When working with a headless LAMP Virtual Machine (Linux lamp 2.6.24-18-virtual), you might encounter blank screens when trying to switch between virtual consoles using ALT+F2 through ALT+F6. This typically indicates either missing getty processes or misconfigured virtual terminals.

Linux systems normally provide 6 virtual consoles (tty1 through tty6) accessible via CTRL+ALT+F1 to F6. The graphical interface usually runs on tty7 (CTRL+ALT+F7). In your case, the virtual consoles beyond tty1 appear inactive.

First, verify which terminals are active:

ps aux | grep getty

You should see output similar to:

root      1234  0.0  0.1   1234   567 tty1     Ss+  10:00   0:00 /sbin/getty -8 38400 tty1

For Ubuntu-based systems, edit the inittab file (or create one if missing):

sudo nano /etc/inittab

Add these lines:

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty1
2:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty2
3:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty3
4:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty4
5:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty5
6:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty -8 38400 tty6

For newer Ubuntu versions using systemd, create override files:

sudo systemctl edit getty@tty2

Add these contents and repeat for tty3-tty6:

[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=-/sbin/agetty -8 -o -p -- \\u 38400 %I $TERM

After configuration, restart the services:

sudo systemctl restart getty@tty2
sudo systemctl restart getty@tty3
# Repeat for all necessary TTYs

If consoles remain blank after configuration:

1. Verify kernel messages: dmesg | grep tty
2. Check framebuffer status: cat /proc/fb
3. Test hardware acceleration: glxinfo | grep render

Switch between terminals using CTRL+ALT+F1 through F6. Each should display a login prompt. If issues persist, consider updating your virtual machine's display drivers or checking for conflicts with the hypervisor's console settings.

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When working with headless Linux servers or virtual machines, virtual consoles (TTYs) become crucial for multi-session management. The standard Ubuntu/Debian configuration should provide 6 functional virtual consoles accessible via Ctrl+Alt+F1 through F6. However, in your LAMP virtual appliance based on Ubuntu 8.04 (kernel 2.6.24), these appear non-functional.

First, let's verify if the getty service (responsible for TTY consoles) is running:

ps aux | grep getty

If no getty processes appear, we'll need to manually configure them. For modern systems using systemd:

systemctl status getty@tty2.service

For older inittab systems (like your Ubuntu 8.04):

# Edit /etc/inittab (create if missing)
1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1
2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2
3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3
# ... repeat for tty4-tty6

For modern systemd systems:

# Enable additional TTYs
sudo systemctl enable getty@tty2.service
sudo systemctl start getty@tty2.service

Some VM configurations require additional parameters. For your LAMP appliance:

# Add to /etc/default/grub:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200n8"
sudo update-grub

While fixing the consoles, consider these temporary access methods:

# Create new screen session
screen -S admin

# Launch tmux for multi-pane access
tmux new -s workbench

After making changes, test with:

sudo systemctl restart getty@tty2.service
# OR for older systems
sudo init q

Check dmesg for console-related errors:

dmesg | grep -i tty