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#1 2003-11-02 15:10:41

scottro
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From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
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Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

I put the 2.6 kernel in on a few boxes for fun.  One box at home, with Arch, has no problem, nor does a Slackware install on the same machine have a problem.

However, on a box at work, I cannot open xterms at all--if, for example, I do a start x with twm it won't open period. As root, I can open fluxbox and open an rxvt terminal.

As a user, I can open fluxbox but cannot open an rxvt terminal. Upon leaving X I see the message failed to open pseudo-tty.  (The terminal will flash on the screen and disappear in X).

I figured I'd left something out in my .config file, or that something was wrong with permissions.  However, checking it against the home boxs' .config and permissions indicates that this isn't the case.  I haven't tested another flavor of Linux on this box, to see if the issue is Arch specific or not.  I suspect it is not

The box in question is a Dell Dimension, a few years old, which, AFAIK has a standard Intel chipset.  I'm guessing it's sometihng to do with the hardware, but not sure what the next step should be.  Googling hasn't brought me any joy, the people with the same error messages are in different situations, (also from older kernels.)

Using the 2.4 kernel I don't have this problem.  Does anyone have any idea what I'm overlooking here?  It doesn't seem to be the obvious in filesystems or ptys in my .config--the only differences in configuration were adding a chipset for the ASUS board on the box at home and and different NICS.  Support for the Intel chipset is compiled in (directly, not as module). 


Thanks for any help.

Scott

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#2 2003-11-02 15:23:45

andy
Member
From: Germany
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 374

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

This is not a hardware problem, it has got to do with permissions. I had similar things before and it was related to the shell. The ksh was requesting funny pseudo ttys. So try different shells and different terms (xterm, aterm, etc.) to narrow down the problem. Also try starting the terms with and w/o login shells ( i.e. the -ls option).

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#3 2003-11-02 15:44:42

scottro
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From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

I bet that's it. I use ksh.

It has its own peculiarities, so I wouldn't be surprised if the issue was connected.

Thanks very much.

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#4 2003-11-02 16:28:14

scottro
Member
From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

Hrm, actually may not be a ksh problem. Just installed that on the box at home, and no problem there either. 

I'll play around a bit and see what happens. Still, you've given me some ideas.  (I have alreayd tried with and without -ls without change).

Scott

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#5 2003-11-02 16:44:50

contrasutra
Member
From: New Jersey
Registered: 2003-07-26
Posts: 507

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel


"Contrary to popular belief, penguins are not the salvation of modern technology.  Neither do they throw parties for the urban proletariat."

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#6 2003-11-02 17:11:17

scottro
Member
From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

Yup that fixed it.  Adding the devpts line to /etc/fstab solved the issue.

Thank you very very much.  (had the problem duplicated on a second box here at home).

Scott

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#7 2003-11-02 20:22:58

scottro
Member
From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

This is embarrassing, but amusing enough to post, I thnk.

I went to add that information to a page I have up. I saw the info was already there.  Apparently I researched this a little more thoroughly last time, and not only found the answer but had put it on my page. 

Sigh.  They say short term memory is the first thing to go--I forget the second, I just heard it recently. 

Scott

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#8 2003-11-02 21:07:11

sarah31
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From: Middle of Canada
Registered: 2002-08-20
Posts: 2,975
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Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

what was where?  tongue


AKA uknowme

I am not your friend

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#9 2003-11-02 22:33:43

scottro
Member
From: NYC
Registered: 2002-10-11
Posts: 466
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

The information about fixing the unable to open pseudo-tty's was already up on a page I have about Arch.    As I said, apparently I'd run into this, and fixed it already.  smile

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#10 2003-11-03 07:27:39

sarah31
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From: Middle of Canada
Registered: 2002-08-20
Posts: 2,975
Website

Re: Unable to open pseudo-tty with 2.6 kernel

bah i was mocking your supposedly bad short term memory tongue


AKA uknowme

I am not your friend

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