What is getty_ps?

This is just another version of getty, which is a program that handles some of the login process when you log in to a UNIX box. It was written by Paul Sutcliffe, Jr. (paul@devon.lns.pa.us). Kris Gleason (gleasokr@rtt.colorado.edu) currently maintains it. 2.0.7c is the latest version, and supercedes any older versions. Most Linux distributions come with getty_ps installed as the default getty but you should check to make sure. At your Linux prompt, type:

linux# strings /etc/getty | grep "/etc/default"

If grep returns "/etc/default/%s" then you have the right getty. If you do not have this version of getty, I highly recommend that you get it. It can be found on the standard Linux FTP sites.

Installing getty_ps

Get the package from an ftp site, and install according to the instructions.

Be sure that the new getty_ps works correctly before you remove all the other versions! I recommend changing one of your virtual console lines from:

c2:23456:respawn:/etc/getty tty2

to:

c2:23456:respawn:/etc/getty_ps tty2 VC console

Put this line in your /etc/gettydefs:

VC# B9600 SANE CLOCAL # B9600 SANE -ISTRIP CLOCAL #@S @L login: #VC

and restart init:

linux# kill -HUP 1

If you can log in on a console with getty_ps, it's working. Move getty_ps to getty or link it. Be sure to update your /etc/inittab to correctly invoke the new getty. The entries need to be in the form of:

[options] line [speed [term [lined]]]

Once you have installed getty_ps, and are certain it is working, you can remove any other versions of getty you have. Be sure to check in /bin, /etc, /usr/bin, /usr/etc, /usr/man/man1, and /usr/man/cat1 for any thing called getty - there are old versions lurking everywhere. Also, you can safely remove the old config file /etc/gettytab - you only need /etc/gettydefs. From this point on, all references to getty will refer to getty_ps. References to uugetty will refer to the uugetty that comes with the getty_ps package.