Does anyone out there know how I can configure GRUB to allow be to boot my RH9 box *headless* (No monitor, no keyboard, no mouse no terminal)?

I intend to manage the server with VNC.

System Details:

Dual Boot: Linux RH9/W2k3 Server
CPU: AthlonXP 1600
Mem: 512MB
HD: 80GB
GCard: Elsa Gladiac GTS
Kernel: 2.4.22

Regards,
Chamal

It can be done easily.

I suppose you have GRUB already installed on hard disk or floppy.
In the /boot/grub directory GRUB created (on your HD or floppy, respectively), create a file "menu.lst" with the following contents (# are comments)

# wait at boot prompt (seconds)
timeout 2
# default entry to boot
default 0
# boot M$ in case of problems
fallback 1

# entry 0
title Linux
root (xxx) #change this to the correct partition
kernel /vmlinuz #idem

# entry 1
title Windows
root (yyy) #your M$ partition
chainloader +1

#end

Note that some BIOSes wontt boot if you have no keyboard connected but most bios setups allow you to overrule this
Judging by your post I suppose you are acquainted with the partition names in GRUB; if not it's all there in the manual at www.gnu.org

Enjoy,
nukkel

erm... ^_^

This depends on what you mean. If you want to boot linux without a monitor, keyboard or mouse, then you don't need to do anything to grub but change the timeout for booting linux if neccessary. It's also a good idea to change your default runlevel to 3 in /etc/inittab.

If the computer refuses to boot without a keyboard/mouse, then that's usually problem with your bios. Not really too much to do about that.

Hope this helps,
plasma.

For some inexplicable reason linux won't boot without a monitor plugged in...

If the monitor is plugged in but not switched on it will boot.

Can anyone tell me if this is a problem with Linux, Grub or the BIOS?

The story so far:
I re-installed linux to get rid of the dual boot. Details as follows:

Distro: RedHat9 (Shrike)
Kernel: 2.4.20-8
Mobo: Asus A7V333
CPU: AthlonXP 1600
Mem: 512MB
HD:80GB
No keyboard
No mouse
Bios set not to halt on any errors

Any ideas?

Weird, I never had that...

I'm pretty confident that it's your video card firmware that is so retarded that it blocks somewhere in its init routine when it finds no monitor attached. You see, the bios normally never scans to see if a monitor is attached; some graphics cards do. And the linux kernel doesn't really care much either.

BTW, once I went even further: when verified that my system booted with the monitor&keyboard, I powered down, unplugged both and also removed the video card itself. Linux nor Grub complained!

So my suggestion is remove the video card, I have a feeling it will solve your problem.

If you still want a vga connection for troubleshooting the system, without having to open it again, you can just put in an old ega/vga card (PCI or even ISA), if you have one lying around. They're much simpler, and usually don't even do checks to see if there is a monitor attached.