Introducing ... The Linux Magic Key
 

Otherwise entitled.... "You learn a new thing every day"
(oh, and Windows users don't bother reading any further.... :E)

So there was I happily doing a remote firmware upgrade of a machine having booted off the manufacturer's Linux based CD tool.

All went ok....all the various bits of firmware updated and I was prompted to hit the GUI button entitled "restart now".

The GUI promptly exited, but instead of seeing a reboot, I was left with a black screen with nothing else but the X11 mouse cursor. :mad:

Tried the usual Ctrl+Alt+F1(-F6) tricks to switch between X11 and console etc, but nothing..... :mad::mad:

I had the luxury option of remote control power switching.... but that sort of thing is a bit dangerous to do during the day incase you switch the wrong supply. :E

Then Mr Google decided to educate me in the beauty that is the Magic SysRQ key.

One 'Ctrl'+'Alt'+'SysRq'+b later and the system obediently and immediately rebooted itself. :D

See the Wiki entry here for more info on this cool and powerful command....who needs ctrl alt delete !

Hopefully you'll never have to use the command in anger, but if you do, you'll be glad you knew about it !

Presumably you used one of your windows m/cs to google :E

gg,

Actually, I used my Mac....since I was infront of my Apple laptop at the time :E

My local copy of Windows sits in an instance of VMware in a separate OS X "space" .... so a simple ctrl+right gets me a fullscreen Windows instance should I ever have the unfortunate desire.