Tired of freezing laptop

[Bart Silverstrim]

Leonard Smith wrote:
>> Pat Brown wrote:
>>
>>> How do I get to a terminal when my X is frozen? I'll try that next time 
>>> it freezes.
>> I believe what your looking for is typing this in a terminal from
>> another linux box,,,, or windows through putty
>>
>> ssh username at 192.168.1.100     (change the ip and username to the
>> laptops info)
>>
>> type your password
>>
> 
> You can also try Ctrl+Alt+F2, or Ctrl+Alt+F3, etc. until F6. That'll get
> you to a console where you can login and enter the top command. Since
> you can Ctrl+Alt+Bksp, it may work. Sometimes my laptop takes a while to
> switch, but it eventually gets there.

Some clarification for his benefit...

Linux uses the concept of terminals to work, or virtual terminals.

The Ubuntu default I think is up to 7. You get to them by hitting alt-f1 
through alt-f6. X windows works a little different; when running it is 
running in virtual terminal 7, and the keystroke requires 
control-alt-f<#> to get to a console. From the console, hitting alt-f7 
should get you back into your running X session.

Each session will require you to log into it.

X IS NOT EXITED when you do this, so don't panic. From a console, you 
can hit alt-f7 to get back to your session. From X, 
control-alt-f<whatever> will pop you back to that particular console 
session.