runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu)

movisman

Hi guys,

I'm having similar issue regarding console text since performing an update of all packages today. I was only doing a cursory update so I could take an image backup. My last update was one week ago and the issue didn't occur then, and there have been no config changes at all from my side. I did select to update underlying packages (OS, etc), like I always do when updating.

My cmdline.txt file does have the tweaks from the wiki in it, it always has:
https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/FAQ#how-do-i-hide-the-boot-text

But apart from that, it is stock. I have verified this by deploying a new image to another SD card and cross referencing the two files.

Doing some investigation, if I change console=tty3 back to console=tty1 in cmdline.txt, the problem disappears, however it means I get boot and shutdown text.

If I change it back to console=tty3, I still get the boot/shutdown console text (which shouldn't happen), but in addition I cannot launch things like RetroPie-Setup script from the options menu correctly. It just shows console output on the screen and doesn't show the UI.

Any thoughts?

Cheers!

BuZz

Nope - I guess it must be related to recent Raspbian package / kernel changes.

There is very little console text really with the default config - I suggest leaving it as that. It also displays important stuff on error so it's wise not to try and hide it.

dildo_baggins

@BuZz said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

Nope - I guess it must be related to recent Raspbian package / kernel changes.

There is very little console text really with the default config - I suggest leaving it as that. It also displays important stuff on error so it's wise not to try and hide it.

perhaps this should be noted as a warning in the FAQ ? so others do not experience this. thx @movisman i was hoping someone else was seeing this so i didnt think i was crazy. (well crazier than i already am). i did a rebuild and updated all packages (including kernel) and did the https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/FAQ#how-do-i-hide-the-boot-text and got the same issue again on a fresh install. (changing to tty1 again did resolve but the boot and shutdown txt appear which an advanced user would be able to see anyway via parsing logs... most who use this ssh in to diagnose issues anyway vs the onscreen boot txt)

dont take this as a knock guys you do amazing work but saying a problem isnt there (jedi mind support) wont address issues with folks who followed the FAQ and see the issue. if its kernel causing it and the option is dont change default config (which we ascertained by going through the suggestions and now @movisman is experiencing it) .. awesome. if its improving this so that there is a retro-setup.sh script option that allows for PROPER editing of cmdline.txt which is in line with how you guys envision supporting... all the better (via Product Enhancement)

we love what you guys do and everyone i talk to i recommend this thing appreciate all the help and the great responses!.

BuZz

@dildo_baggins said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

perhaps this should be noted as a warning in the FAQ ? so others do not experience this.

The issue has only cropped up in the last few days and this isn't my job btw. The wiki is community edited. Feel free to add it. I will look into it at some point, but I think you need to be a little more patient. (having previously said - "this is a bug that needs to be addressed")

dont take this as a knock guys you do amazing work but saying a problem isnt there (jedi mind support) wont address issues with folks who followed the FAQ and see the issue.

It isn't a RetroPie bug - it is related to Raspbian. RetroPie is not an OS. No-one said it wasn't there but you were the only one with the problem before and no-one else could reproduce it. If you spend some time on this forum you will realise that many issues where only one or two people have it are often related to configuration.

dildo_baggins

thanks @BuZz and @meleu for all your help.

chill out you will live longer :)

closing this as solved. :)

herb_fargus

@dildo_baggins

if its improving this so that there is a retro-setup.sh script option that allows for PROPER editing of cmdline.txt which is in line with how you guys envision supporting... all the better (via Product Enhancement)

We've made RetroPie too stupid proof already. I liked it better when it required more thought to use. We had more time to focus on code.

chill out you will live longer :)

I think we'd all live longer if people could learn to debug their own issues and really get into what the raspberry pi was designed for- learning how to use Linux and solve problems as they come.

dildo_baggins

let me start by saying. @herb_fargus i respect you very much and i respect your opinion. i am a big fan of this SW since inception. your videos are WHY i am even using Retropie in the first place.

@herb_fargus said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

@dildo_baggins

if its improving this so that there is a retro-setup.sh script option that allows for PROPER editing of cmdline.txt which is in line with how you guys envision supporting... all the better (via Product Enhancement)

We've made RetroPie too stupid proof already. I liked it better when it required more thought to use. We had more time to focus on code.

Obviously you haven't.... considering the lack of testing of a known FAQ article and updating retropie. but this is what the community does it helps enhance product (noting an issue, giving env details, debugging on our own and providing details to remedy so others and the dev team can address) and you guys are taking offense for some unknown reason... all this energy on Dildo could be spent coding features for things that matter (not my blinking cursor, i apologize to those with real product issues... sorry guys!). this item was closed yet we continue to talk about it.

chill out you will live longer :)

I think we'd all live longer if people could learn to debug their own issues and really get into what the raspberry pi was designed for- learning how to use Linux and solve problems as they come.

are you suggesting there wasnt lengthy debugging on our own? i have no problem debugging this and the other 40 apps /software that work well and the communities that dont treat their loyal patrons like simpletons who have over 20 years experience from Solaris to Linux and everything in between. the fact is there is a FAQ page that suggests a course of action that an update to retropie breaks... its a community, glad to update the faq with this detail.... (COMMUNITY) hubris is something perhaps lacking in the team that develops for this product. what was suggested by the team didnt work... a member of the community's suggestion did... why stifle that? your users are what make your community great.... along with your amazing efforts.

BuZz

@dildo_baggins we can't read minds, and we can't predict every 3rd party software change that has an interaction with a Raspian modification.

This issue has arisen in the most recent set of Raspbian updates from just a couple of days ago.

dildo_baggins

@BuZz agreed. but dont penalize the folks providing you details to address it. i know it takes time.. truly apologize i will be more patient int he future on responses.

dildo_baggins

just now..i have made a donation to retropie. thank you to you guys again for all your hard work.

can we end this now?

BuZz

I just updated my dev machine, and during the updates it notified me about the plymouth changes and how to disable (related to the Raspbian bootsplash). It mentioned a disable config for it or removing the plymouth package, but you can try adding plymouth.enable=0 to the cmdline.txt to see if that makes a difference (it may not). I've not yet tried it.

(Note - me looking into this is unrelated to the donation :) - I was looking into it as you posted - but thanks also.)

dildo_baggins

@BuZz said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

plymouth.enable=0

that did it!

heres my working /boot/cmdlline.txt on my test box! (ON ONE LINE...)
wc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=serial0,115200 console=tty3 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline fsck.repair=yes rootwait quiet loglevel=3 logo.nologo consoleblank=0 plymouth.enable=0

BuZz

from /usr/share/doc/plymouth/NEWS.Debian.gz which was displayed on upgrade.

plymouth (0.9.2-2) unstable; urgency=medium

  Starting with this version, installing the plymouth package will
  automatically enable plymouth I/O multiplexing functionality. This is needed
  if you are using an event-based init system. The bootup messages will still be
  displayed as usual.

  If you don't want this functionality, you could either uninstall the
  plymouth package or pass "plymouth.enable=0" to the kernel cmdline.
  On the other hand if you want a fancy boot screen, you explicitly need to
  pass "splash" to the kernel cmdline as before.

 -- Laurent Bigonville <bigon@debian.org>  Wed, 14 Oct 2015 20:54:08 +0200

sc0tt88

I'm having this problem too but I can't edit my cmdline.txt?

BuZz

@sc0tt88 Start a new topic - after reading https://retropie.org.uk/forum/topic/3/read-this-first

sc0tt88

A new topic with the exact same issue? I cannot get to the console to so that I can add plymouth.enable=0 to cmdline.txt which I assume will also fix the issue for me. Is there another way to do it?

sc0tt88

Ok plugging in the SD card to my computer let me edit the file. Fixed!

BuZz

@sc0tt88 said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

A new topic with the exact same issue? I cannot get to the console to so that I can add plymouth.enable=0 to cmdline.txt which I assume will also fix the issue for me. Is there another way to do it.

Yes - especially if the topic is old. Oherwise threads get messy. Also the cause could be different. If you update RetroPie-Setup it adds the line for you.

sc0tt88

It didn't.

BuZz

@sc0tt88 said in runcommand blinking cursor (no launch menu):

It didn't.

Well it should - but without any details from you I cannot advise (eg versions, and also if you are using a splashscreen)