Virtual Consoles don't work
 

Using Fedora Core 4 on a dual boot system, I get GUI at bootup but if I try to access another console via Ctrl-Alt+Fx, I get a black screen. I can get back to the GUI with Ctrl-Alt-F7, but nothing between. Is there a setting I can adjust?

You can make sure you have the right video driver installed. And if it's Nvidia or ATI, install it.

Try adding vga=normal to the kernel boot line in either lilo.conf or grub.lst, depending on which bootloader you are using, and then rebooting.

HTH

Thanks guys, still no luck. My video card is an integrated Intel 845, I tried adding the line to grub.lst but no good.

Not sure, but....
 

I've never worked with Fedora Core, or Red Hat before it.

But have you tried booting to a command line? I've never worked with Fedora or Red Hat that came before it, so I don't know how to change this setting.

If you are still having problems, post back. If it works, please do let us know.

Look in /etc/inittab and check if mingetty is running in runlevel 5 (booting to X). You should see lines like:

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty1
2:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty2
3:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty3
4:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty4
5:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty5
6:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty tty6

This tells init to start up 6 virtual consoles on tty1 - tty6 in runlevels 2-5. The runlevels are the second field. Make sure your lines look like those I posted about to ensure mingetty runs on your 6 virtual consoles.

One other thing....
 

Paltara,

When you add consoles like this, root might not be able to log into those new consoles. In Mandrake / Mandriva, I have a file /etc/securetty that looks like this:

tty1
tty2
tty3
tty4
tty5
tty6
vc/1
vc/2
vc/3
vc/4
vc/5
vc/6


I believe you will need to add a "tty" line and a "vc" line for each virtual console you are adding. If you do not do this, root cannot log in to those new, higher numbered VCs.

I struggled for years before I found this site, and I'm so glad that I did.

Let us know how it turns out!

Thanks btmiller,
my inittab file looks pretty much as you suggested,
there is a line "id:5:initdefault" which I assume is booting to runlevel 5,
then the gettys are listed 1-6. There is a final line
# run xdm in runlevel 5
x:5:once: /etc/XII/prefdm - nodaemon
does this look ok?
Cheers
Bill