[...]

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:

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

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 So either I missed something in the kernel or that stanza is outdated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

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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.

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)