Arch Linux

stbug

Member

Registered: 2025-01-23

Posts: 24

[SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

I've been using a custom keymap for a while, but now I'm receiving a message error when booting my computer
In another thread I saw there was a similar problem, but it had to do with absolute paths. In my case, I have the custom keymap in '/usr/share/kbd/keymaps/custom.map.gz' so I load it inside '/etc/vconsole' like

KEYMAP=custom

Now, the most weird thing for me, is that it also happens with the default keymaps, like 'la-latin1', the original file from where I made 'custom' and that they do work; when I boot my keymap is loaded so I can use all my custom keybinds, I think I get the error message, but nothing is really affected.

Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: Starting Virtual Console Setup...
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[213]: '/dev/tty1' has no font support, skipping.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[214]: cannot open include file qwerty-layout
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[214]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[213]: '/usr/bin/loadkeys' failed with exit status 1.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[213]: Configuration of first virtual console was skipped, ignoring remaining ones.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: Failed to start Virtual Console Setup.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: Starting Virtual Console Setup...
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[219]: cannot open include file qwerty-layout
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[219]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd-vconsole-setup[217]: '/usr/bin/loadkeys' failed with exit status 1.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Oct 17 19:43:44 archlinux systemd[1]: Failed to start Virtual Console Setup.
Oct 17 19:43:49 stbug systemd[1]: Starting Virtual Console Setup...
Oct 17 19:43:49 stbug systemd[1]: Finished Virtual Console Setup.

Last edited by stbug (2026-10-19 21:10:20)

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,498

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

Can you access a root tty after booting ?

If so, try using loadkeys directly to load your custom keymap and post the output.
see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Linux_ … n#Loadkeys

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stbug

Member

Registered: 2025-01-23

Posts: 24

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

Yes I can, and using

sudo loadkeys custom.map.gz

doesn't print any message.
And I'm sorry, but it seems I forgot to mention that the custom keymap works perfectly. I see the error on boot and the Virtual Console Setup shows like exited, but my keymap still works

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,498

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

Sounds like this could be a timing issue .

Can you type in passwords/passphrase without that keymap being loaded ?
If so, try removing the keymap hook from mkinitcpio.conf hooks= line , and load the keymap manually after logging in .

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Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 78,444

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

Are those messages from before the root switch?
Was the layout added to the initramfs resp. the UKI?

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

stbug

Member

Registered: 2025-01-23

Posts: 24

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

If so, try removing the keymap hook from mkinitcpio.conf hooks= line , and load the keymap manually after logging in .

Thank you, this worked for me.
I removed the 'keyboard' from the hooks line so it now looks like this:

HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect microcode modconf kms sd-vconsole block filesystems fsck)

May I ask why this happens?

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 78,444

Re: [SOLVED] Failed to start Virtual Console Setup

There used to be https://gitlab.archlinux.org/archlinux/ … _items/300 but you'll likely ended up for some other reason missing the codepage in the initramfs or UKI.
https://man.archlinux.org/man/lsinitcpio.1

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