Ubuntu

Set server to text mode always

Asked by Mike Bethany

I am running a 10.04 server on a Mac Mini (mid-2009) and I have it hooked up to an old monitor that only supports up to 70Hz at 1024x768. The problem is the system automatically sets the refresh at 75Hz which causes the monitor to go into fits. All I can see are squiggly lines.

I can SSH into it and do whatever needs to be done I just can't see what's on the monitor hooked up to it after it finished booting.

I've tried using fbset and I've set the resolution in the grub.cfg and grub files. That "works" in that it changes the resolution for the grub loader part but I need to hardcode the resolution/frequency for the command prompt.

Keep in mind I am NOT using any graphical user interface like X, KDE, or Gnome. This is a server.

So to recap, I need to lower the resolution and or frequency that is being auto-selected after the grub loader screens.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Note: Please do not edit this question and mark it as part of Xorg. I very specifically said I am running a server, not a desktop. Xorg is part of XWindows and as I very specifically said I am not using any graphical interface at all. Please read a question before touching it.

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
actionparsnip
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
Best actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

http://idyllictux.wordpress.com/2010/04/26/lucidubuntu-10-04-high-resolution-plymouth-virtual-terminal-for-atinvidia-cards-with-proprietaryrestricted-driver/

Will make it use fb driver and should be ok. Apply the change via ssh

Revision history for this message
Mike Bethany (picklepumpers) said : 		#2

Thanks, I didn't need that driver at all but looking at the settings they used let me to figure out what I needed to do. The big one was the nomodeset. That stops the video driver from resetting your mode. So my fix was to modify the /etc/default/grub file with these lines:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet gfxplayload=800x600 nomodeset"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="gfxpayload=800x600 nomodeset"

The "gfxpayload=800x600" let me set the resolution I wanted and the "nomodeset" let me keep the video driver from changing it.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.