[Solved] [Xorg+KMS+Intel] Can't see login console / boot messages!

Question

Hi,
My problem is that using an Intel video card (with KMS) after latest Xorg 1.8 update, I can't see boot messagges and the login console anymore.
I've just noticed that after last Xorg update I can't access anymore to runlevel 3 on boot.
I've got an Intel video card so KMS is enabled by default (and mandatory).
I always used SLiM as a display manager, configured through /etc/inittab to go to runlevel 5 on boot:
# /etc/inittab
# Runlevels:
# 0 Halt
# 1(S) Single-user
# 2 Not used
# 3 Multi-user
# 4 Not used
# 5 X11
# 6 Reboot
## 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 tty1 linux
c2:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty2 linux
c3:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty3 linux
c4:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty4 linux
c5:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty5 linux
c6:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 tty6 linux
# Hypervisor Virtual Console for Xen and KVM
#h0:2345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -8 38400 hvc0 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:/usr/bin/kdm -nodaemon
x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >& /dev/null
To enable runlevel 3 at boot,  I commented the id:5:initdefault: and the x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/slim >& /dev/null lines and uncommented id:3:initdefault:.
Now, during boot, the last thing I see is Loading UDev modules..., then the screen becomes dark gray and I can't see any other boot messages (actually this appened also before, after xorg update).
The problem is that before slim started but now I can't see any login console.
I also figured out that typing my username, password and then startx, starts X normally, so the problem is just that I can't see the tty console anymore.
Once I am in X I can switch to ttys normally.
What can I do?
I just wanted to get rid of slim and start X automatically after console login but I can't see the console login!
I hope to have been clear enough, thanks for your help!
Last edited by rent0n (2010-07-04 11:36:38)

Answer 1

rent0n wrote:
Well, it seems I spoke too early. It doesn't work as expected at every startup, sometimes I still have the black screen.
Now I'm trying with:
video=SVIDEO-1:d
that seems to work, but I just tested it one time and I'm starting to think that screen blanking happens randomly...
Any hint is more than welcomed.
After a few reboots, I can confirm this workaround seems to work.
This is weird indeed as I don't have any SVIDEO-1 interface listed by xrandr -q, but still.
Screen 0: minimum 320 x 200, current 1280 x 800, maximum 8192 x 8192
VGA1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
LVDS1 connected 1280x800+0+0 (normal left inverted right x axis y axis) 331mm x 207mm
1280x800 60.0*+
1024x768 60.0
800x600 60.3 56.2
640x480 59.9
TV1 disconnected (normal left inverted right x axis y axis)
The only problem is that now boot lasts a lot of time  and, between UDev modules loading and disks checking, I have to wait for at least 30 seconds with a black screen and a central white dash flashing.
Anyone experiencing the same thing?