setfont: Unable to load such font with such kernel version

[cz0]

Hi folks.

I've just performed a long and very tedious update of 2022 Gentoo to actual state (using historical portage git repo and 2 week steps).
The system is in actual state, kernel is 6.12.31. But the installation itself originates to late 2009, I think, so some pieces are from that age giving me random headaches in very unexpected places.
Anyways, the system boots, all the hardware seems to work as expected, except the hostapd that I was forced to downgrade to 2.9-r6 cause of the crda and all this pesky regulatory stuff - I'm not very concerned cause it seem to work stable and I'm planing to take a look later probably tuning Qualcomm Atheros QCA9880 802.11ac to perform better.

The thing that drives me mad is the consolefont.

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/etc/init.d/consolefont restart
 * Setting console font [UniCyr_8x16] ...
setfont: ERROR kdfontop.c:212 put_font_kdfontop: Unable to load such font with such kernel version                                                                                                                                       [ !! ]
 * ERROR: consolefont failed to start

After noticing this in rc.log for the first time I checked from what package the setfont come from, it happen to be kbd, I rebult it with no luck.
Since that system is pretty skinny in packages installed (only about 400, unlike fat desktops) and I was going to rebuild it anyway I let it go through emptytree overnight and then rebooted expecting it to be some old includes/dependencies from the old system - same result.

Moving consolefont from boot to default runlevel also made no change.

Cause I have a laptop running exactly same kernel I then gone checking configuration in /etc/conf.d and kernel parameters, made it same - failure - same error.

So, currently I have two systems with same configs, same kernel versions and moreover, built from same kernel configs (the difference is intel microcode and preemption model) one of which give no error on setfont, the other one fails.

I've checked logs of 4.19.222 that was running on that server for years and years and found no errors on /etc/init.d/consolefont startup:

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 * Setting console font [cyr-sun16] ...
 [ ok ]

Yes, previously the font was different, but this make no difference - attempt of loading cyr-sun16 fails same way as any other.

The only idea I have - the system that fails to load console fonts is completely headless - there is no any display connected to HDMI port as it a humble fanless server, but it had no problems with this when 4.19.222 was in service. I can't check this idea because I have no spare monitor.

Any idea what is going on and how to fix that?

[cz0]

Bump.

Updated to 6.12.41-gentoo - same results.

[sdauth]

I have the same problem with two headless system too.
First system:

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* Setting console font [ter-124n] ...
setfont: ERROR kdfontop.c:212 put_font_kdfontop: Unable to load such font with such kernel version
 [ !! ]
 * ERROR: consolefont failed to start

Second system:

Code: Select all

 * Setting console font [ter-124n] ...
setfont: ERROR kdfontop.c:240 put_font_kdfontop: ioctl(KDFONTOP): Invalid argument
 [ !! ]
 * ERROR: consolefont failed to start

both have terminus-fonts & both have consolefont in boot runlevel, changing it to default doesn't solve the issue too.
From what I remember, if I attach a display (vga or dvi whatever) then the message disappears.
So it seems that when the system is headless then this message appears. I was unable to find the cause too...
I think it is safe to ignore, although I'd be interested to find the cause too if there is any.

I use the same kernel (6.12.x) but it was present with other kernel too (6.1.x / 6.6.x) and maybe earlier but I don't remember. (and I purged the rc.log long time ago)

[cz0]

Yap, same story here with the only exception I've not tested with display connected.
I wonder if this is consolefont or kernel bug or both. As mentioned before, same consolefont version produce no error with 4.19.222 (and earlier) while throwing errors with 6.12.
Currently I'm updating another server using same scenario (2 week and 1 month steps), but due to HW I mast stick with 4.19.222 on this one and will be able to check actual consolefot with old kernel to figure out how it behave.
Will return as soon as I get to current stable system.

[cz0]

So, the system is fully up to date with the only exception - the kernel is 4.19.222 - no error from setfont. Looks like it is kenrel-related.

[ruby_R53]

having the same issue here with the Zen kernel at version 6.18.3, i thought i had to enable something related to font support in the kernel configuration (like CONFIG_FONTS) but no luck whatsoever, and i'm trying to load the Unifont-APL8x16 font for my TTY

[ruby_R53]

UPDATE: i just casually booted my system without even having that CONFIG_FONT enabled anymore and now it just worked??

altho' it still can't display the japanese characters that i want, it's all just question marks instead, i wonder if there's another setting i have to adjust or something

UPDATE #2: rebooted my system, got the same error··· yeah something's off here