Prolific based USBID: VID:067B PID:2303) and then

    screen /dev/DEVICE 115200

  • Great! Would love to hear more about your experience!

    —
    ——————————————
    MzK

    “Ring out the false, ring in the true.”
    — poem “In Memoriam”, Alfred Lord Tennyson

  • Le 23/03/2018 à 16:52, Kay Schenk a écrit :

    Right, here goes.

    So, I got the hardware this morning: Calexium router board with a quad-core AMD processor, 4 GB ram, 1 TB SATA disk, a serial console and all the cables.

    I have the board connected to a desktop PC running CentOS 7, using an USB-to-serial adapter.

    I installed Minicom, did some basic configuration, and I have a first success. In Minicom, I can manage to see the CentOS 7 boot menu, and I
    can also type some boot parameters.

    The next step is to find the right combination of boot parameters so I
    can install through the text console. So far, I’ve had no luck.

    Any suggestions ?

    Niki

    —
    Microlinux – Solutions informatiques durables
    7, place de l’église – 30730 Montpezat Site : https://www.microlinux.fr Blog : https://blog.microlinux.fr Mail : info@microlinux.fr Tél. : 04 66 63 10 32

  • If you’re going to do an interactive install, do it graphically via VNC, as has already been suggested. If you don’t want to do that, use kickstart.

    jh

  • Le 27/03/2018 à 15:50, John Hodrien a écrit :

    After much more experimenting, I can report a full success. I managed to install CentOS 7 on the board, using a mix of serial console and VNC. Worked like a charm.

    Over the next few days, I’ll write a detailed blog article about that.

    Thanks very much for your numerous suggestions.

    Cheers,

    Niki

    —
    Microlinux – Solutions informatiques durables
    7, place de l’église – 30730 Montpezat Site : https://www.microlinux.fr Blog : https://blog.microlinux.fr Mail : info@microlinux.fr Tél. : 04 66 63 10 32