From: drs0587@sc.tamu.edu (Dave Safford) Subject: Re: ASK_VGA doesn't work for me. Date: 16 Feb 1993 14:34:49 GMT
In article 968@skitzo.dseg.ti.com, dittman@skitzo.dseg.ti.com (Eric Dittman) writes:
>I installed the TAMU release of Linux this weekend, but I am having one
>small problem with the video modes. I have a Diamond SpeedStar 24X, and
>whenever I load Linux (I use LILO), I never get asked the press <ENTER>
>or <SPACE> for video mode selection, even after I rebuild the kernel and
>set SVGA_MODE to ASK_VGA in /usr/src/linux/Makefile. I do see the message
>flicker by before the mode is switched to 132x44 text, but it never pauses
>to ask me, it just always goes to 132x44 mode. I did hard-code a jump to
>the section of code that ASK_VGA invokes in setup.S, but after I hit <ENTER>
>to select video modes, it goes ahead and switches to 132x44 mode without
>asking which mode I want. I don't like 132x44 mode as the screen only uses
>43 lines, and the 44th line is whatever has scrolled off the screen several
>lines before (although I haven't counted them, it must be around 20).
>
>Now, what is really strange is the boot floppy does ask, and does use the
>mode I select.
>
>(I've looked in the FAQ and haven't seen this problem mentioned)
In the TAMU.99p4 installation, LILO is configured to set the video mode at
boot time (it now sets it to "normal" 80x25 mode). This is controlled
by the /etc/lilo/config file, in the line "vga = normal".
You can easily set this to "vga = ask", to get the menu at boot time,
or to a vga mode number, such as "vga = 1". For this change to take effect,
you need to run /etc/lilo/install. The LILO vga mode overrides the kernel
default.
This is one of the nicest features of LILO, as it makes it easy to change
kernel boot parameters without recompiling the kernel, and allows for
multiple sets of boot parameters. This LILO configuration is mentioned
in the ERRATA file, and I'll add a better description to the INSTALL file.
dave safford