Configuring serial console

Introduction

This page describes how to configure a serial console.

Procedure

1. Run:

   systemctl enable serial-getty@ttyS0.service
   systemctl start serial-getty@ttyS0.service
   

2. Install minicom.
3. Edit /etc/default/grub and add/modify the following settings:

   GRUB_TERMINAL="console serial"
   GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="... console=tty1 console=ttyS0"
   GRUB_TERMINAL_INPUT="console serial"
   GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT="console serial"
   GRUB_BACKGROUND=
   GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --speed=115200 --unit=0 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1"

   (Yes, GRUB_TERMINAL, GRUB_TERMINAL_INPUT and GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT must all be set.)

4. Run:

   update-grub
   reboot

5. Note that while kernel messages will go to both consoles, systemd’s ‘OK’ messages will go only to the second console (be that non-serial or serial). For details see here, here and here.

See also

• Computing