In order to send the screen to console in Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic world, please follow these steps In /etc/init modify ttyS0.conf file to the following effect[[BR]] {{{ root@node1-1:/etc/init# more ttyS0.conf # ttyS0 - getty # # This service maintains a getty on ttyS0 from the point the system is # started until it is shut down again. start on stopped rc RUNLEVEL=[2345] stop on runlevel [!2345] respawn exec /sbin/getty -L 9600 ttyS0 vt102 }}} Modify Grub info in /etc/default/grub[[BR]] {{{ GRUB_DEFAULT=0 GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0 GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true GRUB_TIMEOUT="10" GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian` GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="" GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="console=ttyS0,9600n8" # Uncomment to disable graphical terminal (grub-pc only) GRUB_TERMINAL=console # The resolution used on graphical terminal # note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE # you can see them in real GRUB with the command `vbeinfo' #GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480 # Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux #GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true # Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entrys #GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_RECOVERY="true" GRUB_TERMINAL=serial GRUB_SERIAL_COMMAND="serial --unit=0 --speed=9600 --word=8 --parity=no --stop=1" }}} Run "update-grub" for the changes to take effect and reboot.