Re: kern/49495: serial console prevents use of X with drmkms

["John D. Baker" <jdbaker%mylinuxisp.com@localhost>]

The following reply was made to PR kern/49495; it has been noted by GNATS.

From: "John D. Baker" <jdbaker%mylinuxisp.com@localhost>
To: gnats-bugs%NetBSD.org@localhost
Cc: 
Subject: Re: kern/49495: serial console prevents use of X with drmkms
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 03:20:54 -0600 (CST)

 I have experienced the same problem on my Dell Optiplex GX260 w/I82845GL
 graphics.  As long as the console is the video display it works.  If
 the console is the serial port, the video display is disabled.  ISTR
 this is deliberate, but I would rather it be otherwise.  I also seem to
 recall that it worked in the distant past.  Later, the display would
 stay on, but no text would appear.  Now, the video output is disabled.
 
 The /etc/ttys file on this machine:
 
 #
 #	from: @(#)ttys	5.1 (Berkeley) 4/17/89
 #	$NetBSD: ttys,v 1.20 2012/06/13 20:49:13 martin Exp $
 #
 # name	getty				type	status		comments
 #
 console	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		vt100	off secure
 constty	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		vt100	off secure
 ttyE0	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		wsvt25	on secure
 ttyE1	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		wsvt25	on secure
 ttyE2	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		wsvt25	on secure
 ttyE3	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"		wsvt25	on secure
 tty00	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	vt100 on secure
 tty01	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty02	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty03	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty04	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty05	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty06	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 tty07	"/usr/libexec/getty std.9600"	unknown off secure
 
 With the display operating (console on video), starting X panics the
 machine immediately.  With display on serial port, starting X spins
 forever looking for an active display, which it never finds, since all
 video outputs were disabled when booting w/serial console.
 
 I've never seen a description/man page for "constty".  I'd always set
 up my "/etc/ttys" file as shown above to keep getty and xconsole from
 fighting each other over "/dev/console".  Should I be using "constty"
 instead?
 
 -- 
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