Why is alt-f2 switching to console without pressing ctrl?

uncleringo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 146

A couple of weeks ago my usual shortcut (alt-f2) to bring up the program/url launcher started also switching me to the 2nd console screen as if I had pressed ctrl-alt-f2. Any idea why this started happening? It doesn't depend on which window manager I'm using. It happens both on kde and xfce4. And it doesn't happen every time either, which makes me think it's more likely to be a bug rather than a config setting.

I'm using ~amd64 xorg-7.3, which I guess could be the reason, but I'm curious as to whether anyone else has experienced this and if they have a cure for it if so.

It's quite annoying since there's a delay of at least a second or so between switching both to the console screen and back to X again.

Any ideas?

uncleringo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 146

I guess I'm the only one then! I've since taken out a couple of dri related lines from my xorg.conf, I have not had the problem since, although it's too early to tell if it's fixed it for good.

EvaSDK · Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject:

if you have xorg server compiled with hal support or are using evdev driver, this might be the cause of your problem.

uncleringo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 146

I do have the hal use flag enabled in xorg-server. I'll see if I get any further occurrences and try without if I do.

Thanks for the advice

spielc · Guru Joined: 20 Apr 2004 Posts: 447

uncleringo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 146

I think that might be the cause of my problem too. If I /etc/init.d/xdm restart then the problem disappears. Also I get a message at bootup which says failed to start local. Will investigate further!

Thanks

SimonKellett · Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 1:46 pm Post subject:

Just a suggestion: as the consoles use alt-fX to switch, but X uses ctl-alt-fX perhaps the problem is a slow startup of whatever maps the console keys . ie X starts, maps it's keys and then the console maps it's keys.

Restarting xdm would remap the X keys (as observed above).

Perhaps there is a problem with parallel startup ?

I have no idea how the keys are mapped !!

uncleringo · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 21 Jul 2004 Posts: 146

That also sounds pretty likely.

I'll be sure to post an update once I've had time to investigate properly

widremann · Veteran Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 1312

jongkook90 · n00b Joined: 28 Jan 2012 Posts: 1

Adding 'kbd_mode -s' in /etc/X11/gdm/Init/Default solved the problem in my case.

trock89 · n00b Joined: 08 Feb 2012 Posts: 1

Based on the hints on xdm above, I edited /etc/init.d/xdm:

depend() {
need localmount xdm-setup

# this should start as early as possible
# we can't do 'before *' as that breaks it
# (#139824) Start after ypbind and autofs for network authentication
# (#145219 #180163) Could use lirc mouse as input device
# (#70689 comment #92) Start after consolefont to avoid display corruption
# (#291269) Start after quota, since some dm need readable home
after bootmisc consolefont modules netmount
after readahead-list ypbind autofs openvpn gpm lircmd
after quota
#ADDING THIS to solve problem #
after keymaps
########################
before alsasound

# Start before X
use consolekit xfs
}

adding