Very Computer

by **Olaf Schluet** » Sun, 08 Aug 1993 20:01:57

A week or so ago I installed ctwm 3.0 on my linux machine. Since then
I observe X Server startup failures almost every second or third try.
I tried without success to determine under which circumstances this
happens. XFree 1.3 claims "cannot find free VT", although tty7 and
tty8 are always free. The only way to get X working again is to
reboot. I cannot find any stale lock files or wrong permissions on the
tty's. utmp looks perfect.

I guess, it has something to do with ctwm, since that is the most recent
change in my configuration, and the problem appears afterwards. However,
as I have the X server source not available, I would like to know,
how XFree locates free VT's, what reasons for failure are possible,
and what are possible reasons, that a window manager may interfere
with this.

Configuration: libc 4.4.1, XFree 1.3, linux pl11, gcc 2.4.3, ctwm 3.0
compiled with libXpm3.2.g, 16MB RAM, 486 CPU

--
Olaf Schlter, Sandkuhle 4-6, W-2300 Kiel, Germany, Toppoint Mailbox e.V.
"Frauen inspirieren den Mann zu grossen Taten und hindern ihn daran,
sie auszufhren." Kurt Tucholsky

by **Orest Zborows** » Thu, 12 Aug 1993 00:28:07

>A week or so ago I installed ctwm 3.0 on my linux machine. Since then
>I observe X Server startup failures almost every second or third try.
>I tried without success to determine under which circumstances this
>happens. XFree 1.3 claims "cannot find free VT", although tty7 and
>tty8 are always free. The only way to get X working again is to
>reboot. I cannot find any stale lock files or wrong permissions on the
>tty's. utmp looks perfect.
>I guess, it has something to do with ctwm, since that is the most recent
>change in my configuration, and the problem appears afterwards. However,
>as I have the X server source not available, I would like to know,
>how XFree locates free VT's, what reasons for failure are possible,
>and what are possible reasons, that a window manager may interfere
>with this.
>Configuration: libc 4.4.1, XFree 1.3, linux pl11, gcc 2.4.3, ctwm 3.0
>compiled with libXpm3.2.g, 16MB RAM, 486 CPU

XFree86 1.3 uses the SVR4 VT emulation in the kernel. To search for a free
VT, the vt manager will look for a tty which isn't opened by any process.
So, if your window manager or subshell, etc, is* out after you exit
from X, then that tty is no longer recognized as free. Check your ps listing
for zombies or other such processes.

--
Orest Zborowski (Zorst)

Very Computer

ctwm 3.0/XFree 1.3/linux pl11 eats VT sometimes

ctwm 3.0/XFree 1.3/linux pl11 eats VT sometimes

ctwm 3.0/XFree 1.3/linux pl11 eats VT sometimes