Access local console

hbogert · May 14, 2018 at 11:28 PM

Yes; I searched.

Ctrl-alt-F3 is giving me a blinking underscore. I really need this to debug Wifi issues, i.e., SSH will not do it.

This is on x86-64 / generic / 8.2.5 btw

**Klojum** · May 14, 2018 at 11:56 PM Official Post

SSH needs to be enabled first in the LibreELEC Settings Add-on.

hbogert · May 15, 2018 at 8:23 AM

C'mon, I just explained ssh will not work with wifi problems. I'm just perplexed that local console access has been made so difficult to activate. If someone can explain this I'm willing to put this in a wiki.

**Klojum** · May 15, 2018 at 8:46 AM Official Post

Quote from hbogert

C'mon, I just explained ssh will not work with wifi problems.

Sorry, 1 cup of coffee isn't always sufficient for fully waking up

It has become a hidden treasure of some sorts, but apparently it can be activated by adding textmode to the end of the "APPEND" kernel command line. After booting you'll be dumped into a console. A, attached keyboard is required, naturally.

hbogert · May 15, 2018 at 9:15 AM

So is there also a way to get the more common behaviour of having Kodi just boot up as normal, and then having a tty on one of the consoles (like ctrl-alt-x) as well?

Also, if you want to add a one-time kernel parameter like the "textmode" you say, can you do this without actually changing the config of syslinux on the filesystem?

donbrew · May 15, 2018 at 8:06 PM

You could just ask a question about the wifi "issue" that can't be easily solved with the LE configuration in Settings.

**chewitt** · May 16, 2018 at 4:05 AM Official Post

Add "tty" not "textmode" to kernel boot params in /flash/syslinux.conf (or extlinux?) and you will have an unsecured tty on CTRL+ALT+F3, and the Kodi GUI on CTRL+ALT+F1.