Arch Linux

Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

[SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

Hi,

I've been using screen as a serial terminal for years. I always quit it using CTRL+a and then k. It used to confirm that and an additional 'y' terminated the session (if no other window was open).

For some reason that combination doesn't do anything anymore. CTRL+A c still creates a new window. And CTRL+A K (shift+k) kills the session.

has something changed? Does it still work for you?

Last edited by Shino (2025-10-02 18:10:24)

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 1,728

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

just tested - and yes, still works as in the man page: C-a k -> asks: "kill?" -> y to confirm
but: had some issues one time - just gave it the old "reboot the system"?

Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

For me it's broken for several days / reboots now.

seth

Member

From: Don't DM me only for attention

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 69,138

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x86_64/screen/ was last updated end May.
Check your .screenrc and it might be that the terminal emulator (which?) does not let through the shortcut (or your display server, did this start w/ gnome 49?)

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Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

It all started with that update, yes. But screen doesn't work in a tty or over SSH from another pc as well.

Ctrl a is recognized in a way, that the k is not typed into the console. Mind: Ctrl A and capital K works...

Just to be safe I will completely shutdown any Wayland ui and try again. The GNOME update killed so many things. Just to be safe...

Last edited by Shino (2025-10-02 07:45:39)

seth

Member

From: Don't DM me only for attention

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 69,138

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

If not:

Check your .screenrc

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Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

If not:

Check your .screenrc

Deleted my user's .screenrc and reinstalled the one in /etc/ from the pacman package.
Still, not working.

EDIT: Created a new user. Not working either.

Last edited by Shino (2025-10-02 13:18:51)

seth

Member

From: Don't DM me only for attention

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 69,138

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

So have you tried some not-gnome X11 session as well?
Also

might be that the terminal emulator (which?) does not let through the shortcut

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

So have you tried some not-gnome X11 session as well?
Also

might be that the terminal emulator (which?) does not let through the shortcut

It doen't work in a bare tty without X11/Wayland either. So the terminal emulator / Desktop shouldn't be a problem. But will try with XFCE and xterm when I'm back home.

C-a c works. Therefore, I think I can rule out that the C-a is somehow caught at some stage.

seth

Member

From: Don't DM me only for attention

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 69,138

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

Depends on how screen is started and to what extend and when it parses your terminfo and whether some IME gets in the way (did you check the behavior from a multi-user.target boot or did you just ctrl+alt+f3 and attach to the running instance)?
Can we btw. rule out issues w/ the keyboard?

screen and ncurses where last update in may or so - you've not skipped updates since then and only picked them up now?

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

Can we btw. rule out issues w/ the keyboard?

Yep. Tested it on my other setup. Keyboard working fine. Also in other applications (CTRL A for selecting all) etc. works.
I will get back to you once I did some tests.

I wasn't skipping any updates. Was on vacation for 2 weeks, so I did my first update with the new Gnome and everything last Monday. But 2 weeks ago, my system was up2date. I have checked the pacman log and screen wasn't updated in that update and hasn't changed.
But since the Gnome 49 update and the switch to wayland a lot of things are completely broken and bug reports are just being closed without answer because noone can isolate the problems

did you just ctrl+alt+f3 and attach to the running instance

Yep. I just used CTRL+ALT Fx to switch to a tty and check screen there. I need to boot the system without any GUI running and will post the result.

Thanks

Last edited by Shino (2025-10-02 13:50:30)

Shino

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2015-02-01

Posts: 106

Re: [SOLVED] Screen C-a k not working anymore

Issue solved:

deleted /etc/screenrc. Reinstalled screen. Deleted all ~/.screenrc files for my users. Deleted all ~/.screen directories.
Now it works again.

Still no clue what that was. But glad it works again.