Unable to log into the Text Console
 

I have just come over from the darkside (Microsoft) and am finding problems with a few items.

I am trying to configure the monitor/video card as I am having problems with the nvidia geforce 4 integrated video card. Some instructions I have sat to press ctrl alt and f1 to go to the text console. I do but it asks for a login and does not accept my user name and password.

What have I done wrong?

Darin

Passwords and usernames are case-sensitive in Unix operating systems, are you sure you are using the correct case for both?

Hi, an welcome to LQ!

To help us with assisting you please tell us which distribution
you're using ....



Cheers
Tink

Welcome to LQ!!

Please tell us your system specs and what distro (version) of Linux you are using.

A console (terminal) will accept any username/password that works elsewhere. You can also find a terminal in the menus on your Desktop (eg KDE, Gnome, etc.)

Sorry,
The distro is Ubuntu 9.10

OK--Ubuntu

If you have not modified anything, then you only have one password and you must always use your username (e.g. you cannot log in as root). If you cannot log in to a console (using ctrl-alt-F1), then try using a terminal from the menus.

I assume that you can start up the machine and log in with your username and password. When you try it in the console, what error message do you get?

The message says "Login incorrect"

I am sure that I have input it correctly, I have no problems logging into Ubuntu from the login screen just cannot seem to do so from the text console.

Any chance you use a different keyboard layout or locale setting when you are in the graphical environment vs. when you're at the console on a virtual terminal?

As an example: a long while back I had a dvorak keyboard I used regularly at my desktop, and in my xorg.conf, I had it set to use 'dvorak' layout; but when I switched out of X, this setting was gone, so the keyboard was all weird.

Also, do you use any non-standard letters or symbols in the password, that may be present in your GUI login locale configuration, but are in a different locale than that which your terminal is set up for?

Same keyboard as when I installed yesterday. No strange combinations just all lowercase letters. I double checked the caps lock also.

Any difference between two types of terminal?

1: ctrl-alt-F1

2: terminal selected from the menus



I wonder if Ubuntu does not allow multiple logins for the same user. Try creating another user---or reboot and try to log in using "single-user" mode**.


**To do this:
Reboot
When grub menu appears, hit "esc" to stop the count, then "e" for edit
Select the kernel line, then "e" again
Add the word "single" (no quotes) at the end
Enter, then "b" to boot.

The machine should come up in single user mode with no password needed. If not, try logging in with your username and password. Otherwise try "su username" to switch into your account.

Hah, figured it out. It is my keyboard. For some reason when in the text console the number keypad is reading differently. Use the numbers numbers above the regular keys and it works. Go figure.

Thanks for all the help though.

Heh heh!! Nice discovery :)

Just so you know, every virtual terminal has its own 'memory' for settings of num-lock, caps-lock and that sort of thing. You can see this by going to a VT and turning num-lock on, then switching to another VT; num-lock should go off; switching back, and it should come back on. So if you enable num-lock in the VT you're in, the situation should go away.

Sasha