Subjects states it already: I want to access a console with the function keys (or the error messages, or back to the graphical screen).

Usually this is done via <ctrl><alt><fnx> where x is one of 1 to 12. How can I enable this under openSuSE 12.1, Fedora 16 and Ubuntu 12.04?

Hi,

it is necessary that the appropriate kernel-modules which support your laptop are loaded. Did you check this with lsmod?

Markus

No, I didn't check anything, because I had no idea where to begin. Also, this is a standard (open)SuSE Kernel, I never, since 6.3, had any problems like these. Which modules am I expected to see?

In the Kernelsources look at "Device-Drivers"->"x86-Platformspecific Drivers". There are besides others the options for several laptop-vendors.

For Acer laptops there are at least two modules available, but I don't know if they are present on OpenSuse.

Markus

Uarghh, you won't believe it, but that little netbook seems to be psychic. Yesterday late evening I looked at the modules, saw nothing untoward and then, just to make sure, tried again the function keys. Everything works . I then booted into fedora 16 and Ubuntu 12.04 -- same again, everything okay.

The only thing I noticed is that the keys react sometimes and sometimes not, i.e. sometimes one has to press repeatedly the function key or the <ctrl> and <alt> keys have to be released and re-pressed. So I might have been too hasty to give up when I tried earlier. Whatever, thanks for your support and help markush.

Well, wenn if works with Ubuntu and Fedora, you can use the lsmod command in order to check, which modules they use and then (back in OpenSuse) check if the modules are loaded.

Markus

Ups, misunderstanding, sorry. They work in all three distributions. But I'll compare anyhow just out of curiosity, thanks.

Well, I meant more generally: if something works on one distribution, but not on the other, I would compare the output of lsmod for both.

Markus

Understood. Same for me.