can you lock your keyboard

[killernat]

The other day when I had to do some work on my server i was greeted with a load of random gibberish for the login prompt (due to some furry animal that runs around my apartment all day) and is a common occurrence in my household. Anyway I was hoping; is there a way to lock the keyboard on log out like windows can do for its workstations i.e. use ctrl+alt+del to gain access to the login prompt any help or advice is much appreciated

like so:

[CharlesA]

Unplug the keyboard.

I have my server's keyboard sitting at an angle so they can't walk on it.

[killernat]

yeh I kind of do the same but it tends to get knocked over even if I stuff it behind the monitor.

[Zwisel]

Try this:

1. sudo apt-get install vlock
2. man vlock
3. vlock
or
4. vlock -a

Hope this helped.

[CharlesA]

Try this:

1. sudo apt-get install vlock
2. man vlock
3. vlock
or
4. vlock -a

Hope this helped.

I think that requires you to be logged in.

@OP: This might help:
http://unix.stackexchange.com/questi...creen-blanking

#2 in particular - unloading the usbhid modules - if the server is headless that would stop the usb keyboard from working without unplugging it.

[LHammonds]

Unplug the keyboard. If you need to access the server, just use PuTTY or plug the keyboard back in when you need it.

I wouldn't install anything extra on the server to do something like this. I follow the KISS principle.

LHammonds

[grumblebum2]

Get your keyboard id....

xinput list

/usr/bin/xinput --disable <id>
/usr/bin/xinput --enable <id>

***Make sure you have a way to enable without a keyboard.

[CharlesA]

Unplug the keyboard. If you need to access the server, just use PuTTY or plug the keyboard back in when you need it.

I wouldn't install anything extra on the server to do something like this. I follow the KISS principle.

LHammonds

Yep.

[volkswagner]

Hot plugging should only be done with a USB keyboard.

PS2 connections are not hot-pluggable, and should not be used as such.

[killernat]

Hot plugging should only be done with a USB keyboard.

PS2 connections are not hot-pluggable, and should not be used as such.

exactly why I don't unplug it, it is a ps/2 keyboard.

all of the suggested solutions are helpful but not rely useful because it would mean I would need to ssh in to enable the keyboard before I go to login at the machine, and 90% of the time when I need to work at the machine is because I cant ssh to it (or I happen to be on that end of the apartment). so I am looking for that a key combination to unlock the login and automatically lock when you logout


it is a headless server

the vlock looks quite useful but only to lock your active session (without using screen)