Pause at boot prompt

B-Con · 2007-12-26 02:47:36

I've followed the wiki's instructions for starting X and GDM automatically on start up ( http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Start_X_at_boot ) both by editing /etc/inittab and by adding GDM to my daemons in /etc/rc.conf (in independent tests, not at the same time). However in both ways, when I boot it eventually comes to a login shell and sits there for about 3 or 4 seconds before proceeding to start GDM. Is there a way to instantly start GDM and not waste the few seconds sitting at a prompt?

Speaking of booting, I love Arch's faster boot time than Ubuntu. I timed it, 37 seconds in Arch (including this little delay) verses 75 in Ubuntu. Half. :-)

Last edited by B-Con (2007-12-26 02:49:14)

kumico · 2007-12-26 07:17:34

post your rc.conf and prolly inittab as well

Last edited by kumico (2007-12-26 07:17:49)

B-Con · 2007-12-26 07:32:55

rc.conf:

#
# /etc/rc.conf - Main Configuration for Arch Linux
#

#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# LOCALIZATION
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# LOCALE: available languages can be listed with the 'locale -a' command
# HARDWARECLOCK: set to "UTC" or "localtime"
# TIMEZONE: timezones are found in /usr/share/zoneinfo
# KEYMAP: keymaps are found in /usr/share/kbd/keymaps
# CONSOLEFONT: found in /usr/share/kbd/consolefonts (only needed for non-US)
# CONSOLEMAP: found in /usr/share/kbd/consoletrans
# USECOLOR: use ANSI color sequences in startup messages
#
LOCALE="en_US.utf8"
HARDWARECLOCK="localtime"
TIMEZONE="Canada/Pacific"
KEYMAP="us"
CONSOLEFONT=
CONSOLEMAP=
USECOLOR="yes"

#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# HARDWARE
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# Scan hardware and load required modules at bootup
MOD_AUTOLOAD="yes"
# Module Blacklist - modules in this list will never be loaded by udev
MOD_BLACKLIST=()
#
# Modules to load at boot-up (in this order)
#   - prefix a module with a ! to blacklist it
#
MODULES=(b44 mii slhc ipw2200 ath_hal ath_pci wlan ac97_bus snd-mixer-oss snd-pcm-oss snd-page-alloc snd-pcm snd-timer snd snd-ac97-codec snd-intel8x0 snd-intel8x0m soundcore acpi)
# Scan for LVM volume groups at startup, required if you use LVM
USELVM="no"

#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# NETWORKING
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
HOSTNAME="beacon-laptop"
#
# Use 'ifconfig -a' or 'ls /sys/class/net/' to see all available
# interfaces.
#
# Interfaces to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each interface then list in INTERFACES
#   - prefix an entry in INTERFACES with a ! to disable it
#   - no hyphens in your interface names - Bash doesn't like it
#
# Note: to use DHCP, set your interface to be "dhcp" (eth0="dhcp")
#
lo="lo 127.0.0.1"
eth0="dhcp"
#eth1="dhcp"
ath0="dhcp"
#wlan_eth1="eth1 essid conte_family"
wlan_ath0="ath0 essid conte_family"
WLAN_INTERFACES=(eth1 ath0)
INTERFACES=(lo eth0 eth1 ath0)
#
# Routes to start at boot-up (in this order)
# Declare each route then list in ROUTES
#   - prefix an entry in ROUTES with a ! to disable it
#
gateway="default gw 192.168.0.1"
ROUTES=(!gateway)
#
# Enable these network profiles at boot-up.  These are only useful
# if you happen to need multiple network configurations (ie, laptop users)
#   - set to 'menu' to present a menu during boot-up (dialog package required)
#   - prefix an entry with a ! to disable it
#
# Network profiles are found in /etc/network-profiles
#
#NET_PROFILES=(main)

#
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
# DAEMONS
# -----------------------------------------------------------------------
#
# Daemons to start at boot-up (in this order)
#   - prefix a daemon with a ! to disable it
#   - prefix a daemon with a @ to start it up in the background
#
DAEMONS=(@syslog-ng @network @netfs crond @alsa @hal @fam @acpid)


# End of file

inittab:

## 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 vc/1 linux
c2:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/2 linux
c3:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/3 linux
c4:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/4 linux
c5:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/5 linux
c6:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/6 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:/opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
#x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >& /dev/null

# End of file

Last edited by B-Con (2007-12-26 07:33:33)

iphitus · 2007-12-26 07:46:27

Easiest is rc.conf. Put gdm after syslog-ng in the DAEMONS=() line, and put it as @gdm.

If you still get a prompt (you probably will), there's not much you can do. the prompts come up when init has started and done everything else. Once it's done starting the daemons line (which will be almost instant as you backgrounded them all), it'll start the login prompts.

That said, if you move gdm to the start, you might see an improvement if you _remove_ @ from some daemons, giving gdm some time to start before it has to fight for resources (hdd) with five other processes.

Last edited by iphitus (2007-12-26 07:47:06)

dante4d · 2007-12-28 02:07:41

You can remove runlevel 5 from inittab attys.

c1:234:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 vc/1 linux

Which causes you just get blinking cursor waiting for gdm. I don't know if it has any ugly side effects. Anyway there is quite long pause between init and login managers for me.

B-Con · 2007-12-28 06:35:02

iphitus wrote:

Easiest is rc.conf. Put gdm after syslog-ng in the DAEMONS=() line, and put it as @gdm.
If you still get a prompt (you probably will), there's not much you can do. the prompts come up when init has started and done everything else. Once it's done starting the daemons line (which will be almost instant as you backgrounded them all), it'll start the login prompts.
That said, if you move gdm to the start, you might see an improvement if you _remove_ @ from some daemons, giving gdm some time to start before it has to fight for resources (hdd) with five other processes.

Thanks. If I do

DAEMONS=(@syslog-ng @gdm network netfs crond alsa @hal @fam @acpid)

I get no prompt, I just go straight to GDM. But, interestingly, when I login gnome-screensaver crashes and my battery monitor doesn't start. Weird, I'll play with (un)backgrounding various processes to see if it changes anything later when I have the time.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-12-26 02:47:36

Pause at boot prompt

#2 2007-12-26 07:17:34

Re: Pause at boot prompt

#3 2007-12-26 07:32:55

Re: Pause at boot prompt

#4 2007-12-26 07:46:27

Re: Pause at boot prompt

#5 2007-12-28 02:07:41

Re: Pause at boot prompt

#6 2007-12-28 06:35:02

Re: Pause at boot prompt

Board footer