HOW-TO reboot only if all else fails

[xyz]

I searched the forum but didn't find this HowTo. Sorry if I missed it somehow.

I learned it when I was using Mandriva.
If your system doesn't react at all, you are totally stuck, and even Ctrl+Alt+backspace gives nothing, try and 'save' the following phrase somewhere in your mind:

Raising Skinny Elephants Is Utterly Boring

Hit the following key sequences; do give it some time between each keystrokes:
( SysRq = print screen ) (Use the LEFT Alt key )

Alt+SysRq+r 
Alt+SysRq+s
Alt+SysRq+e
Alt+SysRq+i
Alt+SysRq+u
Alt+SysRq+b

The r stands for put keyboard in raw mode The s for sync the disk The e for terminate all processes The i for kill all processes The u for remount all filesystems read only The b for reboot the system

Use it as a procedure only if all else fails!!

Please pay attention to the following:

PS: If your filesystem is Ext3 or ReiserFS and on reboot it wants you to do a filesystem check, don't touch any key when it asks you to press "Y" and let it recover the journal automatically. NOTE: For the skinny elephants to work you need to have the sysrq-key enabled in the kernel. (CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ) You can check if it is enabled by typing 'ls /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq' if it's there, it's enabled. Thanks to Mischa for pointing this out.

I found out about this here:
BY BRUNO

[outofnicks]

Is this preferable to a hard shutdown? That is, holding the power button in on my Dell tower until it powers down--?

[xyz]

I think ANYTHING is better than a hard shutdown!
The "Raising Skinny Elephants Is Utterly Boring" allows for gradual 'shutdown'.

[kackler]

run the command "shutdown -r now" to reboot or "shutdown -h now" to power down completely.

[dbott67]

Originally Posted by kackler run the command "shutdown -r now" to reboot or "shutdown -h now" to power down completely.

As the original poster mentions:

If your system doesn't react at all, you are totally stuck, and even Ctrl+Alt+backspace gives nothing, try and 'save' the following phrase somewhere in your mind

If you're system is locked/frozen/stuck, you won't be able to open a terminal...

[ajm2005]

[flargen]

I prefer to use alt + sysrq + k to kill all processes on the current terminal. It is especially useful if the X server dies and alt + ctrl + backspace doesn't work, because it allows you to log in again without restarting you computer.

[durand]

um...what about ctrl+alt+f1(etc)

[xyz]

Originally Posted by durand um...what about ctrl+alt+f1(etc)

I'll have to try next time but I have a feeling even that wouldn't work when totally stuck.

of_darkness
I sure wish I could understand why a Swedish keyboard layout would prevent this from working? What would then be the SysRq key equivalent?

[durand]

it doesnt...