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Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,581  

'Drop to terminal' question

Hello:

I know that Ctrl+Alt+F1 will drop me to a log-in terminal and that Ctrl+Alt+F7 will get me back to the desktop.
But I don't have much of a clue as to what is happening 'behind the scenes' so to speak.

eg:
How does getting a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1 relate to booting to a log-in terminal, logging in, doing startx and opening up a terminal as root?

If I start a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1, log in and and then do startx, are there two users (both me) with the same userid or am I being taken to my original desktop?

Rather confused as to how it works.

Thanks in advance,

A.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2019-03-24

Posts: 3,125  

Website

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

If I start a terminal with Ctrl+Alt+F1, log in and and then do startx, are there two users (both me) with the same userid or am I being taken to my original desktop?

The startx command will launch a new graphical desktop on the same TTY from which the command is run so if you switch to TTY1 (with <ctrl>+<alt>+F1) then the desktop will be run from there. Note that you only need to use <alt>+F7 to get back to the original desktop if you're at a console (TTY) screen.

The display manager (the graphical login screen) will launch the graphical desktop on TTY7 by default (unless you're using GDM, which will launch it from TTY2 onwards).

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Brianna Ghey — Rest In Power

Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,581  

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

Hello:

... login screen) will launch the graphical desktop on TTY7 by default ...

Right.

So, when I drop to a terminal via  Ctrl+Alt+F1 I will be on TTY1 (or TTYn depending on the Fn used) save for TTY7 which is already running and which I get back to by means of Ctrl+Alt+F7. Yes?

Thanks for the explanation.

Cheers,

A.

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: London

Registered: 2019-03-24

Posts: 3,125  

Website

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

Yes, that's right. Note that the startx command will run whatever desktop environment is symlinked to /etc/alternatives/x-session-manager (or /etc/alternatives/x-window-manager if no session manager is installed) but that can be overridden by creating ~/.xsession or ~/.xinitrc, see startx(1) for more on this.

(Sorry for the delayed response, I pulled a 16-hour shift at $DAY_JOB yesterday.)

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Brianna Ghey — Rest In Power

Altoid

Member

Registered: 2017-05-07

Posts: 1,581  

Re: 'Drop to terminal' question

Hello:

... that's right.
... startx command will run whatever desktop environment is symlinked ...
... can be overridden by creating ~/.xsession or ~/.xinitrc, see startx(1) for more on this.

Right.

... Sorry for the delayed response ...

No problem whatsoever.
Thanks a lot for your input.

Cheers,

A.