console tty problem: huge fonts shown like ascii art
 

Hi,
I've a problem with the tty console;
when I go to tty console (i.e. pressing ctrl-alt-F1), instead of the textual message "localhost login:_", I obtain an ascii art message like this:

the console works; I can login with my username and pass, but chars are huge, and are formed by a mix of symbols like X,\,|,-, etc.

What's happened?
What Should I do to restore default behaviour?

Thank you in advance
TheHighwayman

Did it not used to do this or is this a fresh install. If not, when did it start to happen?

Before this behaviour starts to happen, I remember trying desktop effects (compiz) and installing guarddog firewall.
But, then I've disabled desktop effetcts and I've uninstalled guarddog firewall.
It can be compiz have modified anything in the console tty ...!?

Thank you in advance.
TheHighwayman

Not sure. After login, execute 'reset' command. Just a try.

However I cannot login in tty console;
I can just write username;
then, when I do enter, the password field isn't visible, and inserting password does not produce results.

I can do "reset" on the shell in the server X, but it doesn't change anything.

Thank you anyway.
I see if I can post some screenshot of the tty console.

TheHighwayman

Some screenshots of my problem:
screenshot1.jpg
screenshot2.jpg
screenshot3.jpg

TheHighwayman

another strange behaviour I've noticed is that, if I start the xscreensaver tool, It says me a message like this:

"xscreensaver isn't run on display: 0 ; do you want to launch it?"

Perhaps it can be due to the same problem.

TheHighwayman

'reset' in server X will not help the console.
I had an impression that you are able to login though the console.

Does it happen everytime you reboot ?
Could you check if it happens in runlevel 3 also (#init 3)

From the screenshot, I know, I havn't seen this problem earlier :(
An interesting problem, keep us posted if you are able to solve it.
Some experts comments are welcome.

Thenk you again pronoy,
I've treid to boot with linux init 3, and console strarts correctly;
that is I see chars in the right way;
but I've logged in and done the 'reset' command, and nothing is changed.

If I press ctrl+alt+fx in the gui, I obtain the affected console anyway.

perhaps, may it be a virus?

TheHighwayman

just for drill look at the file
/etc/issue
sometimes if there are some odd escape characters in there and they are not closed with the proper syntax they can set the console into a weird mode.
you can just backup the file and try with it blank.

Thank you studioj for interest,
I've tried to clear issue file content, but nothing change.

The strange thing is the welcome message still appear in the affected console, also after clearing the issue file content.

If it can help,
another operation I've done before having this problem, was the upgrade of the kdm (access management).

Then, after the problem, I've restored old kdm version, but nothing is changed.

Thank you again.
TheHighwayman

I've not found any solution yet.
Noone can help me?

I don't want to format drive.

TheHighwayman