|
DISCLAIMER: All the information contained in this page, or any linked from it, is provided as is, having no warranty or support of any kind, and is used entirely at your own risk.
Console Patch
By default when you install Linux onto the Picturebook, the console outside of X windows does not fill the screen, it uses a 640x480 rectangle in the center of the screen for the 80x25 text mode. This as I live outside of X for many thing was driving me nuts. I was going to write a patch to fix this, but found Marcel Wijlaars had beaten me to it. Thanks Marcel, not only for the patch but also for saving me some work.
TIP: If you are using my optimized Kernel you can ignore this whole page, as you already have it.
The Patch
This patch needs to be applied to the Kernel source tree, and only the source not the RPMs. That said if you are not happy with building your own Kernel from source you have two options, give up and live with the default console mode, or learn how to do it. Before you decide I suggest you read the Kernel HOWTO, and also my Picturebook Kernel page, you will see thats its not a hard thing to do, and will help you with other things on your Picturebook.
Getting the patch
If you are using 2.4.17 Kernel then you can get the patch for this and other older Kernels from Marcel's site
Applying the patch
Copy the patch file into the root of your Kernel source tree, this is /usr/src/Linux on my system, and apply it with the following command.
patch -p1<nameofpatchfile
If all works OK you should see the following.
patching file drivers/video/Config.in
patching file drivers/video/aty/atyfb_base.c
Hunk #1 succeeded at 360 (offset 7 lines).
Hunk #2 succeeded at 432 (offset 8 lines).
Hunk #3 succeeded at 453 (offset 7 lines).
Hunk #4 succeeded at 1766 (offset 21 lines).
Hunk #6 succeeded at 2745 (offset 36 lines).
patching file drivers/video/aty/macem4.h
patching file drivers/video/aty/macem4_ct.c
patching file drivers/video/modedb.c
Kernel configuration
Now you have patched the Kernel source, you need to update the Kernel config, the easiest way to do this is with xconfig (remember this is not a Kernel HOWTO). Under xconfig you need to make the following changes.
|
Console drivers
|
|
Video mode selection support
|
Yes
|
NB. Nothing else in this screen needs to be enabled
|
Console drivers/Frame-buffer support
|
|
Support for frame buffer devices (EXPERIMENTAL)
|
Yes
|
|
ATI Macem4 display support(EXPERIMENTAL)
|
Yes
|
|
Macem4 CT/VT/GT/LT (incl. 3D Rage) support
|
Yes
|
|
Sony Vaio C1VE 1024x480 LCD support
|
Yes
|
NB. Nothing else in this screen needs to be enabled
Updating lilo.conf
You need to add the following line to your /etc/lilo.conf file, before the first image line.
vga=0x301
One last thing you need to do is run /sbin/lilo to update your configuration, failing to do this will cause the changes you made to /etc/lilo.conf to be ignored.
Links and Related Pages
|