VT switch gives black console screen

[Werner Lueckel]

Binary package hint: xorg

Before starting X all VT´s work as expected and I cat VT-switch as usual.
After starting X (via xinit) the X-Screen appears on VT-7 as expected,
BUT ..
when doing a Ctrl+Alt+<F1-F6> switch the tty consoles become invisible. The user can type blindly but sees nothing.
When switching back to VT-7 the X-Screen appears (as expected)
When exiting X, ALL terminals are black (invisible); but I can do a blindly reboot.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: xorg 1:7.5+6ubuntu3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-23.41-generic-pae 2.6.35.7
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-23-generic-pae i686
Architecture: i386
Date: Sun Dec 12 17:00:15 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-Server 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
Lsusb: Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-23-generic-pae root=UUID=070cc84e-fb89-465e-a633-6d979fac7fbc ro vga=0x317
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: xorg
Symptom: display
dmi.bios.date: 09/16/99
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 4.51 PG
dmi.board.name: BANISTER
dmi.chassis.type: 2
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvr4.51PG:bd09/16/99:svn:pn:pvr:rvn:rnBANISTER:rvr:cvn:ct2:cvr:
glxinfo: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
system:
 distro: Ubuntu
 codename: maverick
 architecture: i686
 kernel: 2.6.35-23-generic-pae

[Werner Lueckel (werner-lueckel)]

Fri Dec 17 18:24:19 CET 2010
After some testing and google'ing I found a work-around ...

after exiting X, the console seems to be in a kind of "dpms off - mode";

as root:
  vbetool dpms off # (I don't know why, because the VTs seem to be 'off')
    followed by a
  vbetool dpms on
makes the VTs visible again!
Unfortunately I must run these commands "blindly" or via a remote-login.

Very good so far; I should implement that into my xinit-exit-sequence.

But, I think, the 'set-visible' sequence should be done by that part of Xorg, that did the 'dpms off'

[Bryce Harrington (bryce)]

kernel issue, not X

[Jeremy Foshee (jeremyfoshee)]

Hi Werner,

If you could also please test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.

Thanks in advance.

    [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]

[Werner Lueckel (werner-lueckel)]

Hi Jeremy,
I've tried 2 things:
1st test: the latest 'maverick' kernel in v2.6.35.11-maverick/
   linux-image-2.6.35-02063511-generic_2.6.35-02063511.201102070905_i386.deb
   giving: Linux version 2.6.35-02063511-generic #201102070905 SMP Mon
Feb 7 10:19:58 UTC 2011
   result:
     the same issue; black screen when switching the VT or exiting X;
     sudo /usr/sbin/vbetool dpms off; followed by sudo
/usr/sbin/vbetool dpms on;
     makes the VTs visible again.

2nd test: the latest daily-built kernel:
   linux-image-2.6.38-999-generic_2.6.38-999.201103291240_i386.deb
   result:
     unfortunately this kernel doesn't display any start-messages and
ends in a 'black screen'

so: the issue is still open.

On 28.03.2011 15:39, Jeremy Foshee wrote:
> Hi Werner,
>
> If you could also please test the latest upstream kernel available that would be great. It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Refer to https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds . Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please remove the 'needs-upstream-testing' tag. This can be done by clicking on the yellow pencil icon next to the tag located at the bottom of the bug description and deleting the 'needs-upstream-testing' text. Please let us know your results.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> [This is an automated message. Apologies if it has reached you inappropriately; please just reply to this message indicating so.]
>
>
> ** Tags added: needs-upstream-testing
>
> ** Tags added: kj-triage
>
> ** Changed in: linux (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for linux (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]