Subject: Re: port-i386/7448: X11 w/ wscons sporadic keyboard hangs and unable
To: None <port-i386@netbsd.org>
From: Bernd Sieker <bsieker@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de>
List: port-i386
Date: 05/07/1999 02:58:32
On 07.05.99, 11:18:26, Duncan McEwan wrote:
> Bernd Sieker <bsieker@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de> wrote:
> >
> > Running mismatched kernel and userland is generally a Bad Thing.
> 
> I know this is definitely the case for running an older kernel and newer

This does usually not work at all.

> userland.  But in general, I've found running a *newer* kernel with older
> userland to be quite OK (apart from some userland programs like "ps",
> "netstat", et al that like to dig deeply into kernel data structures).

A "Bad Thing" is different from "it does not work". It means the
above, i. e. that some programs relying on kernel structures do not
work correctly, but is generally also "asking for trouble". Other,
more important things, might be broken, too. I'm not sure, e. g. how
kernel specific /sbin/init is; I wouldn't take any chances.

> 
> Well, I had /dev/console turned off so that wasn't the problem, but
> it did point me in the right direction.
> 
> Because I hadn't done a full 1.4_BETA install I didn't have the new
> configuration stuff for wscons virtual consoles so I guess I only had
> the one console (ttyE0) active.  I had a getty running on ttyE0 and I
> was assuming that the X server would pick the next free console.
> But I assume because there was only one active console it picked
> ttyE0 as well :-(

What exactly would be the difference between enabling 'console' or
'ttyE0' in /etc/ttys? Enabling both seems to mean trouble, but is
there a fundamental difference other than the getty greeting?

I run xdm at startup and get console output on the xconsole just fine,
having gettys on ttyE0 through E3 (not on console) and the Xserver on
ttyE4 (XFree-option 'vt05')

> 
> Duncan

-- 
Bernd Sieker

Unix, the solution to the W2k problem.