Cannot access tty1

[Neon_Riots]

Hi again guys, VSIDO is still running fine for the most part but I'm getting a black screen when trying to access tty1 with ctrl+alt+f1.  Is this not the correct way to access it?  I'm able to go back with the standard ctrl+alt+f7 so I'm a bit confused.

Thanks.

[VastOne]

Have you done any changes to your grub resolution since installing?  I have seen issues with tty1-6 when grub resolutions where changed

[lwfitz]

Ive had this same issue. After you hit ctrl/alt/f1 and the screen goes black try hitting enter. I believe thats what got me to tty, Ill check when I get to my office in a bit.

[Neon_Riots]

No I did not change the grub resolution, at least not intentionally, and it doesn't appear to have changed either.

I also tried hitting enter after the black screen but it didn't seem to do anything.

[VastOne]

Take a look at /etc/inittab

See if it is the same as this

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# /etc/inittab: init(8) configuration.
# $Id: inittab,v 1.91 2002/01/25 13:35:21 miquels Exp $

# The default runlevel.
id:2:initdefault:

# Boot-time system configuration/initialization script.
# This is run first except when booting in emergency (-b) mode.
si::sysinit:/etc/init.d/rcS

# What to do in single-user mode.
~~:S:wait:/sbin/sulogin

# /etc/init.d executes the S and K scripts upon change
# of runlevel.
#
# Runlevel 0 is halt.
# Runlevel 1 is single-user.
# Runlevels 2-5 are multi-user.
# Runlevel 6 is reboot.

l0:0:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 0
l1:1:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 1
l2:2:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 2
l3:3:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 3
l4:4:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 4
l5:5:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 5
l6:6:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 6
# Normally not reached, but fallthrough in case of emergency.
z6:6:respawn:/sbin/sulogin

# What to do when CTRL-ALT-DEL is pressed.
ca:12345:ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t1 -a -r now

# Action on special keypress (ALT-UpArrow).
#kb::kbrequest:/bin/echo "Keyboard Request--edit /etc/inittab to let this work."

# What to do when the power fails/returns.
pf::powerwait:/etc/init.d/powerfail start
pn::powerfailnow:/etc/init.d/powerfail now
po::powerokwait:/etc/init.d/powerfail stop

# /sbin/getty invocations for the runlevels.
#
# The "id" field MUST be the same as the last
# characters of the device (after "tty").
#
# Format:
#  <id>:<runlevels>:<action>:<process>
#
# Note that on most Debian systems tty7 is used by the X Window System,
# so if you want to add more getty's go ahead but skip tty7 if you run X.
#
1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1
2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2
3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3
4:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty4
5:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty5
6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6

# Example how to put a getty on a serial line (for a terminal)
#
#T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100
#T1:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS1 9600 vt100

# Example how to put a getty on a modem line.
#
#T3:23:respawn:/sbin/mgetty -x0 -s 57600 ttyS3


[Neon_Riots]

Using text compare I didn't find any differences, but here it is.

inittab

[lwfitz]

Oops, actually what got me into tty was hitting ctrl/alt/f1 again after the screen went black. Do you get a flashing cursor or just a solid black?
Also were you ever able to access tty this way?

It sounds to me like what VastOne first thought and that is, that its a resolution issue.

Open a terminal and run

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sudo sed -i -e 's/#GRUB_TERMINAL/GRUB_TERMINAL/g' /etc/default/grub

Then

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sudo update-grub

Reboot and tty should work

[Neon_Riots]

Alright I ran that, it certainly changed what grub looks like (for the better in my opinion) but I still get a completely black screen if I use ctrl alt f1.  My primary monitor's light blinks after 5 seconds, so it looks like no input is being sent to it.

[lwfitz]

Hmmmm odd. Ok Im running to a job but Ill work on it tonight when I get back

[Neon_Riots]

I'm pretty certain I was able to access it before installing nvidia drivers.

I installed my drivers (304.84-1) via:

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sudo apt-get install nvidia-kernel-dkms nvidia-glx nvidia-xconfig nvidia-settings


Everything else is working just fine with my drivers.  Should I try out 313.26-1?  I'm a little worried about the stability.

Could it be something with the framebuffer?

[lwfitz]

I always install my video drivers whether nvidia or ati using smxi.

If I was you I would try running

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sudo smxi

and when tell it to kill your desktop.

That will drop you into tty. If that gets you to tty then enter log in info and run

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sudo smxi

again and try installing the nvidia drivers that way. Just follow the steps until you get to an option to install graphics

and if this is a newer card let it install the beta drivers. Thats what Im using with no problem at all.

If you need help with smxi just ask and heres VastOnes howto

http://vsido.org/index.php/topic,5.0.html

If smxi doesnt get you to tty let me know and Ill keep  at this for you



To answer your question.....

Yes it very well could have to do with frame buffer. Check this out

http://blog.samat.org/comment/17522

That gives pretty good directions on how to get virtual terminals back and then you can reinstall your graphics driver
using smxi.

[Neon_Riots]

Hmm, the frame buffer guide didn't help, and smxi just takes me to the black screen after I tell it to kill the desktop.

[lwfitz]

Ok let me do some Googling 

[lwfitz]

can you please reboot and boot into recovery mode and see if tty comes up that way. Im pretty sure its nvidia causing it.

[lwfitz]

Ok, I think the best thing to do is to purge nvidia then reinstall using smxi.

Run

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sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-*

then reboot.

When you boot up that will take you to tty and from there run

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sudo smxi

and install nvidia nouveau or the proprietary drivers. Like I said before Im running the beta drivers with no issue at all