# Can I use sc and not have the screen go blank when I exit Xorg?



## Swapjim (Oct 19, 2015)

If I use sc(4), when I exit Xorg I get a blank screen. The handbook suggests I use vt, which works but doesn't have a screen saver. So I'd like to use sc.

There is something that is not yet clear to me.

Is it possible to use sc and not have the screen go blank after I exit Xorg?

Just for the record, I have not yet generated a config for Xorg.

I'm running 10.2-RELEASE amd64 with latest updates on the base system and ports (via pkg(8)). I use the stock kernel.


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## SirDice (Oct 19, 2015)

No, that's not possible. The problem is that sc(4) is not KMS-aware and can therefor not switch back. Hence the creation of vt(4) which is KMS-aware, it's still very new so not all functionality may have been implemented. I'm quite sure it's being worked on.


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## Swapjim (Oct 19, 2015)

Thank you! That answers the question. And it's nice to hear that we'll eventually get screen saving in vt.

EDIT: Out of curiosity, what happened before we got vt? How did people switched back? Was there a change in Xorg that necessitated the creation of vt?


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## SirDice (Oct 19, 2015)

Swapjim said:


> Was there a change in Xorg that necessitated the creation of vt?


Not sure when exactly it happened but the newer ATI and Intel drivers are all KMS based. And this caused problems with the 'old' sc(4) terminal. What basically happens is that the Xorg driver switches the graphics card in a special mode and to be able to switch back you need to have a console driver that knows how.


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## Swapjim (Oct 19, 2015)

Ah, I see.

I have an Intel card. If I switch to VESA... Can I avoid this issue?


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