We have upgraded a Debian Squeeze machine recently, which was installed in February 2010 and was never upgraded after that. After the upgrade, while booting the machine prints some messages and after "waiting for /dev with devices" it does not print anything else. The system actually boots and works, is connectible through ssh. But we don't get any console or X output.
ps command shows the running getty processes. but no virtual console (ctr+alt+fX) shows a login prompt. Actually, I suspect the keyboard stops working as the "numlock" key does not light up the led. The gdm login is also not accessible.
I tried dpkg-reconfigure on console-setup and a few other packages, and rebooted after changes, but to no avail.
I have added "nopat" kernel option, and I could get the console.
After, X driver(Nouveau) had problems, I alse added "nomodeset" to command line.
Now I can get the console and X (by vesa driver) and I left the issue there.