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faster alternative to Control-Alt-Backspace using Alt-SysReq-K to kill your Linux GUI

03 August, 2007 21:05

If you are unfortunate and have a runaway process eating up your mystical ram cookies, control-alt-backspace can take a rather long time to die out of your X session.

An alternative which is immediately handled directly by the kernel and performs the same actions, is Alt-SysReq-K.  In order to enable this, you must edit /etc/sysctl.conf and make sure the following variable is defined as shown below:

kernel.sysrq = 1

Now you can hit Alt-SysReq-K and kill any application that holds the keyboard open (X windows if using a GUI).  You will then be able to login and perform the necessary steps to re-start the killed application and other system services running in the previous session.  Sure as hell beats re-booting!

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Main Entry: spew
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spIwan; akin to Old High German spIwan to spit, Latin spuere, Greek ptyein intransitive verb
1 : VOMIT
2 : to come forth in a flood or gush
3 : to ooze out as if under pressure : EXUDE transitive verb
1 : VOMIT
2 : to send or cast forth with vigor or violence or in great quantity -- often used with out - spew-er noun
-- Merriam-Webster

Land where drunk cows swim and home to my daily hand