[Some of this is taken from Frohwalt Egerer's original linux-kernel FAQ] What follows is a suggested procedure for reporting Linux bugs. You aren't obliged to use the bug reporting format, it is provided as a guide to the kind of information that can be useful to developers - no more. If the failure includes an "OOPS:" type message in your log or on screen please read "Documentation/oops-tracing.txt" before posting your bug report. This explains what you should do with the "Oops" information to make it useful to the recipient. Send the output the maintainer of the kernel area that seems to be involved with the problem. Don't worry too much about getting the wrong person. If you are unsure send it to the person responsible for the code relevant to what you were doing. If it occurs repeatably try and describe how to recreate it. That is worth even more than the oops itself. The list of maintainers is in the MAINTAINERS file in this directory. If you are totally stumped as to whom to send the report, send it to linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org. (For more information on the linux-kernel mailing list see http://www.tux.org/lkml/). This is a suggested format for a bug report sent to the Linux kernel mailing list. Having a standardized bug report form makes it easier for you not to overlook things, and easier for the developers to find the pieces of information they're really interested in. Don't feel you have to follow it. First run the ver_linux script included as scripts/ver_linux, which reports the version of some important subsystems. Run this script with the command "sh scripts/ver_linux". Use that information to fill in all fields of the bug report form, and post it to the mailing list with a subject of "PROBLEM: " for easy identification by the developers [1.] One line summary of the problem: Virtual Consoles behind Ctrl-Alt-F1 through to Ctrl-Alt-F6 no longer work. [2.] Full description of the problem/report: After updating to kernel 2.6.test9 it was found that tty / getty support no longer worked. I have been using unix98 style devpts ptmx / pts/n terminals previously. Under kernel 2.4.20-4 this was fine and I would get a virtual console by pressing the relevent keys. The config is exactly the same now, only I get no login prompt at the virtual console. It is just a flashing cursor. Doing a cat /dev/ttyX from an xterm window (Ctrl-Alt-F7) and going to Ctrl-Alt-FX verifies that keypresses on the terminal are making it through. [3.] Keywords (i.e., modules, networking, kernel): tty pty ptmx pts devpts getty /etc/inittab [4.] Kernel version (from /proc/version): Linux version 2.6.0-test9 (root@albali) (gcc version 3.3.2 (Debian)) #16 Thu Nov 20 12:43:10 GMT 2003 (though I altered the makefile to compile using gcc2-95) [5.] Output of Oops.. message (if applicable) with symbolic information resolved (see Documentation/oops-tracing.txt) None [6.] A small shell script or example program which triggers the problem (if possible) Enable Unix98 consoles Enable devpts filesystem Disable dev filesystem compile kernel boot up press Ctrl-Alt-FX at the X / gdm / etc prompt / window. [7.] Environment [7.1.] Software (add the output of the ver_linux script here) Linux albali 2.6.0-test9 #16 Thu Nov 20 12:43:10 GMT 2003 i686 GNU/Linux Gnu C 3.3.2 Gnu make 3.80 util-linux 2.12 mount 2.12 module-init-tools 0.9.15-pre3 e2fsprogs 1.35-WIP PPP 2.4.2b3 nfs-utils 1.0.6 Linux C Library 2.3.2 Dynamic linker (ldd) 2.3.2 Procps 3.1.14 Net-tools 1.60 Console-tools 0.2.3 Sh-utils 5.0.91 [7.2.] Processor information (from /proc/cpuinfo): processor : 0 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 15 model : 2 model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz stepping : 7 cpu MHz : 2392.866 cache size : 512 KB fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 2 wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe cid bogomips : 4718.59 [7.3.] Module information (from /proc/modules): None [7.4.] Loaded driver and hardware information (/proc/ioports, /proc/iomem) cat /proc/ioports 0000-001f : dma1 0020-0021 : pic1 0040-005f : timer 0060-006f : keyboard 0070-0077 : rtc 0080-008f : dma page reg 00a0-00a1 : pic2 00c0-00df : dma2 00f0-00ff : fpu 0170-0177 : ide1 01f0-01f7 : ide0 0240-0247 : wdt501p 02f8-02ff : serial 0376-0376 : ide1 03c0-03df : vga+ 03f6-03f6 : ide0 03f8-03ff : serial 0cf8-0cff : PCI conf1 1000-103f : 0000:05:08.0 1000-103f : e100 2000-20ff : 0000:00:1f.5 2400-243f : 0000:00:1f.5 2440-245f : 0000:00:1d.0 2460-247f : 0000:00:1d.1 24a0-24af : 0000:00:1f.1 24a0-24a7 : ide0 24a8-24af : ide1 cat /proc/iomem 00000000-0009fbff : System RAM 0009fc00-0009ffff : reserved 000a0000-000bffff : Video RAM area 000c0000-000c7fff : Video ROM 000f0000-000fffff : System ROM 00100000-0f7effff : System RAM 00100000-003d4264 : Kernel code 003d4265-0055857f : Kernel data 0f7f0000-0f7fffff : reserved 10000000-100003ff : 0000:00:1f.1 f0000000-f7ffffff : 0000:00:02.0 f8000000-fbffffff : 0000:00:00.0 fc400000-fc47ffff : 0000:00:02.0 fc480000-fc4803ff : 0000:00:1d.7 fc480400-fc4805ff : 0000:00:1f.5 fc480400-fc4805ff : Intel 82801DB-ICH4 - AC'97 fc480600-fc4806ff : 0000:00:1f.5 fc480600-fc4806ff : Intel 82801DB-ICH4 - Controller fc500000-fc500fff : 0000:05:08.0 fc500000-fc500fff : e100 fec00000-ffffffff : reserved [7.5.] PCI information ('lspci -vvv' as root) 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 82845G/GL [Brookdale-G] Chipset Host Bridge (rev 01) Control: I/O- Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- Reset- FastB2B- 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corp. 82801DB LPC Interface Controller (rev 01) Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle+ MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- Status: Cap- 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR- Region 1: I/O ports at Region 2: I/O ports at Region 3: I/O ports at Region 4: I/O ports at 24a0 [size=16] Region 5: Memory at 10000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K] 00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corp. 82801DB AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 01) Subsystem: Compaq Computer Corporation: Unknown device 00b8 Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- SERR- TAbort- SERR-