Dual-headed Gentoo Sparc-- Possible?

foxtrot · n00b Joined: 25 Nov 2003 Posts: 30 Location: Atlanta, GA

I've got an Ultra 5 and an extra PCI ATI video card. I found that I couldn't get the Gentoo 2004.0 install disc to boot correctly with the add-on video card in the machine, so I removed it, but ideally I'd like to have my two-headed Sparc back. Anyone know any tips, tricks, or documentation I should look at for running with two monitors again? Or is it currently not supported at all?

Weeve · Retired Dev Joined: 30 Oct 2002 Posts: 641

It may work with X, but on the console you'll have issues.

spam_ · Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 1:43 pm Post subject:

There shouldn't be any sparc-specific "gotchas". You should be able to follow those dual-head HOWTOs that are written for x86 with no problems.

I have tried dual heading consoles and it is a total mess, due to the kernel's VC handling: you'll need a huge patch to make it work right. X should be pretty good though. Advice: Use the multiscreen support in X (Xinerama?) not multiple X servers, again because of the kernel's VC problem.

My personal favorite way of getting multi-head consoles is to just set up the serial ttys in /etc/inttab, grab a few old (486/Pentium) laptops with color LCDs and shove Linux with minicom on them. Get rid of all minicom's modem init strings, and use them as text consoles with null modem cables. For multiple console support over the serial line use screen. I have one of those on my U1E running a shell as root, it's really nice (and this place is secure anyway so I'm not worried about leaving a root shell open). You won't be able to go much above 38400 baud with an older machine like mine (a U5 or later is probably fine at 115200), but that's enough for a shell and even lynx.