System hangs when I go from X to console (nvidia)

[Graeme Smith]

On Thursday 19 Feb 2004 21:18, Karel J. Bosschaart wrote:
> I had a similar problem with an nvidia GeForce4 (Ti4200). Switching
> to console would make it hang while the letters on the console
> appeared very faint. Searching on the linux forum of the nvidia
> site I found people having the same problem as well as a
> workaround: put 'Option "IgnoreDisplayDevices" "TV"' in the
> 'Screen' section of XF86Config, disabling the TV-out. 

I had read that too, except that it should go in the "device" section.  
However, I tried in screen section but it didn't improve matters. 
XFree86.0.log shows that the option is being used though.

>a working console is much more important for me.)

I agree that a working console is far more useful than TV out.

> Hmm, if you have another machine and a network you could try to do
> a remote login and see if that works. If you succeed to login (ie.
> the machine is still alive but displays nothing on the screen), you
> might be able to bring it back killing X.

A very good point (can't believe I didn't think of it).  I opened an 
SSH session on my SGI and ran 'top'. As soon as it switched to 
console 'top', and the SSH session, froze.

> Not sure if this helps but I wish you good luck.
>
> Karel.

Thanks for the help Karel, it's much appreciated.