Is there any way to activate a virtual console at startup?

F

FabArd08

Hello,
To avoid getting kernel messages, I usually use virtual console 1 (/dev/ttyv1). However, I'd like this console to be active and displayed by default when the PC starts up.

Is there any way of achieving this?
Thanks
 
FabArd08 said:
To avoid getting kernel messages,
Click to expand...
What kind of messages are you getting? Syslog messages printed on the console can be turned off by disabling this line in /etc/syslog.conf:
Code: 
*.err;kern.warning;auth.notice;mail.crit                /dev/console
This won't stop the kernel from printing debug messages on the console though.
 
If I use the console I get messages like :
Code: 
syslogd: last message repeated 1 times
sshd[XXXX]: error: PAM: Authentication error for <user> from <address>
I've disabled the console in /etc/ttys so that I can no longer log in to it and I'm still using a virtual console. This way I can see all the messages displayed by switching to the console with Alt+F1
 
SirDice said:
Don't edit /etc/ttys to disable the console. That won't stop the messages from appearing.
Click to expand...
I don't want to disable the messages that appear in the console: on the contrary, I want to dedicate the console to displaying all messages and errors. So I've disabled it so that I can't inadvertently log in. What I'd like is to be able to activate a virtual console at startup, so I don't have to type ALT+F1 every startup.

T-Aoki said:
For me (unchanged, so maybe for you, too), sysctl kern.console shows kern.console: ttyv0,/ttyv0,.
Click to expand...
I've tried putting
Code: 
kern.console="ttyv1"
in /etc/sysctl.conf but it doesn't produce any change.
 
run vidcontrol -s 2
to change to 2nd console
but since there is no rc.conf option for that its a hack for blanktime
so it will run
vidcontrol -t 999999 -s 2 at boot
i don't have a videconsole around and checked it with /etc/rc.d/syscons start and then
vidcontrol -i active and it showed 2 but
 
Isn't it default that at boot some messages are printed to the screen and then you get 'Login:' and 'Password:' ?

Unless some line in /etc/rc.conf starts the graphical environment, there is nothing else than a console.

What do you mean FabArd08 with 'activate a virtual console' ?
 
meine said:
Isn't it default that at boot some messages are printed to the screen and then you get 'Login:' and 'Password:' ?
Click to expand...
Exactly. By default, FreeBSD displays the /dev/ttyv0 console at startup. This is where all syslog and error messages are displayed, as defined according the first line of the /etc/syslog.conf file :
Code: 
*.err;kern.warning;auth.notice;mail.crit                /dev/console
It suits me and I don't want to change this.

I don't want to work in this default console /dev/ttyv0 because the various system messages can appear anywhere (when editing a file, for example). I prefer to disable it so that I can't log on it and only switch in it (with ALT-F1) when I want to check all the system messages.

I've therefore got into the habit of switching to console 1 /dev/ttyv1 with Alt-F2 to log in each time the computer start up to work there.

What I'd like is not to have to type Alt-F2 every time I reboot, but to have the /dev/ttyv1 console displayed by default.

meine said:
Unless some line in /etc/rc.conf starts the graphical environment, there is nothing else than a console.
Click to expand...
I don't use a graphical environment but the text console /dev/ttyv1.

So the question I'm asking is: how can I get the /dev/ttyv1 console to be displayed at boot time instead of /dev/ttyv0?
 
this works
Code: 
[titus@f13 ~]$ grep ttyv0 /etc/ttys
ttyv0    "/usr/local/libexec/getty Pc"        xterm    onifexists secure

[titus@f13 ~]$ ls -l /usr/local/libexec/getty
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  85 Nov 16 10:57 /usr/local/libexec/getty

[titus@f13 ~]$ cat /usr/local/libexec/getty
#!/bin/sh
echo switching to 2
sleep 1
vidcontrol -s2 < /dev/ttyv0
exec /usr/libexec/getty $@
vidcontrol wont change the window from /etc/rc.d/syscons because ttyv2 is not yet available
 
covacat said:
this works
Code: 
[titus@f13 ~]$ grep ttyv0 /etc/ttys
ttyv0    "/usr/local/libexec/getty Pc"        xterm    onifexists secure

[titus@f13 ~]$ ls -l /usr/local/libexec/getty
-rwxr-xr-x  1 root  wheel  85 Nov 16 10:57 /usr/local/libexec/getty

[titus@f13 ~]$ cat /usr/local/libexec/getty
#!/bin/sh
echo switching to 2
sleep 1
vidcontrol -s2 < /dev/ttyv0
exec /usr/libexec/getty $@
vidcontrol wont change the window from /etc/rc.d/syscons because ttyv2 is not yet available
Click to expand...
Thank you covacat that's exactly what I wanted.

For those who are interested, here is the solution proposed by covacat :

Create a new script /usr/local/libexec/getty
sh: 
#!/bin/sh
vidcontrol -s2 < /dev/ttyv0
exec /usr/libexec/getty $@

Make it executable
Code: 
chmod 755 /usr/local/libexec/getty

Modify the console configuration file /etc/ttys so that it executes the script
Code: 
ttyv0    "/usr/local/libexec/getty Pc"        xterm    onifexists secure

Voila! When the PC boots up, you arrive at the second console /dev/ttyv1 and the first console /dev/ttyv0 is deactivated .
 
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