I have just finished my first LFS installation (6.1.1), and after a few false starts (misnamed a couple of folders and it didn't like it!) I got it to boot all the way to the login. Problem is, after I get logged in, I can type any command to my heart's content, but it absolutely REFUSES to accept the ENTER key. I have looked back through the book several times to see if I missed anything, but I can't find anything. And comparing against my Slack 10.2 installation does absolutely no good, the file and init hierarchies are different. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Try alt-sysrq-r. Also check if Ctrl-M/ctrl-J works for you as Enter. BTW, did you do install manually or by automated system? Also post /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/i386/qwerty/defkeymap.map.gz (unpacked) . Try showkeys - what does Enter send, and is it mapped to return in defkeymap?

Thing is, ENTER works fine until I complete login. After that, I have to hit Ctl-J.

Here is my defkeymap.map:

keymaps 0-15
keycode 1 = Escape Escape
alt keycode 1 = Meta_Escape
keycode 2 = one exclam
alt keycode 2 = Meta_one
shift alt keycode 2 = Meta_exclam
keycode 3 = two at at
control keycode 3 = nul
shift control keycode 3 = nul
alt keycode 3 = Meta_two
shift alt keycode 3 = Meta_at
keycode 4 = three numbersign
control keycode 4 = Escape
alt keycode 4 = Meta_three
shift alt keycode 4 = Meta_numbersign
keycode 5 = four dollar dollar
control keycode 5 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 5 = Meta_four
shift alt keycode 5 = Meta_dollar
keycode 6 = five percent
control keycode 6 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 6 = Meta_five
shift alt keycode 6 = Meta_percent
keycode 7 = six asciicircum
control keycode 7 = Control_asciicircum
alt keycode 7 = Meta_six
shift alt keycode 7 = Meta_asciicircum
keycode 8 = seven ampersand braceleft
control keycode 8 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 8 = Meta_seven
keycode 9 = eight asterisk bracketleft
control keycode 9 = Delete
alt keycode 9 = Meta_eight
keycode 10 = nine parenleft bracketright
alt keycode 10 = Meta_nine
keycode 11 = zero parenright braceright
alt keycode 11 = Meta_zero
keycode 12 = minus underscore backslash
control keycode 12 = Control_underscore
shift control keycode 12 = Control_underscore
alt keycode 12 = Meta_minus
keycode 13 = equal plus
alt keycode 13 = Meta_equal
keycode 14 = Delete Delete
control keycode 14 = BackSpace
alt keycode 14 = Meta_Delete
keycode 15 = Tab Tab
alt keycode 15 = Meta_Tab
keycode 16 = q
keycode 17 = w
keycode 18 = e
keycode 19 = r
keycode 20 = t
keycode 21 = y
keycode 22 = u
keycode 23 = i
keycode 24 = o
keycode 25 = p
keycode 26 = bracketleft braceleft
control keycode 26 = Escape
alt keycode 26 = Meta_bracketleft
shift alt keycode 26 = Meta_braceleft
keycode 27 = bracketright braceright asciitilde
control keycode 27 = Control_bracketright
alt keycode 27 = Meta_bracketright
shift alt keycode 27 = Meta_braceright
keycode 28 = Return
alt keycode 28 = Meta_Control_m
keycode 29 = Control
keycode 30 = a
keycode 31 = s
keycode 32 = d
keycode 33 = f
keycode 34 = g
keycode 35 = h
keycode 36 = j
keycode 37 = k
keycode 38 = l
keycode 39 = semicolon colon
alt keycode 39 = Meta_semicolon
keycode 40 = apostrophe quotedbl
control keycode 40 = Control_g
alt keycode 40 = Meta_apostrophe
keycode 41 = grave asciitilde
control keycode 41 = nul
alt keycode 41 = Meta_grave
keycode 42 = Shift
keycode 43 = backslash bar
control keycode 43 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 43 = Meta_backslash
shift alt keycode 43 = Meta_bar
keycode 44 = z
keycode 45 = x
keycode 46 = c
keycode 47 = v
keycode 48 = b
keycode 49 = n
keycode 50 = m
keycode 51 = comma less
alt keycode 51 = Meta_comma
shift alt keycode 51 = Meta_less
keycode 52 = period greater
control keycode 52 = Compose
alt keycode 52 = Meta_period
shift alt keycode 52 = Meta_greater
keycode 53 = slash question
control keycode 53 = Delete
shift control keycode 53 = Delete
alt keycode 53 = Meta_slash
keycode 54 = Shift
keycode 55 = KP_Multiply
keycode 56 = Alt
keycode 57 = space space
control keycode 57 = nul
alt keycode 57 = Meta_space
keycode 58 = Caps_Lock
keycode 59 = F1 F13 Console_13
control keycode 59 = F25
shift control keycode 59 = F37
alt keycode 59 = Console_1
control alt keycode 59 = Console_1
keycode 60 = F2 F14 Console_14
control keycode 60 = F26
shift control keycode 60 = F38
alt keycode 60 = Console_2
control alt keycode 60 = Console_2
keycode 61 = F3 F15 Console_15
control keycode 61 = F27
shift control keycode 61 = F39
alt keycode 61 = Console_3
control alt keycode 61 = Console_3
keycode 62 = F4 F16 Console_16
control keycode 62 = F28
shift control keycode 62 = F40
alt keycode 62 = Console_4
control alt keycode 62 = Console_4
keycode 63 = F5 F17 Console_17
control keycode 63 = F29
shift control keycode 63 = F41
alt keycode 63 = Console_5
control alt keycode 63 = Console_5
keycode 64 = F6 F18 Console_18
control keycode 64 = F30
shift control keycode 64 = F42
alt keycode 64 = Console_6
control alt keycode 64 = Console_6
keycode 65 = F7 F19 Console_19
control keycode 65 = F31
shift control keycode 65 = F43
alt keycode 65 = Console_7
control alt keycode 65 = Console_7
keycode 66 = F8 F20 Console_20
control keycode 66 = F32
shift control keycode 66 = F44
alt keycode 66 = Console_8
control alt keycode 66 = Console_8
keycode 67 = F9 F21 Console_21
control keycode 67 = F33
shift control keycode 67 = F45
alt keycode 67 = Console_9
control alt keycode 67 = Console_9
keycode 68 = F10 F22 Console_22
control keycode 68 = F34
shift control keycode 68 = F46
alt keycode 68 = Console_10
control alt keycode 68 = Console_10
keycode 69 = Num_Lock
keycode 70 = Scroll_Lock Show_Memory Show_Registers
control keycode 70 = Show_State
alt keycode 70 = Scroll_Lock
keycode 71 = KP_7
alt keycode 71 = Ascii_7
keycode 72 = KP_8
alt keycode 72 = Ascii_8
keycode 73 = KP_9
alt keycode 73 = Ascii_9
keycode 74 = KP_Subtract
keycode 75 = KP_4
alt keycode 75 = Ascii_4
keycode 76 = KP_5
alt keycode 76 = Ascii_5
keycode 77 = KP_6
alt keycode 77 = Ascii_6
keycode 78 = KP_Add
keycode 79 = KP_1
alt keycode 79 = Ascii_1
keycode 80 = KP_2
alt keycode 80 = Ascii_2
keycode 81 = KP_3
alt keycode 81 = Ascii_3
keycode 82 = KP_0
alt keycode 82 = Ascii_0
keycode 83 = KP_Period
altgr control keycode 83 = Boot
control alt keycode 83 = Boot
keycode 84 = Last_Console
keycode 85 =
keycode 86 = less greater bar
alt keycode 86 = Meta_less
keycode 87 = F11 F23 Console_23
control keycode 87 = F35
shift control keycode 87 = F47
alt keycode 87 = Console_11
control alt keycode 87 = Console_11
keycode 88 = F12 F24 Console_24
control keycode 88 = F36
shift control keycode 88 = F48
alt keycode 88 = Console_12
control alt keycode 88 = Console_12
keycode 89 =
keycode 90 =
keycode 91 =
keycode 92 =
keycode 93 =
keycode 94 =
keycode 95 =
keycode 96 = KP_Enter
keycode 97 = Control
keycode 98 = KP_Divide
keycode 99 = VoidSymbol
control keycode 99 = Control_backslash
alt keycode 99 = Control_backslash
keycode 100 = AltGr
keycode 101 = Break
keycode 102 = Find
keycode 103 = Up
keycode 104 = Prior
shift keycode 104 = Scroll_Backward
keycode 105 = Left
alt keycode 105 = Decr_Console
keycode 106 = Right
alt keycode 106 = Incr_Console
keycode 107 = Select
keycode 108 = Down
keycode 109 = Next
shift keycode 109 = Scroll_Forward
keycode 110 = Insert
keycode 111 = Remove
altgr control keycode 111 = Boot
control alt keycode 111 = Boot
keycode 112 = Macro
keycode 113 = F13
keycode 114 = F14
keycode 115 = Help
keycode 116 = Do
keycode 117 = F17
keycode 118 = KP_MinPlus
keycode 119 = Pause
keycode 120 =
keycode 121 =
keycode 122 =
keycode 123 =
keycode 124 =
keycode 125 =
keycode 126 =
keycode 127 =
string F1 = "\033[[A"
string F2 = "\033[[B"
string F3 = "\033[[C"
string F4 = "\033[[D"
string F5 = "\033[[E"
string F6 = "\033[17~"
string F7 = "\033[18~"
string F8 = "\033[19~"
string F9 = "\033[20~"
string F10 = "\033[21~"
string F11 = "\033[23~"
string F12 = "\033[24~"
string F13 = "\033[25~"
string F14 = "\033[26~"
string F15 = "\033[28~"
string F16 = "\033[29~"
string F17 = "\033[31~"
string F18 = "\033[32~"
string F19 = "\033[33~"
string F20 = "\033[34~"
string Find = "\033[1~"
string Insert = "\033[2~"
string Remove = "\033[3~"
string Select = "\033[4~"
string Prior = "\033[5~"
string Next = "\033[6~"
string Macro = "\033[M"
string Pause = "\033[P"
compose '`' 'A' to 'À'
compose '`' 'a' to 'à'
compose '\'' 'A' to 'Á'
compose '\'' 'a' to 'á'
compose '^' 'A' to 'Â'
compose '^' 'a' to 'â'
compose '~' 'A' to 'Ã'
compose '~' 'a' to 'ã'
compose '"' 'A' to 'Ä'
compose '"' 'a' to 'ä'
compose 'O' 'A' to 'Å'
compose 'o' 'a' to 'å'
compose '0' 'A' to 'Å'
compose '0' 'a' to 'å'
compose 'A' 'A' to 'Å'
compose 'a' 'a' to 'å'
compose 'A' 'E' to 'Æ'
compose 'a' 'e' to 'æ'
compose ',' 'C' to 'Ç'
compose ',' 'c' to 'ç'
compose '`' 'E' to 'È'
compose '`' 'e' to 'è'
compose '\'' 'E' to 'É'
compose '\'' 'e' to 'é'
compose '^' 'E' to 'Ê'
compose '^' 'e' to 'ê'
compose '"' 'E' to 'Ë'
compose '"' 'e' to 'ë'
compose '`' 'I' to 'Ì'
compose '`' 'i' to 'ì'
compose '\'' 'I' to 'Í'
compose '\'' 'i' to 'í'
compose '^' 'I' to 'Î'
compose '^' 'i' to 'î'
compose '"' 'I' to 'Ï'
compose '"' 'i' to 'ï'
compose '-' 'D' to 'Ð'
compose '-' 'd' to 'ð'
compose '~' 'N' to 'Ñ'
compose '~' 'n' to 'ñ'
compose '`' 'O' to 'Ò'
compose '`' 'o' to 'ò'
compose '\'' 'O' to 'Ó'
compose '\'' 'o' to 'ó'
compose '^' 'O' to 'Ô'
compose '^' 'o' to 'ô'
compose '~' 'O' to 'Õ'
compose '~' 'o' to 'õ'
compose '"' 'O' to 'Ö'
compose '"' 'o' to 'ö'
compose '/' 'O' to 'Ø'
compose '/' 'o' to 'ø'
compose '`' 'U' to 'Ù'
compose '`' 'u' to 'ù'
compose '\'' 'U' to 'Ú'
compose '\'' 'u' to 'ú'
compose '^' 'U' to 'Û'
compose '^' 'u' to 'û'
compose '"' 'U' to 'Ü'
compose '"' 'u' to 'ü'
compose '\'' 'Y' to 'Ý'
compose '\'' 'y' to 'ý'
compose 'T' 'H' to 'Þ'
compose 't' 'h' to 'þ'
compose 's' 's' to 'ß'
compose '"' 'y' to 'ÿ'
compose 's' 'z' to 'ß'
compose 'i' 'j' to 'ÿ'

I dunno, maybe Bash is broken?

Well, does Alt-SysRq-R help? what shows showkeys on Enter key? Do things go better if you delete (sorry, rename) .inputrc? What if you run /bin/sh? if you rename .bashrc, .bash_profile or even /etc/profile? If you run reset on terminal (/usr/bin/reset, flushes some settings)?

I don't have showkeys on this one, but nonetheless I found the problem. I managed to screw up on the symlinks at the end of the Ncurses install, which promptly screwed up everything after that. Nothing major, it just means a complete Chapter 6 rebuild.

jhalfs... Yes, first time it's interesting to fix own typos, but later it's enough fun to resume after reboot. I failed my first 3 times and went to ALFS on next try.

I made up a couple of scripts just for the purpose of reentering the chroot environment, saving me the hassle of having to type everything in. The first is just ./lfs, stored in the host /root folder, using the commands in sections 6.2 and 6.3:

#! /bin/sh
export LFS=/lfs
mount -vt proc proc $LFS/proc
mount -vt sysfs sysfs $LFS/sysfs
mount -vft tmpfs tmpfs $LFS/dev
mount -vft tmpfs tmpfs $LFS/dev/shm
mount -vft devpts -o gid=4,mode=620 devpts $LFS/dev/pts
chroot "$LFS" /tools/bin/env -i \
HOME=/root TERM="$TERM" PS1='\u:\w\$ ' \
PATH=/bin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/tools/bin \
/tools/bin/bash --login +h

The second, from section 6.8.2, is called makedevs (made plural so as not to get confused with any host system makedev) and I keep that in the $LFS/root folder:

#! /bin/sh +h
mount -nvt tmpfs none /dev
mknod -m 622 /dev/console c 5 1
mknod -m 666 /dev/null c 1 3
mknod -m 666 /dev/zero c 1 5
mknod -m 666 /dev/ptmx c 5 2
mknod -m 666 /dev/tty c 5 0
mknod -m 444 /dev/random c 1 8
mknod -m 444 /dev/urandom c 1 9
chown -v root:tty /dev/{console,ptmx,tty}
ln -sv /proc/self/fd /dev/fd
ln -sv /proc/self/fd/0 /dev/stdin
ln -sv /proc/self/fd/1 /dev/stdout
ln -sv /proc/self/fd/2 /dev/stderr
ln -sv /proc/kcore /dev/core
mkdir -v /dev/pts
mkdir -v /dev/shm
mount -vt devpts -o gid=4,mode=620 none /dev/pts
mount -vt tmpfs none /dev/shm

I haven't tried putting them both into one yet, but that is a possibility.

If you want to be able to call this script multiple times (i.e multiple chroots to same $LFS in different terminals) without mounting when it's already mounted do something like:

mount | grep tempfs | grep $LFS && echo "do it now"
mount | grep devpts | grep $LFS && echo "do it now"
mount | grep sysfs | grep $LFS && echo "do it now"

Replace the echo command by the appropriate mount command.

No real need. The only time I need to run the scripts is when I first enter the $LFS environment to work on the builds.

Well, you know, just entering the dir is not the case. Idea is to guess time to reboot to break something complicated in build. It's not always the case, though. Once I managed to break udev by some strange action. Was fun. Now I don't use udev except for first two days of every rebuild.

Ok, one final update. On this rebuild, I made SURE everything was done right. Even made it past the Ncurses build without screwing that up. I get everything built, then time for the /etc/inputrc file. Now, everything is working fine up to this point. I import inputrc, then as soon as I reenter the $LFS environment, the RETURN bug reared its ugly head again. I went back, renamed it to something that wouldn't be read, then everything worked just fine. Now, I had first created this file at work during my breaktime, using Windows Wordpad. So I recreated a completely new inputrc using Kedit, and lo and behold it worked just fine.

NOTE TO SELF (and all other interested parties!):

NEVER USE WINBLOAT TO CREATE OR EDIT ANY OF THE FILES IN /ETC!!!

(Just another not-so- trick)

Well, in fact you can use Notepad but just make sure you run the file through a dos2unix converter so that CRLFs are translated to LFs.

Works too with scripts but just take notice that some dos2unix filters may remove the exec bit of the file at the same time.