Systemd-vconsole-setup.service fails on boot

General system
21

does not happen on a fresh install in VM … there it runs without issues…

[joe@joe-virtualbox ~]$ sudo dmesg | grep vconsole
[    1.168809] audit: type=1130 audit(1669208892.249:4): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-vconsole-setup comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
[joe@joe-virtualbox ~]$ journalctl -b -0  | grep vconsole
Nov 23 14:08:12 joe-virtualbox audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-vconsole-setup comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Nov 23 14:08:12 joe-virtualbox kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1669208892.249:4): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-vconsole-setup comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
Nov 23 14:08:13 joe-virtualbox systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Deactivated successfully.
Nov 23 14:08:13 joe-virtualbox audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-vconsole-setup comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd" hostname=? addr=? terminal=? res=success'
[joe@joe-virtualbox ~]$ localectl
System Locale: LANG=de_DE.UTF-8
    VC Keymap: de
   X11 Layout: de
[joe@joe-virtualbox ~]$ cat /etc/vconsole.conf 
KEYMAP=de
[joe@joe-virtualbox ~]$ systemctl status systemd-vconsole-setup
○ systemd-vconsole-setup.service - Setup Virtual Console
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/systemd-vconsole-setup.service; static)
     Active: inactive (dead) since Wed 2022-11-23 14:08:13 CET; 2min 57s ago
   Duration: 1.106s
       Docs: man:systemd-vconsole-setup.service(8)
             man:vconsole.conf(5)
   Main PID: 152 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
        CPU: 3ms

Nov 23 14:08:12 joe-virtualbox systemd[1]: Finished Setup Virtual Console.
Nov 23 14:08:13 joe-virtualbox systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Deactivated successfully.
Nov 23 14:08:13 joe-virtualbox systemd[1]: Stopped Setup Virtual Console.
22

The VM has VC layout of de, your pc has de-latin1-nodeadkeys

23

i had this on my metal the same

KEYMAP=de

before only was testing and changed it …

chang it back already without any change :wink:

lsinitrd | grep keymaps:
https://0x0.st/oUX0.txt

[14:22:58] joekamprad :: SLIMSHADY64  ➜  ~ » journalctl -b -0  | grep console 
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 kernel: printk: console [tty0] enabled
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 kernel: fbcon: Deferring console take-over
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 kernel: fbcon: Taking over console
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[346]: /usr/bin/loadkeys failed with exit status 1.
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[351]: cannot open include file qwertz-layout
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[351]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-udevd[501]: vtcon0: Process '/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-vconsole-setup' failed with exit code 1.
Nov 23 14:22:33 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-udevd[526]: vtcon1: Process '/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-vconsole-setup' failed with exit code 1.
Nov 23 14:22:34 SLIMSHADY64 systemd[1]: systemd-ask-password-console.path: Deactivated successfully.
Nov 23 14:22:38 SLIMSHADY64 kernel: radeon 0000:06:00.0: vgaarb: deactivate vga console

says:
cannot open include file qwertz-layout
lsinitrd | grep keymaps only shows qwertz ? only digging in the dark here…

full lsinitrd:
https://0x0.st/oUXh.txt

24

Try including this file in the image, however this is done for dracut. Like FILES=() in mkinitcpio.conf.

25 
install_items+=" /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/i386/include/qwertz-layout.inc "
1 Like
26

Actually, I suspect this error is misleading. It errors, after the real error makes the service command fail.

:person_shrugging:

1 Like
27

yes could be :wink: i try anyway sounds not dangerous :wink:

28

and indeed the qwertz error is gone but the service still fails:

Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd[1]: systemd-vconsole-setup.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[346]: /usr/bin/loadkeys failed with exit status 1.
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[350]: cannot open include file compose
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[350]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR

Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-udevd[495]: vtcon0: Process '/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-vconsole-setup' failed with exit code 1.
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-udevd[509]: vtcon1: Process '/usr/lib/systemd/systemd-vconsole-setup' failed with exit code 1.


× systemd-vconsole-setup.service - Setup Virtual Console
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/systemd-vconsole-setup.service; static)
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2022-11-24 01:45:43 CET; 5min ago
       Docs: man:systemd-vconsole-setup.service(8)
             man:vconsole.conf(5)
   Main PID: 346 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
        CPU: 2ms

Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[350]: cannot open include file compose
Nov 24 01:45:43 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[350]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR
Notice: journal has been rotated since unit was started, output may be incomplete.
1 Like
29

That means you need to also add /usr/share/kbd/keymaps/i386/include/compose.inc

30

still strange :wink: lets see…

31

i think this is going in a funny direction… now it shows the next one…

Nov 24 01:54:19 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[347]: cannot open include file linux-with-alt-and-altgr
Nov 24 01:54:19 SLIMSHADY64 systemd-vconsole-setup[347]: syntax error, unexpected ERROR
Notice: journal has been rotated since unit was started, output may be incomplete.

must be something else.
And this is almost a fresh install i do set some kernel options i need for CPU and gpui and sensors… nothing i set up in a unique way aside from that.
I will start checking systems stuff tomorrow…

32

I come front with the same.
and I tested all the methods, they does not work.
Here is my way:
/etc/vconsole.conf
KEYMAP=us
then
sudo pacman -S linux
reboot
and that will be OK.
may help some one.

1 Like
33

You don’t need to reinstall linux, you can run sudo dracut-rebuild after changing vconsole.conf

1 Like
34

i was trying to fix a misbehaving wireless keyboard, then i found vconsole.setup failure. i am able to fix it by changing KEYMAP=us and reinstalling linux as suggested by @masonliu

however, the wireless keyboard still seems to mishave. i have multiple characters printed when some keys are pressed. can you please advise how to fix this, please

NB: I did not notice this for a long time because my wireless keyboard battery was just replaced. my laptop keyboard is just working fine

35

I’d noticed the vconsole error for a while (possibly ever since I installed EndeavourOS?!) and finally decided to try and fix it today. I use English (Australia) region/locale.

For me, what worked was running

sudoedit /etc/vconsole.conf

changing

KEYMAP=au

to

KEYMAP=us

and then running

sudo dracut-rebuild

to apply the change. Thanks @dalto!

36

Worked for me, thank you.

1 Like
37

the boot error has been bothering since I installed endevoros a few montha ago.
Tried your solulion and it worked!

Was using KEYMAP=ph before I changed it to KEYMAP=us then run sudo dracut-rebuild and rebooted.

The boot error meassge was not fatal but only irritating. to me.
Glad the boot error message is gone during rebooting.