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Old 09-17-2006, 11:40 PM   #1
paltara
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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?
 
Old 09-18-2006, 12:47 AM   #2
Thoreau
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You can make sure you have the right video driver installed. And if it's Nvidia or ATI, install it.
 
Old 09-18-2006, 02:14 AM   #3
tredegar
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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
 
Old 09-24-2006, 10:08 PM   #4
paltara
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Thanks guys, still no luck. My video card is an integrated Intel 845, I tried adding the line to grub.lst but no good.
 
Old 09-30-2006, 11:46 PM   #5
saturndude
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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.
 
Old 10-01-2006, 12:13 AM   #6
btmiller
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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.
 
Old 10-01-2006, 12:26 AM   #7
saturndude
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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!
 
Old 10-06-2006, 03:01 AM   #8
paltara
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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:5nce: /etc/XII/prefdm - nodaemon
does this look ok?
Cheers
Bill
 
  


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