Cannot activate kernel console via hotkey on Lenovo Thinkpad X230

[Jiri Svoboda]

mainline,2257 made Pause/Break the activation key for the kernel console. Unfortunately the Lenovo Thinkpad X230 (and I assume this applies at least to all of the X series) doesn't have the Pause/Break key (not even as a Fn- combo).

While this could be considered a Lenovo problem, not HelenOS problem, I would really appreciate having an alternative that works on Lenovo.

[Martin Decky]

One simple workaround it to use the kcon command in bdsh.

Having said that, I am not against having a fallback hot key to activate the kernel console. What do you suggest?

The choice of Pause was modified by the fact that it is a modifier-less key and on most keyboards it only generates the press event (and no release event). This is very convenient, because it never confuses the user space keyboard driver after switching back from the kernel console.

Thus the solution is one of the following:

• Pick an alternative modifier-less key. But there are not many of them.
• Somehow fix the issue of the modifier keys staying stuck. Then some "elegant" alternative hot key could be used, e.g. Ctrl+Alt+Del
• Pick a sequence of modifier-less keys as the trigger. Something like Esc, Esc, F1.

[Martin Decky]

BTW: According to the ThinkPad X230 maintenance manual the Pause key should be Fn+P.

[Jiri Svoboda]

Thanks, Fn+P actually works. I just assumed there is no way to do it, because it's not labeled on the keyboard. So this fixes my issue. Still I think something like Ctrl-Alt-Del or AltGr+PrtScr would be slightly preferable. Fixing the stuck modifier key problem shouldn't be a big problem, I can look into it.