ubuntu server 7.04 console framebuffer resolution

[Mitch Contla]

On Wed, Sep 26, 2007 at 02:08:12PM -0400, Clem Takahashi wrote:
> Thanks, Mitch.  Your suggestion works on an ubuntu desktop install, but not
> on my ubuntu server install.  Just to be clear, my installation iso is
> ubuntu-7.04-server-i386.iso, not ubuntu-7.04-desktop-i386.iso.  Framebuffer
> doesn't show up in dmesg (using sudo just to be sure):
> 
> $ sudo dmesg | grep framebuffer
> Password:
> $
> 
> and adding the "vga=<vesa number>" option in menu.lst results in an
> unrecognized video mode on reboot.  However, there is an fbcon module, and
> three other modules that use it:
> 
> $ lsmod | grep fbcon
> fbcon                  42656  0
> tileblit                3584  1 fbcon
> font                    9216  1 fbcon
> bitblit                 6912  1 fbcon
> 
> so framebuffer is apparently not compiled into the kernel, but is loaded as
> a module.  Is there a way to change the video mode, either in the init
> scripts when the module is loaded, or once the machine is up?
> 
> Clem

You need the vesafb module to load at boot. I haven't tried to change
initramfs before, but... 

Check and make sure the module exists:

find /lib/modules/$(uname -r) -name "vesafb.ko"

I *think* you can add vesafb to /etc/initramfs-tools/modules
and then 'sudo update-initramfs'.

Update the following line in /boot/grub/menu.lst

# defoptions=quiet splash vga=<vesa number>

Reboot and see what happens.

You may want to read the initramfs docs first, or wait from someone
whose done this before to chime in, but I think this will do the trick.

-- 
Mitch