[NTLUG:Discuss] Grub Video Config Help

[Robert Pearson]

On 4/3/06, Stephen Davidson <gorky at freenet.carleton.ca> wrote:
> Hi Guys.
>
> Busy weekend, sorry for the delayed reply.
>
> Responses inlined.
>
> David Stanaway wrote:
> > Robert Pearson wrote:
> >
> >> On 4/1/06, Stephen Davidson <gorky at freenet.carleton.ca> 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.
> >>>
> > I don't think it is an X problem, it sounds like X works fine, but its
> > the console frambuffer which causes a problem.
> >
> Once X starts, I get my screen back. So definately not an X problem. Ok,
> I can see Console FrameBuffer.
> > What type of graphics card are you using?  You may like to append a
> > kernel arg that changes the text mode for your console.
> >
> Computer went in to the repair shop Friday. Should be getting it back
> today, so will let you know.
> > Do you see the grub boot menu or not?
> > When exactly is it that you loose the screen res?
> >
> > 1) BIOS init
> >
> Visible.
>
> > 2) Grub
> >
> Visible.
> > 3) Kernel boot
> >
> "Video mode not supported"
> > 4) init scripts - eg: loading modules, or auto detecting hardware?
> >
> "Video mode not supported"
> >
> >
> >
> >> What Linux are you running? I assume you are running Xorg for X.
> >>
> OpenSuSE 10.0.

Here is the "boot" line from my "/boot/grub/menu.lst".
The "vga=0x31a" sets the monitor mode until "X" starts.

If SaX or YaST misread your LCD monitor type or the frequencies even
"vga=0x31a" will not work. "X" read the monitor correctly because it works.
It works because it is sending the correct frequencies to the display.

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title SUSE LINUX 10.0
    root (hd1,1)
    kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sda2 vga=0x31a selinux=0
resume=/dev/sda1 splash=verbose showopts
    initrd /boot/initrd

Robert...