[Nottingham] Preventing console starting on embedded arm-linuxsetup

[Ant Allen]

> Yup, the problem is that it isn't the kernel that's outputting to the
> screen, it's the boot loader.  It's the same with grub, when I use a
> serial console instead of the screen I still end up with:
>   Booting commandlist
>
> kernel (hd0,3)/vmlinuz2.6.6 root=/dev/hdb6 ro console=ttys0
>     [Linux-bzImage, setup=0xa00,size=0xf21db]
>
> Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel.
>
> So I guess what is needed is for the boot loader to clear the screen for
> you.  I don't know how you would do that, but if all else fails the source
> will probably be available for yours...

Hmmm.  The "uncompressing linux ..." appears on my host via the serial link,
so I think the bootloader is pointing to the right place.  If I boot up with
CTL-C to the bootloader command prompt then this too runs on the serial link
(they call it a manufacturing link)  There are only two things appearing via
the pxa's own video drivers - tux appears part way through the boot up
(after decompressing linux, but before things like ethernet setup), and then
a flashing cursor appears.

I did try disabling "console support" at kernel compile time but that
removed the framebuffer device completely - no tux, no cursor, and the CRT
didn't even wake on power up.  I need to keep the framebuffer but remove the
console running on top of it.  All power management on the framebuffer
device needs to go too.

If there's a flashing curson on the screen then there must be some code
attached to a timer which makes it flash, right?

Any more ideas?

Ant


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