Arch Linux

paladin

Member

Registered: 2010-10-01

Posts: 3

xinit run from inittab blocks tty1

Hello,

if I try to run X11 from inittab in runlevel 5 like:

## Only one of the following two lines can be uncommented!
# Boot to console
#id:3:initdefault:
# Boot to X11
id:5:initdefault:

rc::sysinit:/etc/rc.sysinit
rs:S1:wait:/etc/rc.single
rm:2345:wait:/etc/rc.multi
rh:06:wait:/etc/rc.shutdown
su:S:wait:/sbin/sulogin -p

# -8 options fixes umlauts problem on login
c1:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty1 linux
c2:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty2 linux
c3:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty3 linux
c4:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty4 linux
c5:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty5 linux
c6:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty6 linux

# Hypervisor Virtual Console for Xen and KVM
#h0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 hvc0 linux

ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t3 -r now

# Example lines for starting a login manager
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/xdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/sbin/gdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/kdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >/dev/null 2>&1
x:5:once:/bin/su myOrdinaryUser -l -c '/usr/bin/xinit -- vt7' > /dev/tty8 2>&1

# End of file

then strange thing happens to tty1.

If I try to type login and password (on tty1), some chars are not typed when pressed and I have to type them twice or more. Needless to say it is almost unable to write password correctly.
All other defined consoles (tty2-tty6) works well.

I have found these threads with similar issue but no satisfactory solution:

• Typing problems in tty1

• tty1 strange behavior

My few observations:

1. If I left out

   > /dev/tty8 2>&1

   then all xinit output appears on tty1. So my suspicion is that somehow xinit is stealing input from tty1 as well. That may appear like random missing typed characters. But it's just a blind shot.

2. If I boot into runlevel 3 (no X running) and log as an ordinary user in, say, tty6 and run xinit from here, then all xinit output appears on tty6 (as should) and tty1 works fine.

My current temporary solution is: leaving tty1 just for xinit ouput like

x:5:once:/bin/su myOrdinaryUser -l -c '/usr/bin/xinit -- vt7' > /dev/tty1 2>&1

and commenting it out

#c1:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty1 linux

Nonetheless this doesn't satisfy me much.

I have found in the other threads that Slim (or another display manager) causes this. I use none and I also suppose that no particular desktop environment plays the role in that. I use Xfce if you want to know. I almost dare to say that it is a pure X11 problem.

So, is there a way to force xinit to leave tty1 alone?