Subject: Re: XFree86 3.3 SVGA server on NetBSD 1.3
To: Mike Long <mikel@shore.net>
From: Jonathan Stone <jonathan@DSG.Stanford.EDU>
List: port-i386
Date: 11/06/1997 19:12:02
Mike Long <mikel@shore.net> replies to Michael Richardson:


>>Date: Wed, 5 Nov 1997 18:18:54 -0500 (EST)
>>From: Michael Richardson <mcr@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca>

>>  the keyboard seems to lock up.

[snip]

.>  If I can manage to log off, having the X server restart (under XDM) 
>>fixes the problem. 

[snip]
Uh, sounds to me like you're still running a getty on the console.
This is almost a FAQ.


Mike Long replies:

>The i386 keyboard controller requires a delay after each access, or it
>can get confused.

True. But the typical cause for this problem is that:

  a) the system is configured with pccons, not pcvt, as console driver
  b) the user has started  xdm
  c)  there is still a getty  running on the pccons device.

The getty gets reforked periodically. when it does, it grabs the
keyboard from the Xserver, resulting in a `frozen' X keyboard.
The fix is to edit /etc/ttys to turn off the getty on the console.
This is an easier fix to try than Mike's suggestion.

If the patch in PR 2631 *does* fix this, too, then it should darn well
be in the release branch!