ctrl-alt-f1..f6 drops to blinking cursor; no 'console' login possible

[Steve McInerney]

Is similar to bug #181748, but the system does not hang.
ctrl-alt-f7 and are back at a working X11.
Just have no ability to get a simple text only console up.

ctrl-alt-f1 thru f6 drops to the text console screen, but only see a blinking cursor in the top left hand corner.
No login/password request at all. No keystrokes appear to generate any cursor response.
Typing blind; one does actually login successfully (C-A-F2; userid; password; top; for example did work and the top program could be seen attached to tty2), but there is no output on the console.

Was working in Hardy; Was broken after upgrade to Intrepid-beta.

$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu intrepid (development branch)
Release: 8.10

[Steve McInerney (spm)]

Yay. This is now working as at kernel 2.6.27-7.11-generic - assuming this is/was in fact a kernel problem...
Just rebooted about 2 hours ago with this (and other updates) and is all ok again.

[Jorik Jonker (jorik-kippendief)]

I am using kernel 2.6.27-7.12-generic, and the problem still persists. Exactly the same problem as the bug reporter reported.

[Phil (phil-hopkins)]

Using lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 8.10
Release: 8.10
Kernel - uname -a Linux 2.6.27-7-generic #1 SMP Tue Nov 4 19:33:06 UTC 2008 x86_64 GNU/Linux

After the latest update (apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade) I am having the same problem as Steve. Pressing CTL-ALT-F1-6 yields a blinking cursor. If I blind login after pressing CTL-ALT-F2 and also run top then press CTL-ALT-F7 and open a terminal window, run: ps aux|grep top yields - root 6311 0.4 0.0 19100 1328 tty2 S+ 13:00 0:00 top

This is a major problem and a show stopper for me.

[Steve McInerney (spm)]

Am wondering if possibly relevant - are we all using ATI video hardware?

ATM this is working for me, but if I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get immediately bounced back into X.
Repeat the C-A-F1 and get a console login prompt. Do a C-A-F2 and don't get the bouncing behaviour - straight to the prompt. Weird.

Other things that may/not be relevant to a workaround - The ubuntu logo was getting garbaged during the boot process. So I switched via 'Startup Manager' to using '1024x768' for the display resolution with 16bits colour depth.
Otherwise, the default X resolution is 1920 x 1280.

I'm pretty sure the above fixes were post the problem going away; but .... possibly poor memory of events and sequences.

[Phil (phil-hopkins)]

Sorry - I have NVIDIA. If I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get the blinking cursor. I
need a command line without X-server running to install the latest NVIDIA
drivers. I am running on a Dell with an Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz 2G RAM,
resolution 1280x1080 with two monitors running in twin view. When I boot all
logos and everything is fine. I am going to look at the xorg log files to
see if I can find anything.

Phil

On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:43 PM, Steve McInerney <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Am wondering if possibly relevant - are we all using ATI video hardware?
>
> ATM this is working for me, but if I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get immediately
> bounced back into X.
> Repeat the C-A-F1 and get a console login prompt. Do a C-A-F2 and don't get
> the bouncing behaviour - straight to the prompt. Weird.
>
> Other things that may/not be relevant to a workaround - The ubuntu logo was
> getting garbaged during the boot process. So I switched via 'Startup
> Manager' to using '1024x768' for the display resolution with 16bits colour
> depth.
> Otherwise, the default X resolution is 1920 x 1280.
>
> I'm pretty sure the above fixes were post the problem going away; but
> .... possibly poor memory of events and sequences.
>
> --
> ctrl-alt-f1..f6 drops to blinking cursor; no 'console' login possible
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/282068
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in "linux" source package in Ubuntu: Confirmed
>
> Bug description:
> Is similar to bug #181748, but the system does not hang.
> ctrl-alt-f7 and are back at a working X11.
> Just have no ability to get a simple text only console up.
>
> ctrl-alt-f1 thru f6 drops to the text console screen, but only see a
> blinking cursor in the top left hand corner.
> No login/password request at all. No keystrokes appear to generate any
> cursor response.
> Typing blind; one does actually login successfully (C-A-F2; userid;
> password; top; for example did work and the top program could be seen
> attached to tty2), but there is no output on the console.
>
>
> Was working in Hardy; Was broken after upgrade to Intrepid-beta.
>
> $ lsb_release -rd
> Description: Ubuntu intrepid (development branch)
> Release: 8.10
>

[Phil (phil-hopkins)]

One additional item - I am using KDE and KDM. I'm going to try to switch out
kdm later today.

Phil

On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 8:58 AM, Phil Hopkins <email address hidden>wrote:

> Sorry - I have NVIDIA. If I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get the blinking cursor. I
> need a command line without X-server running to install the latest NVIDIA
> drivers. I am running on a Dell with an Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz 2G RAM,
> resolution 1280x1080 with two monitors running in twin view. When I boot all
> logos and everything is fine. I am going to look at the xorg log files to
> see if I can find anything.
>
> Phil
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:43 PM, Steve McInerney <
> <email address hidden>> wrote:
>
>> Am wondering if possibly relevant - are we all using ATI video hardware?
>>
>> ATM this is working for me, but if I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get immediately
>> bounced back into X.
>> Repeat the C-A-F1 and get a console login prompt. Do a C-A-F2 and don't
>> get the bouncing behaviour - straight to the prompt. Weird.
>>
>> Other things that may/not be relevant to a workaround - The ubuntu logo
>> was getting garbaged during the boot process. So I switched via 'Startup
>> Manager' to using '1024x768' for the display resolution with 16bits colour
>> depth.
>> Otherwise, the default X resolution is 1920 x 1280.
>>
>> I'm pretty sure the above fixes were post the problem going away; but
>> .... possibly poor memory of events and sequences.
>>
>> --
>> ctrl-alt-f1..f6 drops to blinking cursor; no 'console' login possible
>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/282068
>> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>> of the bug.
>>
>> Status in "linux" source package in Ubuntu: Confirmed
>>
>> Bug description:
>> Is similar to bug #181748, but the system does not hang.
>> ctrl-alt-f7 and are back at a working X11.
>> Just have no ability to get a simple text only console up.
>>
>> ctrl-alt-f1 thru f6 drops to the text console screen, but only see a
>> blinking cursor in the top left hand corner.
>> No login/password request at all. No keystrokes appear to generate any
>> cursor response.
>> Typing blind; one does actually login successfully (C-A-F2; userid;
>> password; top; for example did work and the top program could be seen
>> attached to tty2), but there is no output on the console.
>>
>>
>> Was working in Hardy; Was broken after upgrade to Intrepid-beta.
>>
>> $ lsb_release -rd
>> Description: Ubuntu intrepid (development branch)
>> Release: 8.10
>>
>
>

[Phil (phil-hopkins)]

Sorry to keep sending you email but I wanted to update you on kdm vs gdm. I
have the problem with both.

Phil

On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 11:13 AM, Phil Hopkins <email address hidden>wrote:

> One additional item - I am using KDE and KDM. I'm going to try to switch
> out kdm later today.
>
> Phil
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 13, 2008 at 8:58 AM, Phil Hopkins <email address hidden>wrote:
>
>> Sorry - I have NVIDIA. If I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get the blinking cursor.
>> I need a command line without X-server running to install the latest NVIDIA
>> drivers. I am running on a Dell with an Intel Core2 Duo 2.4 Ghz 2G RAM,
>> resolution 1280x1080 with two monitors running in twin view. When I boot all
>> logos and everything is fine. I am going to look at the xorg log files to
>> see if I can find anything.
>>
>> Phil
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 12, 2008 at 9:43 PM, Steve McInerney <
>> <email address hidden>> wrote:
>>
>>> Am wondering if possibly relevant - are we all using ATI video hardware?
>>>
>>> ATM this is working for me, but if I CTL-ALT-F1 - only, I get immediately
>>> bounced back into X.
>>> Repeat the C-A-F1 and get a console login prompt. Do a C-A-F2 and don't
>>> get the bouncing behaviour - straight to the prompt. Weird.
>>>
>>> Other things that may/not be relevant to a workaround - The ubuntu logo
>>> was getting garbaged during the boot process. So I switched via 'Startup
>>> Manager' to using '1024x768' for the display resolution with 16bits colour
>>> depth.
>>> Otherwise, the default X resolution is 1920 x 1280.
>>>
>>> I'm pretty sure the above fixes were post the problem going away; but
>>> .... possibly poor memory of events and sequences.
>>>
>>> --
>>> ctrl-alt-f1..f6 drops to blinking cursor; no 'console' login possible
>>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/282068
>>> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
>>> of the bug.
>>>
>>> Status in "linux" source package in Ubuntu: Confirmed
>>>
>>> Bug description:
>>> Is similar to bug #181748, but the system does not hang.
>>> ctrl-alt-f7 and are back at a working X11.
>>> Just have no ability to get a simple text only console up.
>>>
>>> ctrl-alt-f1 thru f6 drops to the text console screen, but only see a
>>> blinking cursor in the top left hand corner.
>>> No login/password request at all. No keystrokes appear to generate any
>>> cursor response.
>>> Typing blind; one does actually login successfully (C-A-F2; userid;
>>> password; top; for example did work and the top program could be seen
>>> attached to tty2), but there is no output on the console.
>>>
>>>
>>> Was working in Hardy; Was broken after upgrade to Intrepid-beta.
>>>
>>> $ lsb_release -rd
>>> Description: Ubuntu intrepid (development branch)
>>> Release: 8.10
>>>
>>
>>
>

[Joseph Coffland (jcoffland)]

Having exactly the same problem describe in the initial post ever since I upgraded from hardy to Intrepid with gnome and an nvidia card. I also have dual monitors. I doubt it is kernel related.

[Robert (anon-razza)]

Same Problem after upgrade to Jaunty. Kernel: 2.6.28-11-generic
Was fine in Hardy.

[Joseph Coffland (jcoffland)]

I still have this problem after an upgrade to Jaunty.

[Andy Eyre (science-andyeyre)]

I also have this bug, running Jaunty, kernel: 2.6.28-11-generic, x86-64, nvidia driver 180.44 on 2 x GeForce 9400GT. It seems to be Xorg/driver related. If I stop gdm from starting automatically, then the TTYs work fine. When X11 is running, if I try to switch to a TTY (ctrl-alt-f1 etc) I get a blank text-mode screen with a blinking cursor. If I subsequently quit X11, I can see some activity on the TTYs but the displays are garbled.

Problem goes away if I don't use the nvidia driver.

[Andy Eyre (science-andyeyre)]

Switching the console to a framebuffer mode, with, e.g.

vga=791

in grub's menu.lst works around this for me, in that I can see my TTYs again. As soon as xorg starts with the nvidia restricted drivers, a text mode TTY is borked though; so not a fix.

[Joseph Coffland (jcoffland)]

I believe your boot command line addition of:

  vga=791

fixes an unrelated problem. I have used the same fix on other systems to fix the console display during boot up.

I am also running the NVIDIA restricted driver which seems to be the source of the "borked" console problem. I've tried several versions of the driver and haven't yet found one that doesn't have this problem. Somehow the NVIDIA driver is killing the text mode settings.

[Eric Carvalho (eric-carvalho)]

Same problem.

Ubuntu 9.04
amd64
NVidia 180.44

Text consoles are back after changing boot display resolution, as said by Steve McInerney.

I switched via 'Startup Manager' to using '1024x768' for the display resolution with 24bits colour depth.
This added vga=792 to menu.lst.

[Joseph Coffland (jcoffland)]

I can confirm that the above fix worked for me too:

  Ubuntu 9.04
  Intel T7500
  NVidia driver versions 172, 180 and 185

To make things a little clearer you run:

  sudo apt-get install startupmanager
  sudo startupmanager

Then change the display resolution to 1024x768 with a 24bit depth as mentioned above. Then of course you need to reboot.

[Ryan Waldroop (ryan.waldroop)]

Oh man I've been wanting to fix this for over a year now. Followed jcoffland's instructions with startupmanager and *FINALLY* have my TTY's working decently.

Thanks!

[Aisano (info-ais-sanmarino)]

Since moving to Ubuntu 10.04 I cannot switch to a tty by pressing Ctrl-Alt-F[1-6]. My problem looks exactly like bug 447692 but is fundamentally different, as 447692 can be cured by deactivating usplash, which does not make any difference on my computer. Now I thought this here was my problem, though I cannot see a blinking cursor; still the rest (being able to log in blindly) is exactly as in Steve's description above.

Only the remedy proposed here, using startupmanager to change "the display resolution to 1024x768 with a 24bit depth" (it was 640x480 with 8 bits before) does not help me either. Linux is great for servers but the multitude of Launchpad bugs related to "Ctrl-Alt-F1" (try a search for it) might suggest that the Linux desktop (or whatever) is just not suited for certain hardware configurations and nobody has an idea how to fix it. We could try and find out which are these configurations, so people could consider that information upon buying their next computer.

[Aisano (info-ais-sanmarino)]

Since I upgraded to Ubuntu 10.10 two days ago the problem has disappeared. I have no idea why.

[samuel (samuel-h)]

I had this, in 12.04, fixed it using the instructions I answered my own question with here: http://askubuntu.com/questions/276694/cant-view-output-in-tty-ctrlaltf1-to-f6-dont-work-and-display-a-black-scr/277081#277081