Can't switch from X to the console

[Kirk Strauser <kirk@strauser.com>]

I'm using XFree86 4.3.0.dfsg.1-6 on a Debian/unstable system.  When I press 
CTRL+ALT+F1, xev reports that the "XF86_Switch_VT_1" symbol is being 
generated, but I can never get to any other virtual terminal.

Here're the results from xev of pressing control, alt, and F1 in order:

KeyPress event, serial 28, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0x8d, subw 0x0, time 71155431, (48,786), root:(52,810),
    state 0x0, keycode 37 (keysym 0xffe3, Control_L), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:  ""

KeyPress event, serial 28, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0x8d, subw 0x0, time 71156335, (48,786), root:(52,810),
    state 0x4, keycode 64 (keysym 0xffe9, Alt_L), same_screen YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:  ""

KeyPress event, serial 28, synthetic NO, window 0x3c00001,
    root 0x8d, subw 0x0, time 71157191, (48,786), root:(52,810),
    state 0xc, keycode 67 (keysym 0x1008fe01, XF86_Switch_VT_1), same_screen 
YES,
    XLookupString gives 0 bytes:  ""


This has been going on for a while and it's driving me nuts.  If X ever hangs 
or I get in some other weird state (such as when BZFlag eats the keyboard - 
see Debian's bug database for details), then I have to log in to another 
machine, SSH into my workstation, and fix things from there.  This isn't 
conducive to easy adminstration.

Any ideas?
-- 
Kirk Strauser

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