I realize these parms are distro specific so will point out what I've been doing on my ArchLinux system and grub2. First of all, they implemented the config-grub thing too but for laziness, I just kept my grub.cfg around with the kernel command which I will paste in shortly. I also have insmod vbe in my grub.cfg plus the following kernel command line. linux /boot/vmlinuz26 root=/dev/sdb1 ro vga=790 I'm a bit unclear now how I came up with 790 but I was originally using parameters spelling out the specific resolution modes but that broke when the 2.6.32 kernel came out. After some experimentation and trial+error, I came up with the line I pasted here and it's been working for me ever since. I get a text terminal with 48 lines and 128 columns. Now, if I could get gnome to give me more than 800/600 resolution, things would be even better but that's for another another thread on another day. On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 08:12:27PM +1000, Jason White wrote: > Kenny Hitt <kenny at hittsjunk.net> writes: > > > The 2.6.32-4 kernel on Debian Sid had a problem where it didn't swithc console modes. > > The problem was fixed with the update to 2.6.32-5. > > It also seems to depend on which video card/chip set you are using, and > the status of kernel mode switching (KMS) in relation to this hardware. > > For example, my laptop has an Intel video chip set, and it acquired KMS, > hence framebuffer consoles in 2.6.31 or early 2.6.32 (these are Debian > kernels, and I can't remember exactly when the change occurred). > > My desktop machine didn't acquire a framebuffer console until I moved to > a 2.6.33 kernel in Debian Experimental, which activated the Nouveau > driver for the NVidia card. This driver is also included in more recent > Debian 2.6.32 kernel releases, but I haven't found any need to move back > from 2.6.33 as yet. > > As an aside, another means of ascertaining the terminal's dimensions is > to install and run C-Kermit, then use the "show terminal" command, which > on the desktop machine I am using to type this message (namely, the one > with the NVidia card) shows height 65 and width 210. > > I should also mention that the line length of e-mail messages and other > files is determined by settings in your text editor. > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
