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Date:      Wed, 15 Apr 1998 01:04:22 -0400 (EDT)
From:      Eric Lee Burns <burns+@andrew.cmu.edu>
To:        freebsd-questions@freefall.FreeBSD.org
Subject:   XF86 keyboard lockup issue
Message-ID:  <opB3zKS00iWW0Dc1U0@andrew.cmu.edu>

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Hi, I am experiencing a really infuriating bug with virtually every X
server I have tried for FreeBSD, including XF86 3.2-3.3.2 and AccelX 3.1
and 4.1.  If the server ever dies, it takes the entire console with it. 
Basically, all keyboard control becomes locked out except for
ctrl-alt-del, which works.  Trying to switch virtual consoles with
ctrl-alt-f* or just alt-f* produces a beep, and anything else does
nothing.

Here is what I know about the problem:

The system never crashes with the X server.  It always stays up, and X
can actually be started again.  If X is started, it generally produces
some error about not being able to open the appropriate console, and
starts anyway. In XF86's case, this error is "VT_ACTIVATE: cannot open
console" or something along those lines.

I took a look at the permissions on /dev/ttyv*.  I added vty4-8 myself. 
All the devices are owned by root, but only ttyv0-2 belong to group
"tty" and have a group writeable flag (crw--w----).  I think this may
have something to do with the problem.

Does anyone know if there is a workaround for this?  I know the keyboard
lockout problem can be reproduced fairly easily.  If you are running
XF86, load XDM, log in, and exit.  While the server is restarting, hold
down some random keys.  When the server comes up, it will be impossible
to switch virtual consoles.  (I haven't tested this since XF86 3.3, it
may have been fixed since then.)

If anyone knows how to resolve this, or to even correct the settings on
the virtual consoles permanently, I would be extremely grateful.

One more thing... can anyone recommend an appropriate way to start XDM? 
All I have now is a hack script in /usr/X11R6/etc/rc.d.  I have been
told that there is some way to do it through /etc/ttys, but I don't know
how.

Eric Burns
(latinum@YAVIN.RES.CMU.EDU) 

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