Ubuntu – Enabling virtual consoles in Ubuntu 18.04

virtual-console

I have used the virtual consoles (tty1-6) for decades in various Linuxes. I recently installed Ubuntu 18.04 (Bionic Beaver) on an x86-64 box. Everything is fine, except that the VCs don't work. As far as I can tell, it is by design that people are now only supposed to use the GUI (like in Windows). I would like to be able to use the VCs.

Note:
I've noticed (from ps output) that a lot of the GUI processes are running on tty1, so I assume that the GUI gets launched from there).

What I've tried:

  1. Ctrl–Alt–F1 (or F2 or F3 or …). Nothing happens. By "nothing happens", I mean, literally, nothing happens.
    Note:
    I am familiar with one system where you can switch to the virtual consoles (from the GUI), and it really does switch, but the screen stays on the GUI. You can now type and you are typing on the virtual console, but the screen makes it look like you are still on the GUI. I mention all this to say that, no, this is not the case here. You are still typing into the GUI.
  2. (as root) chvt 1. Nothing happens. Prompt comes right back and nothing has changed.
  3. (as root) chvt 2. Process hangs until you hit Ctrl/C. Weird…!

  4. (as root) strace chvt 2. Lots of strace output, ending with something like:

    ioctl(3,VT_WAITACTIVE ...)

and then it hangs (until you hit CTRL–C).
Next, following some advice I found on this board, I tried editing the file:

/etc/systemd/logind.conf

and uncommenting the first two active lines, which are:

NAutoVTs=6
ReserveVT=6

I tried first just uncommenting the first one, then rebooted, nothing changed.
So I then uncommented the second one as well, rebooted, again, no change.

So, what to do?
What is next?

Best Answer

Actually I had the same problem. I changed the /etc/systemd/logind.conf file adding the line

NAutoVTs=6

And the VCs were not accessible till I had an idea! On my laptop, a Lenovo T490, the default F keys are instead configured as Laptop keys. Therefore they are not usable a F keys directly. To get the Fn keyboard working I have to press:

Fn + CTRL + ALT + F1-12

now with Fn + Ctrl + Alt + F3 key I can get to the tty3. tty1 is the GDM login page, while tty2 is the current X session.

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