FrameBuffer in Console
From Initq
Linux framebuffer (fbdev) is hardware-independent layer to show graphics on console.
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How to setup framebuffer
FrameBuffer is good for machines where you don't want to install an X server. If you install framebuffer then you can run some X apps. We are able to start qemu straight in console. You also have to remember that framebuffers are very buggy and cause suspend failure, kernel panics and general mayhem. We strongly urge users not to load them.
Check the framebuffer
YOu can check if a framebuffer is installed by using fbset -i.
Install fbset:
- apt-get install fbset
- urpmi fbset
[lexiana@initq ~]$ ssh -l root 192.168.1.85 'fbset -i' root@192.168.1.85's password: mode "640x480-60" # D: 25.176 MHz, H: 31.469 kHz, V: 59.942 Hz geometry 640 480 640 32767 8 timings 39721 40 24 32 11 96 2 accel true rgba 8/0,8/0,8/0,0/0 endmode Frame buffer device information: Name : NV32 Address : 0xd8000000 Size : 134217728 Type : PACKED PIXELS Visual : PSEUDOCOLOR XPanStep : 8 YPanStep : 1 YWrapStep : 0 LineLength : 640 MMIO Address: 0xe0000000 MMIO Size : 16777216 Accelerator : nVidia Arch 30 [lexiana@initq ~]$
If the output is
[root@initq modprobe.d]# fbset -i open /dev/fb0: No such device
This means that the framebuffer is not installed.
Enable Kernel modules
Tell the kernel to load these modules into memory. Edit the proper modules file which can be found at
- /etc/modules
- /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
Insert in the modules file the following
fbcon vesafb
fbcon means framebuffer console. If this is loaded then your tty1 will be a framebuffer console. vesafb is a generic framebuffer driver that will work with any video card but if you have an ATI then use radeonfb and if you are using nvidia then use nvidiafb.
Un-black list kernel modules
Almost all distros blacklist framebuffer modules so we will need to un-blacklist them by comments out the lines in the following directory.
- /etc/modprobe.d/
The black list could be named blacklist-framebuffer or blacklist-compat or something else. To find all occurrences do the following
[root@initq modprobe.d]# pwd /etc/modprobe.d [root@initq modprobe.d]# grep fb * blacklist-compat:blacklist aty128fb blacklist-compat:blacklist atyfb blacklist-compat:blacklist radeonfb blacklist-compat:blacklist i810fb blacklist-compat:blacklist cirrusfb blacklist-compat:blacklist intelfb blacklist-compat:blacklist kyrofb blacklist-compat:blacklist i2c-matroxfb blacklist-compat:blacklist hgafb blacklist-compat:blacklist nvidiafb blacklist-compat:blacklist rivafb blacklist-compat:blacklist savagefb blacklist-compat:blacklist sstfb blacklist-compat:blacklist neofb blacklist-compat:blacklist tridentfb blacklist-compat:blacklist tdfxfb blacklist-compat:blacklist virgefb blacklist-compat:blacklist vga16fb blacklist-compat:blacklist matroxfb_base [root@initq modprobe.d]#
Comment out the modules you need from the previous set in this file.
Update initrd
Depending on your system do either of the following.
- update-initramfs -u -k all
- mkinitrd <initrd> <kernel>
Hardware info
Install a utility called hwinfo and then check
[root@initq modprobe.d]# hwinfo --framebuffer 02: None 00.0: 11001 VESA Framebuffer [Created at bios.450] Unique ID: rdCR.XAjiXf22Hb7 Hardware Class: framebuffer Model: "NVIDIA nv44 Board - p280h9 " Vendor: "NVIDIA Corporation" Device: "nv44 Board - p280h9 " SubVendor: "NVIDIA" SubDevice: Revision: "Chip Rev" Memory Size: 128 MB Memory Range: 0xe0000000-0xe7ffffff (rw) Mode 0x0300: 640x400 (+640), 8 bits Mode 0x0301: 640x480 (+640), 8 bits Mode 0x0303: 800x600 (+800), 8 bits Mode 0x0305: 1024x768 (+1024), 8 bits Mode 0x0307: 1280x1024 (+1280), 8 bits Mode 0x030e: 320x200 (+640), 16 bits Mode 0x030f: 320x200 (+1280), 24 bits Mode 0x0311: 640x480 (+1280), 16 bits Mode 0x0312: 640x480 (+2560), 24 bits Mode 0x0314: 800x600 (+1600), 16 bits Mode 0x0315: 800x600 (+3200), 24 bits Mode 0x0317: 1024x768 (+2048), 16 bits Mode 0x0318: 1024x768 (+4096), 24 bits Mode 0x031a: 1280x1024 (+2560), 16 bits Mode 0x031b: 1280x1024 (+5120), 24 bits Mode 0x0330: 320x200 (+320), 8 bits Mode 0x0331: 320x400 (+320), 8 bits Mode 0x0332: 320x400 (+640), 16 bits Mode 0x0333: 320x400 (+1280), 24 bits Mode 0x0334: 320x240 (+320), 8 bits Mode 0x0335: 320x240 (+640), 16 bits Mode 0x0336: 320x240 (+1280), 24 bits Mode 0x033d: 640x400 (+1280), 16 bits Mode 0x033e: 640x400 (+2560), 24 bits Mode 0x0345: 1600x1200 (+1600), 8 bits Mode 0x0346: 1600x1200 (+3200), 16 bits Mode 0x0347: 1400x1050 (+1400), 8 bits Mode 0x0348: 1400x1050 (+2800), 16 bits Mode 0x0352: 2048x1536 (+8192), 24 bits Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown [root@initq modprobe.d]#
From the above output choose one hex number that signifies the resolution you desire. These numbers are 0x317, 0x311 etc etc.
Edit grub
Edit /boot/grub/menu.lst file and add
- #defoptions=splash vga=0x317
Then update grub with
update-grub
Reboot and you should be fine.
