How to make Alt+Ctrl+DEL work in linux

Boffy · 08-10-2004, 04:24 AM

I would like to be able to use those keys to make the KDE process manager appear. Even better would be if I could get it to open as root.

Boffy

rjlee · 08-10-2004, 06:11 AM

At least on a PC architecture, Ctrl+Alt+Delete sends a software interrupt to the init process, which processes it as per the ctrlaltdel entry in the /etc/inittab file.

In the /etc/inittab file, you may have a line looking something like this:

Code:

# What to do when CTRL-ALT-DEL is pressed.
ca:12345:ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t1 -a -h now

If so, modify it like below. If not, add a new one like below:

Code:

ca:12345:ctrlaltdel:/etc/onctrlaltdel

Now create a script file, and save it as /etc/onctrlaltdel. The file should read something like:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
DISPLAY=:0.0 /opt/kde3/bin/kdeprocman

I don't know what the KDE process manager is called or where it resides on your particular system; you may need to change the /opt/kde3/bin/kdeprocman bit (“echo $KDEDIR” might tell you where to start looking).

Mark your script as executable:

Code:

chmod a+rx /etc/onctrlaltdel

. It should now run (as root) every time you press Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Btw, the DISPLAY=:0.0 bit just sets up an environment variable ($DISPLAY) that tells the program which X-windows display to open on.

I hope that's of some help,

— Robert J. Lee

theYinYeti · 08-10-2004, 06:49 AM

Right. This is the way to do it if you type CtrlAltDel from a console window. But then in your script, you may want to check if X is running on display :0 (see lock files in /tmp), and if not, run
startx /path/to/kdeprocman -- :0
instead.

If you type CtrlAltDel while in X, chances are that nothing will happen, because then X receives all key strokes. If that's your case, then you'll have to install a utility to grab keys, such as xbindkeys, and configure it to launch "sudo /etc/yourcommand" on CtrlAltDel. Of course, you'll have to also install sudo, and configure it to allow this command for everyone on local machine without asking for a password.

Yves.

make · 08-10-2004, 01:38 PM

If you're using KDE, just go to the Control Center and change the keyboard shortcuts. You can set Ctrl+Alt+Del to whatever you want. I've set it to XKill (Kill A Window), so that I can just click the frozen program window to kill it. Much, much more useful and faster than the "Windows way" of opening the Task Manager.

Boffy · 08-10-2004, 03:45 PM

ctrl+alt+esc does the xkill thing by default, i need the task manager for hideen processes but thanks for the help.

jackassjim · 08-14-2004, 09:59 PM

just type ctrl+esc you'll get the process manager ctrl+alt+esc gives you a skull and bone to kill any open window

cryptwizard · 08-15-2004, 06:32 AM

cool, thanks
i also know about ctrl+esc and ctrl+f1 seems to do the same, but i didnt know ctrl+alt+esc