1. Forum
  2. FidoNet
  3. linux.debian.user

  • Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Eng

    From Nicolas Kovacs@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 22, 2026 08:20:01
    Subject: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    Hi,

    I have a PC Engines routerboard that has no video card. In the past I've successfully installed CentOS and Rocky Linux on this board using
    Minicom and the serial console.

    A couple months ago I even managed to install Debian 13 Trixie on it
    using the text mode installer in the serial console. Unfortunately I
    forgot to write down the kernel options I used to boot this thing and
    now I can't seem to remember them.

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off

    But I can't seem to get to the installer with this. What did I miss ?

    --
    Microlinux - Solutions informatiques durables
    7, place de l'‚glise - 30730 Montpezat
    Site : https://www.microlinux.fr
    Blog : https://www.microlinux.fr/blog
    Mail : info@microlinux.fr
    T‚l. : 04 66 63 10 32
    Mob. : 06 51 80 12 12

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From tomas@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 22, 2026 09:20:01
    Subject: Re: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 08:17:49AM +0100, Nicolas Kovacs wrote:
    Hi,

    I have a PC Engines routerboard that has no video card. In the past I've successfully installed CentOS and Rocky Linux on this board using Minicom
    and the serial console.

    A couple months ago I even managed to install Debian 13 Trixie on it using the text mode installer in the serial console. Unfortunately I forgot to write down the kernel options I used to boot this thing and now I can't seem to remember them.

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off
    No idea what a "PC Engines routerboard" exactly is, but some Internet search
    at least throws images of things with a DB-9 connector. That at least suggests a "genuine" serial, not one over an USB adapter.
    In that case you might just try "ttyS0" instead of "ttyUSB0"...
    Cheers
    --
    t


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Anssi Saari@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 22, 2026 09:20:01
    Subject: Re: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    Nicolas Kovacs <info@microlinux.fr> writes:

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off

    But I can't seem to get to the installer with this. What did I miss ?

    From my apu2 board's normal kernel commandline it's
    console=ttyS0,115200n8 for using a uart, ttyUSB0 is USB-serial. But installation was a long time ago.

    On another machine I think I mangled the preseed config at https://github.com/philpagel/debian-headless to have a serial console
    and ssh during installation.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From didier gaumet@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 22, 2026 09:20:01
    Subject: Re: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    Le 22/01/2026 … 08:17, Nicolas Kovacs a ‚crit˙:
    Hi,

    I have a PC Engines routerboard that has no video card. In the past I've successfully installed CentOS and Rocky Linux on this board using
    Minicom and the serial console.

    A couple months ago I even managed to install Debian 13 Trixie on it
    using the text mode installer in the serial console. Unfortunately I
    forgot to write down the kernel options I used to boot this thing and
    now I can't seem to remember them.

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off

    But I can't seem to get to the installer with this. What did I miss ?

    Hello Nicolas,

    I have never used this but the Debian Installation Manual has a
    paragraph (5.3.1) on the subject: https://www.debian.org/releases/stable/amd64/install.en.pdf

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Andrew Latham@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, January 22, 2026 15:20:01
    Subject: Re: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    vga=no console=ttyS0,115200n8 initrd=/install.amd/initrd.gz --- console=ttyS0,115200n8

    https://lathama.net/Tech/HowTo/PC_Engines

    On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 2:46?AM Nicolas Kovacs <info@microlinux.fr>
    wrote:

    Hi,

    I have a PC Engines routerboard that has no video card. In the past I've successfully installed CentOS and Rocky Linux on this board using
    Minicom and the serial console.

    A couple months ago I even managed to install Debian 13 Trixie on it
    using the text mode installer in the serial console. Unfortunately I
    forgot to write down the kernel options I used to boot this thing and
    now I can't seem to remember them.

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off

    But I can't seem to get to the installer with this. What did I miss ?

    --
    Microlinux - Solutions informatiques durables
    7, place de l'‚glise - 30730 Montpezat
    Site : https://www.microlinux.fr
    Blog : https://www.microlinux.fr/blog
    Mail : info@microlinux.fr
    T‚l. : 04 66 63 10 32
    Mob. : 06 51 80 12 12



    --
    - Andrew "lathama" Latham -

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.2
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Andrew Latham@3:633/10 to All on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 00:10:01
    Subject: Re: Kernel options to install Debian over Minicom serial console on PC Engines routerboard

    Nicolas did that help?

    On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 7:10?AM Andrew Latham <lathama@gmail.com> w
    rote:

    vga=no console=ttyS0,115200n8 initrd=/install.amd/initrd.gz --- console=ttyS0,115200n8

    https://lathama.net/Tech/HowTo/PC_Engines

    On Thu, Jan 22, 2026 at 2:46?AM Nicolas Kovacs <info@microlinux.f
    wrote:

    Hi,

    I have a PC Engines routerboard that has no video card. In the past I'v
    e
    successfully installed CentOS and Rocky Linux on this board using
    Minicom and the serial console.

    A couple months ago I even managed to install Debian 13 Trixie on it
    using the text mode installer in the serial console. Unfortunately I
    forgot to write down the kernel options I used to boot this thing and
    now I can't seem to remember them.

    Something like this:

    console=ttyUSB0,115200n8 edd=off

    But I can't seem to get to the installer with this. What did I miss ?

    --
    Microlinux - Solutions informatiques durables
    7, place de l'‚glise - 30730 Montpezat
    Site : https://www.microlinux.fr
    Blog : https://www.microlinux.fr/blog
    Mail : info@microlinux.fr
    T‚l. : 04 66 63 10 32
    Mob. : 06 51 80 12 12



    --
    - Andrew "lathama" Latham -



    --
    - Andrew "lathama" Latham -

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.6
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)