[NTLUG:Discuss] Grub Video Config Help

[Kevin E. Ivey]

Stephen Davidson wrote:
> Greetings.
> 
> I am having an issue with GRUB, Linux booting, and LCD Monitors.  During 
> the boot (after the countdown finishes), the LCD monitor is flashing 
> "input not supported" at me, until XDM starts.  I was wondering how to 
> change the video mode during booting to something the LCD supports.  
> This would be especially useful for when the system fails to start 
> runlevel 5 and X, especially when something happens and it goes to 
> Single User mode.
> 
> I was unable to find anything either in the info pages, man pages, or on 
> Google on how to do this.
> 
> Help?

Howdy,

You probably just need to modify your grub.conf file.  This is from the 
Wacky Linux series published by the Trivia Geek at Techrepublic:


Wacky Linux Interlude: Tweaking Ubuntu boot parameters
Tags: linux, permissions, ubuntu, wackylinux

In Episode 9 of my Wacky Linux Adventures, I documented a clumsy, 
inefficient method of permanently changing Ubuntu's boot parameters. 
Below is the 'proper' method, which you'll likely need if ever you run 
into a common (to me) VGA driver issue:

    1. When the system finishes booting (which may only be apparent by 
relative quiet from the hard drive, as your display may be garbled), log in.
    2. Once logged in, jump to a terminal with [CTRL][ALT][F1].
    3. When prompted, log in as the primary user
    4. Enter cd /boot/grub
    5. Enter sudo pico menu.lst
    6. When challenged, enter the primary user password
    7. Inside the menu.lst file, scroll down past the line ## ## End 
Default Options ## ##
    8. You should now see a list possible boot parameters (the same list 
you can choose from if you interrupt the GRUB loader). Each set will 
include a line that begins with kernel. Add or delete the appropriate 
boot parameters (in my driver case, remove vga=771) from this line in 
each set.
    9. Enter [CTRL][O] to write out the modified file
   10. When prompted with File Name to Write: menu.lst simply hit 
[ENTER] to overwrite the old menu.lst file
   11. Enter [CTRL][X] to exit
   12. At the prompt, enter sudo reboot

The system should reboot with the new boot parameters.

--- Keep up with the Trivia Geek's ongoing Wacky Linux Adventures with 
the wackylinux tag. If it doesn't say wackylinux, it's not really a 
wacky Linux adventure.


That should lead you in the right direction...

Kevin