[NTLUG:Discuss] Grub Video Config Help

[David Stanaway]

Okay you problem is not with grub, you would have the same think with 
lilo, or if you booted the kernel directly. The issue is you probably 
have an enhanced console driver built in to the kernel, and it switches 
to a text mode that isn't supported on your LCD. The consolf framebuffer 
text mode is configurable, but it depends which graphics card you have 
for the arguments.

A google for:
console "text mode" linux <insert graphics chipset here> kernel boot

should bring up some pages that will help, also the documentation in the 
kernel source.


From: http://www.digitalhermit.com/linux/hiresconsole.html
Maybe add a kernel arg: vga=769

Stephen Davidson wrote:
> Hi Kevin.
> 
> With the exception of Jumping to a Text Terminal, will try this when I 
> get my system back (All text terminals are offline due to "Video mode 
> not supproted" from the monitor.
> 
> Regards,
> Steve
> 
> Kevin E. Ivey wrote:
>> 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