> I'm afraid this stuff is still in the realms of a mystery and I've had a good
> read of the docs and this list.
I'm afraid you didn't read the docs too well...
> On VGA=ask, I get 2 modes that are VESA (7) 0308 (128x25) and (8) 030A
> (132x43).
Both of these modes are _text_ modes, not _graphics_ modes. Vesafb is a
graphics driver, so it's of no use specifying a text mode.
> With VGA_CONSOLE I get the old stream of message output and I've given
> the lilo prompt ...
> vga="ask,mode=0778"
> vga=vesa:redraw
I'm sure you didn't find these options anywhere as both of them make no sense.
> vga=ask
Just use "vga=ask" and enter mode "0303" to get 800x600x8.
> Next try, I compiled a kernel without VGA_CONSOLE and gave it the command line
> vga=0778, at this point it goes to "Loading Linux......", I next get
> "Uncompressing Linux", then a black screen below, no logo and I can log in blind
Yes, it's because you didn't set the correct mode and the frame buffer driver
didn't ever initialize.
Have a nice fortnight
-- Martin `MJ' Mares <mj@ucw.cz> http://atrey.karlin.mff.cuni.cz/~mj/ Faculty of Math and Physics, Charles University, Prague, Czech Rep., Earth "f u cn rd ths, u cn gt a gd jb n cmptr prgrmmng."- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu Please read the FAQ at http://www.altern.org/andrebalsa/doc/lkml-faq.html