[TriLUG] How to get to text terminal when Ctrl+Alt+F1 doesn't work?

[Kenneth Parker via TriLUG]

On Sat, Dec 15, 2018 at 12:11 PM Nathan Yinger via TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
wrote:

> I recently got a Pi-Top. Obviously, when I booted it up, the first thing I
> did was hit Ctrl+Alt+F1 to do to the text console...and nothing happened.
> Plugging in another keyboard and hitting Ctrl-Alt-F1 on the other keyboard
> works, but not with the built-in keyboard. The Ctrl, Alt, and Fn keys all
> work normally, except when trying to get to the text console.
>

I concur with other responses, that the "supplied keyboard" may not
register three keys, pressed at once.

| <snip>

If you don't mind starting with Text Mode, there should be an update to
Grub to do this.  A few years ago (pre-SystemD), I ran an Ubuntu Server
(but with LXDE Window Manager) 24 hours a day.  Back then, it was as simple
as replacing  the words, "quiet splash" to "text".

I'm pretty sure this has changed, with SystemD!

Good Luck and Best Regards,

Kenneth Parker