Graphics Console Woes

[Randy Carpenter]

I've talked to a couple of SGI folks about this one and they say:
"It can't be done.".   Tell me it ain't so... 

We have a 4d/280gtx that we use for a graphics class (as well as some
general-purpose UNIX stuff) here at the University. Unfortunately, 
we don't have any PI's, and the way our funds look now we probably
won't be getting any for some time :(.  So, we need to open the
graphics console up to the class by putting it in a public area 
like our student computer lab (so it can be available 24 hours a
day).  This will all work ok...until the system goes down for some 
reason and thus displays the System Maintenance Menu on the graphics 
console, whereby a clever student can proceed to boot the system in
single-user mode and change my root password.  Doing a...

           setenv console d 

...in the PROM Monitor doesn't help because you lose the graphics
monitor altogether.

Can we we make /dev/ttyd1 the full-time console and have a graphics
monitor at the same time?  

======================================================================
Randy Carpenter                                       rcarpent at gsu.edu
Georgia State University      "mother."               (404) 651-2648
Wells Computer Center             - W. E. Coyote