Can't switch from graphics to console

[orinoco]

Hello,


Ctrl-Alt-F1 doesn't work anymore. The display stays in graphic mode and no mouse cursor is visible. First I thought the computer has crashed, but with Ctrl+Alt+F7 the mouse cursor comes back.


I saw this behavior on my desktop (radeon + kscreen dual head) a few days before. Now with another system (intel + kscreen dual head) too. Is this a known problem?

[drb]

It works fine here.

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System:    Host: siductionbox Kernel: 4.10.1-towo.1-siduction-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit gcc: 6.3.0)
           Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.8.4 Distro: siduction 15.1.0 White Room - kde - (201511051400)
Machine:   Device: desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: Z97X-UD5H v: x.x BIOS: American Megatrends v: F7 date: 05/30/2014
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i7-4790 (-HT-MCP-) cache: 8192 KB
           flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips: 28811
           clock speeds: max: 4000 MHz 1: 2100 MHz 2: 843 MHz 3: 799 MHz 4: 865 MHz 5: 800 MHz 6: 801 MHz
           7: 932 MHz 8: 807 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.19.2 drivers: modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Haswell Desktop GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 13.0.5 Direct Rendering: Yes
Network:   Card-1: Intel Ethernet Connection I217-V driver: e1000e v: 3.2.6-k port: f080 bus-ID: 00:19.0
           IF: eno1 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: 74:d4:35:ea:b0:d5
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros Killer E220x Gigabit Ethernet Controller
           driver: alx port: e000 bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: enp2s0 state: down mac: 74:d4:35:ea:b0:d7
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 6513.3GB (49.6% used)
           ID-1: model: ST2000DM001
           ID-2: model: Crucial_CT512MX1
           ID-3: model: ST2000DM001
           ID-4: model: ST2000DM001
Info:      Processes: 262 Uptime: 4:19 Memory: 1971.6/15712.1MB Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 6.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.111) inxi: 2.3.5


[dibl]

Haven't seen the issue on:


2 different Intel GPU platforms
1 Nvidia GPU running nouveau
1 Nvidia GPU running the blob

[orinoco]

...as I expected. If I look back to the other problems I posted here in the past, I'm nearly alone with my strange topics (and I'm not posting all of them). Maybe time to do a reinstall after all these years (2013).

[OppaErich]

DELETED for O.E.   

[orinoco]

I'm not sure, but I guess that kscreen causes the problem here. I can reproduce the problem with my notebook and a second display connected to the docking-station: ctrl+alt+f1 doesn't work. The same notebook in stand-alone mode: ctrl+alt+f1 works.


Unfortunately I can't find any clue in the logs.

[absolut]

just another idea as food for thought:
could this behavior related to the number of virtual terminals running on that system?
i remember that there is the option to define the number of VTs in /etc/systemd/logind.conf

best
absolut

[jyp]

@orinoco
Exactly the same problem here (intel graphic, twin monitors).
Just discovered your post ;-( ; I posted on the same problem in software support _tty: ctrl+alt+F1-6 does not work_, but I don't know how to merge my post in this thread (would like to know that!).

jyp

[Pip]

Really, sincerely apologize if this is too obvious, but on my system I have an external keyboard with an F-Lock button. This is not activated by default. Unless I push it, I can't get Ctrl-Alt-F1. Is there anything similar on your set ups? Maybe a new installation threw the default out?
Off to hide in a corner now.

--

Pip

[melmarker]

@Pip - it isn't - i've seen some people searching an activated caps lock or even better a activated virtual numblock for hours  (login failed )

[orinoco]

Raise hands please. Who fixed it? I ran a remote d-u this weekend and today I'm sitting in front of this system (dual-head, radeon hardware & driver) and Ctrl+Alt+F1 works again.

[newcomer]

Orinoco, as your install seems to be quite dated, it might well be that your issue is related to an incomplete systemd-transition. I had same issue some time ago, the following fixed it:
apt install systemd-sysv (this replaces systemd-shim which might still be on your system due to incomplete transition in 2014/2015, evl. you might need to purge systemd-shim). Hope this is the correct hint.

Cheers

[jyp]

No luck here. The problem is still there.
Any clue?

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System:    Host: omega Kernel: 4.10.6-towo.1-siduction-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.8.6
           Distro: siduction 17.1.0 Patience - kde - (201703051755)
Machine:   Device: desktop System: ASUS product: All Series
           Mobo: ASUSTeK model: SABERTOOTH Z87 v: Rev 1.xx BIOS: American Megatrends v: 1803 date: 02/17/2014
CPU:       Quad core Intel Core i5-4670K (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
           clock speeds: max: 3800 MHz 1: 3185 MHz 2: 1820 MHz 3: 1798 MHz 4: 1640 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller
           Display Server: X.Org 1.19.3 drivers: modesetting (unloaded: fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1920x1080@60.00hz, 1920x1200@59.95hz
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Haswell Desktop GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 13.0.6


Thanks.

[orinoco]

newcomer, thanks for your advice. Are you sure that this is necessary on my system?

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orinoco@jake:~$ LANG=C apt policy systemd-sysv systemd-sysv
  Installed: 232-22
  Candidate: 232-22
  Version table:
*** 232-22 500
        500 http://httpredir.debian.org/debian unstable/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
orinoco@jake:~$ LANG=C apt policy systemd-shim
systemd-shim:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 10-3
  Version table:
     10-3 500
        500 http://httpredir.debian.org/debian unstable/main amd64 Packages


But I found the reason why it worked.

I've booted my computer with one monitor (dvi -> second display) till sddm pops up without thinking about it. Ctrl+Alt+F1 worked. Horray. Than I switched the second monitor (display-port -> main-display) on. Ctrl+Alt+F1 still worked, even with plasma-shell. Horray again.

But when I wrote about this success, I haven't recognized this circumstances.

Today booted my computer with both monitors switched on and? Ctrl+Alt+F1 didn't work. Ahhh.

But than I realized the monitor thing and reproduced it with success. I will check this in the other direction, too.

jyp, can you repeat my way, please?

[melmarker]

@orinoco: if your system is >= 2013-2 it is very unlikely that there was a transition ever ...
@newcomer: https://news.siduction.org/2013/12/release-notes-for-siduction-2013-2-with-systemd/