Comment 11 for bug 652221

If I change openvt.conf like so:

--- init/openvt.conf 2010-10-08 04:00:41.000000000 +0000
+++ /etc/init/openvt.conf 2010-10-08 04:08:27.000000000 +0000
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 # License: see debian/copyright
 #

-start on starting tty1
-
-respawn
-pre-start exec stop tty1
+#start on starting tty1
+console output
+#respawn
+#pre-start exec stop tty1
 exec /bin/openvt -e -c 1 -- /bin/auto-root-login

so it doesn't try to start on boot, then boot, shut down tty1 by hand (which has started up fine, btw), then:

root@localhost:~# start openvt
openvt start/running, process 695
root@localhost:~# openvt: vt 1 is in use; command aborted
        use `openvt -f' to force.

If I add -f to the openvt options, then start openvt appears to work fine.