No console in Linpus Lite

kapper · 12-19-2008, 08:43 AM

Hi!

I'm very satisfied with my Aspire One with Linpus except i can't get to a console other than xterm etc. I have used debian and ubuntu for a long time and now Linpus Linux Lite, but i can't get to a full-screen console by using the ctrl+alt+Fx hotkeys like in many other distributions. I've been googling a lot, but nothing useful shows up.

Is it not possible to enter a full-screen console in Linpus Lite or is there a solution?

Thanks for your help.

PresGas · 12-19-2008, 09:17 AM

You should see what the contents of your /etc/inittab has any virtual terminals activated at boot. It should look similar to this (from a RHEL5.2 box, but syntax is similar)

Code:

# Run gettys in standard runlevels
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

If it does not, you do not have those virtual terminals, but you could add them manually and attach some form of getty to it. Do a

Code:

man -k getty

to see what kind of getty is installed on your manchine. NOTE: This should work, but your mileage may vary since Linpus is a bit of an odd Distro.

kilgoretrout · 12-19-2008, 09:55 AM

Could you post your /etc/inittab file. That's what sets up your virtual consoles in a standard *nix system. See this wikipedia article for more info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_console_(PC)

However, linpus may not be using a standard linux init system in which case there may not be any inittab file.

farslayer · 12-19-2008, 09:58 AM

You can always switch it to Debian or Ubuntu you know..I took one look at linpus and said 'No Thank You' I loaded Debian on my Acer Aspire One the same night I brought it home, installed the LXDE desktop to save on memory usage and I love it.

http://wiki.debian.org/DebianAcerOne
slackware 12.1
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Acer_Aspire_One
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AspireOne
http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Acer_Aspire_One_A110L
http://en.opensuse.org/OpenSUSE_on_the_Aspire_One
http://www.foresightlinux.org/mobile.html
Mandriva 2009
Mandriva Mini

kapper · 12-21-2008, 10:07 AM

Thanks for your responds. I have a inittab file which content is:

Code:

id:5:initdefault:

# System initialization.
si::sysinit:/etc/rc.d/rc.S

l0:0:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 0
l1:1:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 1
l2:2:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 2
l3:3:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 3
l4:4:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 4
l5:5:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.5 5
l6:6:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc 6

# Trap CTRL-ALT-DELETE
ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t3 -r now

# When our UPS tells us power has failed, assume we have a few minutes
# of power left.  Schedule a shutdown for 2 minutes from now.
# This does, of course, assume you have powerd installed and your
# UPS connected and working correctly.
pf::powerfail:/sbin/shutdown -f -h +2 "Power Failure; System Shutting Down"

# If power was restored before the shutdown kicked in, cancel it.
pr:12345:powerokwait:/sbin/shutdown -c "Power Restored; Shutdown Cancelled"


# Run gettys in standard runlevels
1:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty --autologin user 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

# Run xdm in runlevel 5
#x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon

I tried removing the #'s in those 6 lines containing ".../sbin/mingetty tty2" etc, but it doesn't work. man -k getty returns:
"getty: nothing appropriate".

It could be nice with a debian-like OS on it, but it takes a lot of work and if it fails or i change my mind, I'm not shure i can get linpus back on it with the configuration from Acer with all drivers, programs etc. But a virtual console would give me a better linux-feeling when I'm using it, so that could be nice

./Kapper

kapper · 12-21-2008, 10:10 AM

Arh... I didn't notice the links farslayer wrote. That's a big help

Maybe i really should consider to "make it my own"! :P

pixellany · 12-21-2008, 10:26 AM

I remember when I first played with on of these at a store---and could not find the terminal. The store employees had no clue either.

I vaguely remember a thread here in which the secret was revealed----also several people have referred people to the "official" forum for the Aspire One.

Keep in mind that these things are being marketed as "Internet appliances" wherein the user is not expected to tinker with things.

kilgoretrout · 12-21-2008, 01:44 PM

There may be a simple solution. Here's the relevant part of your inittab that creates the virutal consoles:

Code:

# Run gettys in standard runlevels
1:2345:respawn:/sbin/mingetty --autologin user 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

Here's mine:

Code:

# Run gettys in standard runlevels
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

I bet if you just uncomment those lines you would get your virtual consoles.

GazL · 12-23-2008, 10:15 AM

Just a guess, and not speaking from experience here as I don't have an aspire one, but its possible that they've set "DontVTSwitch" in the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file to stop users switching out of X11.

Quote:

Option "DontVTSwitch" "boolean"
This disallows the use of the Ctrl+Alt+Fn sequence (where Fn
refers to one of the numbered function keys)

qvoffka · 12-30-2008, 10:53 AM

GaZL, thanks a lot for smart advise. Defenetly, they put this "DontVTSwitch" true.
So after changes I can access terminal on f2-f6 buttons. Also, some fun on f1 appeared - a blue logo with some error log.
Also one thing appeared - don't login in full screen terminals just after system load - some scripts, which wake up wifi for example will run on you new session in black window with no success and you will left without internet access.
Probably errors could also happen then wake from hibernate for example. But anyway I am happy now to see this black screen with invitation! =)