[gentoo-user] How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[gentoo-user] How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

What is the simplest way to get a higher resolution screen when
booting gentoo into console mode?

I used to have something in /boot/grub/grub.conf that did that but I
have forgotten the full syntax.  My best guess is:
    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
on kernel line.

With that in place, at bootup the terminal expands to a (quite a lot)
bigger size, but it's only momentary and then right back down to what
is I guess default.

So either I missed something in the kernel or that stanza is outdated
now.

Or maybe, FB doesn't work for vbox guest vm.

(ps I'm not interest in wasting huge amounts of time with the KMS
approach.) 

Re: [gentoo-user] How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Michael Mol]

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On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 4:44 PM, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:

> What is the simplest way to get a higher resolution screen when
> booting gentoo into console mode?
>
> I used to have something in /boot/grub/grub.conf that did that but I
> have forgotten the full syntax.  My best guess is:
>    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
> on kernel line.
>
> With that in place, at bootup the terminal expands to a (quite a lot)
> bigger size, but it's only momentary and then right back down to what
> is I guess default.
>
> So either I missed something in the kernel or that stanza is outdated
> now.
>
> Or maybe, FB doesn't work for vbox guest vm.
>
> (ps I'm not interest in wasting huge amounts of time with the KMS
> approach.)
>
>
>
>
>
VESA framebuffer should work with absolutely everything PC-derived. I don't
know the grub configuration details, though.

-- 
:wq

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[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

[...]

Harry wrote:
>>    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
  
    (Does not work with newly installed gentoo guest on win7 Vbox)

Michael Mol <mikemol@gmail.com> responded:
> VESA framebuffer should work with absolutely everything PC-derived. I don't
> know the grub configuration details, though.

Sorry.. yes... here it is:

/boot/grub/grub.conf

  default 0
  timeout 10
  splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
  
  title vgen
  root (hd0,0)
  kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 vga=0x31A video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
  # initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86-2.6.24-gentoo-r5
  
  # vim:ft=conf:
  

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Mick]

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On Wednesday 07 Dec 2011 22:34:33 Harry Putnam wrote:
> [...]
> 
> Harry wrote:
> >>    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
> 
>     (Does not work with newly installed gentoo guest on win7 Vbox)
> 
> Michael Mol <mikemol@gmail.com> responded:
> > VESA framebuffer should work with absolutely everything PC-derived. I
> > don't know the grub configuration details, though.
> 
> Sorry.. yes... here it is:
> 
> /boot/grub/grub.conf
> 
>   default 0
>   timeout 10
>   splashimage=(hd0,0)/grub/splash.xpm.gz
> 
>   title vgen
>   root (hd0,0)
>   kernel /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda3 vga=0x31A video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
>   # initrd /boot/initramfs-genkernel-x86-2.6.24-gentoo-r5
> 
>   # vim:ft=conf:

Have you tried:

   vga=ask

It'll give you a list of hopefully supported resolutions.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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Re: [gentoo-user] How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Paul Hartman]

On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 3:44 PM, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:
> What is the simplest way to get a higher resolution screen when
> booting gentoo into console mode?
>
> I used to have something in /boot/grub/grub.conf that did that but I
> have forgotten the full syntax.  My best guess is:
>    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
> on kernel line.
>
> With that in place, at bootup the terminal expands to a (quite a lot)
> bigger size, but it's only momentary and then right back down to what
> is I guess default.
>
> So either I missed something in the kernel or that stanza is outdated
> now.
>
> Or maybe, FB doesn't work for vbox guest vm.
>
> (ps I'm not interest in wasting huge amounts of time with the KMS
> approach.)

See if you have /etc/init.d/consolefont running at startup, it may be
changing your font from the one you see initially.

[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

Paul Hartman <paul.hartman+gentoo@gmail.com> writes:

> On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 3:44 PM, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:
>> What is the simplest way to get a higher resolution screen when
>> booting gentoo into console mode?
>>
>> I used to have something in /boot/grub/grub.conf that did that but I
>> have forgotten the full syntax.  My best guess is:
>>    [...] vga=0x31a video=vesafb:mtrr,ywrap
>> on kernel line.
>>
>> With that in place, at bootup the terminal expands to a (quite a lot)
>> bigger size, but it's only momentary and then right back down to what
>> is I guess default.

[...]

> See if you have /etc/init.d/consolefont running at startup, it may be
> changing your font from the one you see initially.

No, it doesn't appear at all in rc-update output.  What I actually see
happen as boot starts is the vbox window expands quickly to about 3-4
times its original size, then after only a moment it drops back to its
original size.  Like a resolution is tried and dropped.

[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

Mick <michaelkintzios@gmail.com> writes:

> Have you tried:
>
>    vga=ask
>
> It'll give you a list of hopefully supported resolutions.

Yes but those are not really resolutions are they?... I thought they
were actual font size changes.

5 is closest but any of the smaller ones look too silly and
unreadable.  Whereas a hefty resolution like 1200 over 1024 looks
nice, just smaller.

I moved away, yrs ago from using vga=ask because it really does not
have a satisfactory view setting.  5 is best, but also seem a bit
large, the next one looks too crowded and ugly.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Neil Bothwick]

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On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:52:04 -0600, Harry Putnam wrote:

> No, it doesn't appear at all in rc-update output.  What I actually see
> happen as boot starts is the vbox window expands quickly to about 3-4
> times its original size, then after only a moment it drops back to its
> original size.  Like a resolution is tried and dropped.

That sounds like KMS kicking in and reducing the resolution to what it
thinks your hardware can handle. There is a kernel option to enable it, I
can't remember the exact syntax but Google can.


-- 
Neil Bothwick

Don't let your mind wander, it's too little to be let out alone.

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Paul Hartman]

On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 5:57 PM, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:
> Mick <michaelkintzios@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Have you tried:
>>
>>    vga=ask
>>
>> It'll give you a list of hopefully supported resolutions.
>
> Yes but those are not really resolutions are they?... I thought they
> were actual font size changes.
>
> 5 is closest but any of the smaller ones look too silly and
> unreadable.  Whereas a hefty resolution like 1200 over 1024 looks
> nice, just smaller.
>
> I moved away, yrs ago from using vga=ask because it really does not
> have a satisfactory view setting.  5 is best, but also seem a bit
> large, the next one looks too crowded and ugly.

I use uvesafb. It's a little awkward to set up the first time, but was
more flexible for me as far as the possible resolutions.

Instructions are here:
http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/projects/uvesafb/

The relevant part of my grub kernel line:
video=uvesafb:1280x800-32,mtrr:2,ywrap

That goes into a 1280x800 video mode. I then use consolefont in my
default runlevel to set the font to one that I prefer (ter-112n from
media-fonts/terminus-font)

[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk> writes:

> On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:52:04 -0600, Harry Putnam wrote:
>
>> No, it doesn't appear at all in rc-update output.  What I actually see
>> happen as boot starts is the vbox window expands quickly to about 3-4
>> times its original size, then after only a moment it drops back to its
>> original size.  Like a resolution is tried and dropped.
>
> That sounds like KMS kicking in and reducing the resolution to what it
> thinks your hardware can handle. There is a kernel option to enable it, I
> can't remember the exact syntax but Google can.

You might have something there.  However, everything that comes up on
a `/KMS' search in make menuconfig is set `=n' and I just noticed
another area that comes up is the `advanced' option under power
management.

I just now turned all the advanced stuff off by removing the
`asterisk'.

Building kernel now but I have a hunch nothing is going to change as
regards the resolution. 

[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> writes:

> Neil Bothwick <neil@digimed.co.uk> writes:
>
>> On Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:52:04 -0600, Harry Putnam wrote:
>>
>>> No, it doesn't appear at all in rc-update output.  What I actually see
>>> happen as boot starts is the vbox window expands quickly to about 3-4
>>> times its original size, then after only a moment it drops back to its
>>> original size.  Like a resolution is tried and dropped.
>>
>> That sounds like KMS kicking in and reducing the resolution to what it
>> thinks your hardware can handle. There is a kernel option to enable it, I
>> can't remember the exact syntax but Google can.
>
> You might have something there.  However, everything that comes up on
> a `/KMS' search in make menuconfig is set `=n' and I just noticed
> another area that comes up is the `advanced' option under power
> management.
>
> I just now turned all the advanced stuff off by removing the
> `asterisk'.
>
> Building kernel now but I have a hunch nothing is going to change as
> regards the resolution. 

I guessed right, no change far as getting a larger resolution.  Still
has the quick expansion and then drops back to original res.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Michael Mol]

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FWIW, uvesafb breaks if you use the -march=native unpacking trick on amd64;
the special compiler v86d depends on doesn't like the --param parameter.
That appears to be used by gcc to communicate details about CPU cache
geometry.

ZZ
On Dec 7, 2011 7:19 PM, "Paul Hartman" <paul.hartman+gentoo@gmail.com>
wrote:

> On Wed, Dec 7, 2011 at 5:57 PM, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:
> > Mick <michaelkintzios@gmail.com> writes:
> >
> >> Have you tried:
> >>
> >>    vga=ask
> >>
> >> It'll give you a list of hopefully supported resolutions.
> >
> > Yes but those are not really resolutions are they?... I thought they
> > were actual font size changes.
> >
> > 5 is closest but any of the smaller ones look too silly and
> > unreadable.  Whereas a hefty resolution like 1200 over 1024 looks
> > nice, just smaller.
> >
> > I moved away, yrs ago from using vga=ask because it really does not
> > have a satisfactory view setting.  5 is best, but also seem a bit
> > large, the next one looks too crowded and ugly.
>
> I use uvesafb. It's a little awkward to set up the first time, but was
> more flexible for me as far as the possible resolutions.
>
> Instructions are here:
> http://dev.gentoo.org/~spock/projects/uvesafb/
>
> The relevant part of my grub kernel line:
> video=uvesafb:1280x800-32,mtrr:2,ywrap
>
> That goes into a 1280x800 video mode. I then use consolefont in my
> default runlevel to set the font to one that I prefer (ter-112n from
> media-fonts/terminus-font)
>
>

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Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Frank Steinmetzger]

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On Wed, Dec 07, 2011 at 06:42:22PM -0600, Harry Putnam wrote:

> >> That sounds like KMS kicking in and reducing the resolution to what it
> >> thinks your hardware can handle. There is a kernel option to enable it, I
> >> can't remember the exact syntax but Google can.
> >
> > You might have something there.  However, everything that comes up on
> > a `/KMS' search in make menuconfig is set `=n' and I just noticed
> > another area that comes up is the `advanced' option under power
> > management.
> >
> > I just now turned all the advanced stuff off by removing the
> > `asterisk'.
> >
> > Building kernel now but I have a hunch nothing is going to change as
> > regards the resolution. 
> 
> I guessed right, no change far as getting a larger resolution.  Still
> has the quick expansion and then drops back to original res.

AFAIK you also need to use a supporting Graphics driver. I, for instance,
usually use the binary NVidia blob, which cannot handle KMS. So I use uvesafb
and am fine with it. The only problem with it is that on every other session I
get but a blank screen when I switch from X to a console.
OTOH I also tried nouveau and (on a friend’s netbook) the intel driver. Both
automatically detected the correct screen resolution without any additional
kernel parameter.
-- 
Gruß | Greetings | Qapla'
I forbid any use of my email addresses with Facebook services.

Baby to twin at the other breast, winking: “Bottoms up!?”

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[gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Harry Putnam]

Frank Steinmetzger <Warp_7@gmx.de> writes:

> AFAIK you also need to use a supporting Graphics driver. I, for instance,

Even for a no X setup?.  What ever it needs must be there since it
pops up in a high resolution, but then drops back.  If the good
weren't there to create that resolution, I doubt it would enter a high
res at all.

Re: [gentoo-user] Re: How to increase console (text) screen resolution

[Mick]

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On Thursday 08 Dec 2011 23:44:25 Harry Putnam wrote:
> Frank Steinmetzger <Warp_7@gmx.de> writes:
> > AFAIK you also need to use a supporting Graphics driver. I, for instance,
> 
> Even for a no X setup?.  What ever it needs must be there since it
> pops up in a high resolution, but then drops back.  If the good
> weren't there to create that resolution, I doubt it would enter a high
> res at all.

Have you tried passing something like:

  video=1024x768

to your kernel line?  I know this is a KMS way of specifying the resolution, 
but it may just work with recent kernels.
-- 
Regards,
Mick

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