[syslinux] How to press F1 over a serial console?

[Ferenc Wagner]

"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa at zytor.com> writes:

> Ferenc Wagner wrote:
>
>> To mention something even on topic, I have the impression that the
>> VGA graphics (the ^X feature) is displayed even if CONSOLE 0,
>> trashing the first screen over the serial line.
>
> Can you test that out on a machine with a conventional console?

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "conventional console", but tested
SYSLINUX 3.35 on a Dell 2650 with a VGA monitor attached.  PXELINUX
was set up with CONSOLE 0.  I didn't have a serial terminal connected,
but the VGA monitor showed nothing ot the boot loader output but the
splash screen.  I have no idea of the mechanism, but looks like it can
cause problems if the BIOS (being stubbornly over-eager) redirects
that to the serial line.  Of course I'd prefer the BIOS step back
after starting the boot loader, but isn't it exactly the kind of
problem CONSOLE 0 tries to avoid?  If so, I'd consider this a bug.
-- 
Regards,
Feri.